Nestled in the Great Appalachian Valley in rural Maryland, Derek developed a love for all things natural early in life. His interests led him to organic agriculture and natural medicine, in which his passion for the outdoors blossomed. Shortly after graduating from St. Mary’s College of Maryland with a degree in psychology and religious studies, Derek uprooted himself from the East Coast to explore the Western United States, where he discovered wilderness therapy to be the harmony of his adoration for wellness, the brain, and the natural world.