How to Feel More Fulfilled in Climbing with Tyler Stableford

I talked with psychotherapist Tyler Stableford about some different therapy modalities that are super useful for rock climbers to help us feel more content and fulfilled in climbing (and in life).

Tyler is a trauma-focused psychotherapist in Carbondale, Colorado, and a lifelong climber. At age 48 this year, he completed a masters degree in clinical mental health counseling and works with youth at risk and adults in both community mental health and private practice. He holds certificates in Internal Family System therapy, EMDR, and ketamine-assisted psychotherapy.

Tyler is also an Emmy Award-winning director and photographer. At the start of his career, he worked as the photo and equipment editor at Climbing Magazine and later as the editor of Rock & Ice magazine. Today, he is an avid rock, ice, and mixed climber who has climbed up to 5.13- on rock, grade 6 ice, and M11 mixed, as well as various alpine climbs.

In this episode, we talk about how Internal Family Systems (IFS), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Ketamine Assisted Therapy (KAT), my coaching techniques, and other modalities can help release trauma and build awareness about how our minds work. This can help us create new, positive behaviors and thought patterns.

Tyler and I got very personal and vulnerable, talking about how these modalities have helped us continually work through our own stuff, and how they can be applied to climbers who struggle with things like:

• low self worth
• trying to find happiness through achievements
• not accepting where they’re at in climbing
• feeling shame about their climbing

We tried very hard to give tangible, useful advice that you can use right now without seeing a therapist or coach. But we both strongly urge people to work with someone if you can.

I absolutely loved this conversation and it’s one of my favorite episodes ever. I really hope you enjoy it too.

Show Links

• Tyler Stableford private practice: www.stablefordcounseling.com
• Tyler’s portfolio from his previous career in film
• The Body Keeps the Score book by Bessel van der Kolk M.D
• Work with me on your mindset in climbing

Work with Me to Start Loving Climbing Again 

I’ve been talking to a lot of climbers lately who have lost their passion and joy in climbing because they’re comparing themselves to others, feeling disappointed with their performance, and putting a lot of pressure on themselves to be doing better, faster.

I have been there myself, and I’ve worked on all of it intensively over the last few years. Through all of this work with coaches and self-reflection, I’ve come out on the other side having WAY more fun in my climbing and feeling mostly positive emotions in all of my climbing sessions. I went to school to become a coach to help people on exactly this thing (among other things, but this is my favorite).

Let’s work together by having skillful conversations over zoom to uncover what’s going on underneath all those negative thoughts and feelings and make a tangible plan for you to start enjoying the process of climbing more and caring less about what others think of you. Let’s get your joy back in climbing.