Welcome to the Mad in America podcast, your source for science, psychiatry and social justice.

Hello, this is James and welcome to the Mad at America podcast.

And this week we turn our attention to the transformative power of nature-based

therapeutic mentoring. And joining us to talk about this is Peter Mayfield. Peter is the founder

and executive director of Gateway Mountain Center, a youth development organization innovating

how youth learn, heal and thrive. He has enjoyed a 40-year career

guiding people into mountain experiences and being an entrepreneur and embodied peak experience.

He has traversed a trajectory from world-class climber to chief guide of the Yosemite

Mountaineering School to founder of City Rock, the first full-service climbing gym in the world.

Today, Peter is passionate about changing the system of care for youth, suffering from serious

emotional disturbance and complex trauma. Gateway's program Whole Hearts, Minds and Bodies,

is the first nature-based therapeutic program to achieve full-service partner contracts

with counter-behavioral health departments and certification as a medical provider.

I was curious to ask Peter about his journey from mountaineering to his role as an educator and mentor

and how enabling children and adolescents to connect with nature

has such a profound effect on their health and well-being. Peter, welcome. Thank you so much for

making the time to chat with me for the Mad at America podcast. I'm thrilled to get to talk to you.

And to kind of start with, you know, to kind of introduce you to the listeners,

I, you know, wondered what it was that took somebody from being a, you know, world championship

climber to, you know, now you're involved with kind of outdoor pursuits and therapy and

nature and well-being. So, you know, how did that transition happen? Oh, well, thank you.

I'm thrilled to be part of this community. I've learned a lot from the whole Madden America

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