It was a turning point. A rainy day in a Paris train station afforded all the grit and reality necessary to awaken a sense for a different kind of adventure. Up to that point in Darin’s young life the travel bug’s bite ran deep. Spending time with people in crisis in London, Thailand, and places beyond helped develop a unique worldview that enhances his perspective for the work he does today. 

 

Upon his return home he embraced the notion that his life’s purpose is to serve as a journeyman to help others. He worked as a forklift operator, a truck driver, and air conditioning technician while pursuing his B.S. and M.S. education. This widened his understanding of work’s impact on our mental health and wellbeing.

 

A dedicated family man, Darin finds the support of his wife and children to be his foremost influence in life. Their encouragement and validation steer his heart and actions.   

 

Once he secured his LCSW he enjoyed counseling clients who were simply good people who found themselves in complicated situations. Meeting and helping a lot of great people sort out life’s entanglements has definitely been an honor. A wise person once told him a favorite quote, 

 

“Your positive influence on others is not all down the road. It’s about the connection with them now, today, and how it helps them in those moments.”  

 

Darin believes infusing horses into the therapeutic process offers something uniquely impactful beyond the therapy couch. Proudly identifying with his half-East Texas and half-East L.A. upbringing, his interest in horses developed early. These days simply being on site, smelling the smells, and experiencing the horse-to-human connection make the toughest days into relaxing ones.    

 

As a Mental Health Specialist at Rise Canyon Ranch he acknowledges that the best part of his job is the freedom, especially being outdoors with his clients and the horses. He also admits that wearing his best Steve McQueen-esque cowboy outfits is pretty cool too. The people of East Texas will undoubtedly say, “Darin is a real cowboy…finally.”