The Drew Petersen Podcast

What’s Changing Mental Health & Suicide Prevention? — The Speedy Foundation’s Shannon Decker

Mental Health Awareness Month continues with Shannon Decker, the executive director & co-founder of The Speedy Foundation, whose mission is to prevent suicide and take action for mental health through education and awareness. Founded in memory of Jeret “Speedy” Peterson, an iconic American, Olympic & World Cup aerials skier who died by suicide in 2011, The Speedy Foundation is in some ways one of the original mental health non-profits related to skiing. Shannon is an absolute powerhouse of change and impact. I love working with The Speedy Foundation and Shannon has become a treasured mentor to me and one of my all-time favorite people to work with in the mental health and suicide prevention realm. We had this conversation after wrapping up a week together where we teamed up for me to speak in local schools in North Lake Tahoe. The week epitomized the gratitude I have for the work I get to do and the opportunity I savor to team up with Shannon to help our communities. So, my goal in having Shannon on the podcast was to distill some of what it’s like to learn from her. — Listen / watch / subscribe: * YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@DrewPetersenPodcast] * Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/1FSe5PihpUnTnCuqulgHmO?si=46be6b68f1d84ab6] * Apple Podcasts [https://apple.co/4bKnwg6] — Learn more & support The Speedy Foundation: thespeedyfoundation.org [https://www.thespeedyfoundation.org/] Follow The Speedy Foundation on Instagram: instagram.com/thespeedyfoundation [https://www.instagram.com/thespeedyfoundation/] — Follow me/the show on Instagram: instagram.com/drewpeterski [http://instagram.com/drewpeterski/] Sign up for my Substack/the podcast newsletter: substack.com/@drewpetersen [http://substack.com/@drewpetersen] — This episode is brought to you by Salomon. To check out the QST line of skis, and all Salomon ski gear, visit https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbXlQVkFDdnZXb2p4M3ZzaWNXTUt0b25uMHZRZ3xBQ3Jtc0tsRnc2dnNaWnFYOW80eGpELUVxREJQcG52VzQzNUdkLV9GV3VWMFZQZE4ydWxXQl9sT3JWeHRjVjJnQ1NfcXJfcmJoM1BfNTFSRzBzRnpLM0ZUM2o1dUxUaG9VeDVxeWxkNUg1SmxrU3FNZ0E3VXI0UQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Fsalomon.pxf.io%2FDPP&v=2FsJkrkycgshttps://salomon.pxf.io/DPP [https://salomon.pxf.io/DPP] — Score discounts and connect with all of the podcast’s sponsors any time at https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbEhBal9RZmQxWTE1WTZPcnhuakN5TlFnUm4wZ3xBQ3Jtc0tucTJFcHA5N3gzSkpHa3R0Q3hCS29xdkZGWTBMczlqNGFGOXp1b25kQjNIRUVqM0tlUmxxeWE1dzhYYm5ybUlXYUVwaE9zRy00NVY2dEJ1LW5xaXAtQU0wREpWTFFCa2FSVWFRZDFQNzVEd04tZEQwbw&q=https%3A%2F%2Fdrew-petersen.com%2Fpodcast&v=2FsJkrkycgshttps://drew-petersen.com/podcast [https://drew-petersen.com/podcast].

Trail Work — A Deeper Relationship w/ Land, Recreation, & Conservation w/ Author Dillon Osleger

Dillon Osleger is a geologist, professional mountain biker, conservationist, and author of the new book Trail Work: Restoring the Paths and Stories of America’s Public Lands. The book is a love letter to trails themselves, but seen through the lens of public lands, conservation, and a vision for the future of all the above. Within the book, Dillon weaves together the perspectives he has learned through trail building, conservation, academic study, and perhaps most importantly, his lifetime spent on trails. Fittingly, Dillon and I first connected through a pursuit parallel to the book itself: lobbying for climate action in Washington D.C. with Protect Our Winters. Dillon’s ability to combine passion and storytelling into purpose was most impressive because it was obvious how smart he is. This book, his debut as an author, stands out to me in the same way as meeting him in person. I viewed this conversation and Trail Work as the perfect opportunity to break the format of interviewing my guests on chairlifts. Dillon and I had this conversation beside a trail near his home in Truckee, CA. Afterwards, as we walked out, Dillon shared with me that he would take his notebook nearby when he’d hit writer’s block on the computer inside. — This episode is brought to you by Protect Our Winters. To learn more and to join Team POW, visit protectourwinters.org [http://protectourwinters.org/]. — Listen / watch / subscribe: * YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@DrewPetersenPodcast] * Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/1FSe5PihpUnTnCuqulgHmO?si=46be6b68f1d84ab6] * Apple Podcasts [https://apple.co/4bKnwg6] — Buy & read Trail Work: https://www.heydaybooks.com/catalog/trail-work/ [https://www.heydaybooks.com/catalog/trail-work/] Buy & read Trail Work on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Trail-Work-Restoring-Stories-Americas/dp/1597147133 [https://www.amazon.com/Trail-Work-Restoring-Stories-Americas/dp/1597147133] Follow Dillon on Instagram: instagram.com/dillon.osleger [https://www.instagram.com/dillon.osleger/] — Follow me/the show on Instagram: instagram.com/drewpeterski [http://instagram.com/drewpeterski/] Sign up for my Substack/the podcast newsletter: substack.com/@drewpetersen [http://substack.com/@drewpetersen] — Score discounts and connect with all of the podcast’s sponsors any time at https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbEhBal9RZmQxWTE1WTZPcnhuakN5TlFnUm4wZ3xBQ3Jtc0tucTJFcHA5N3gzSkpHa3R0Q3hCS29xdkZGWTBMczlqNGFGOXp1b25kQjNIRUVqM0tlUmxxeWE1dzhYYm5ybUlXYUVwaE9zRy00NVY2dEJ1LW5xaXAtQU0wREpWTFFCa2FSVWFRZDFQNzVEd04tZEQwbw&q=https%3A%2F%2Fdrew-petersen.com%2Fpodcast&v=2FsJkrkycgshttps://drew-petersen.com/podcast [https://drew-petersen.com/podcast].

Golden Retriever Love & Chairlift Chats as a Mental Health Solution — Love Like Ky’s Annekë Efinger

I’m starting off Mental Health Awareness Month with Annekë Efinger, Co-Founder and Director of Community Engagement at Love Like Ky, a mental health non-profit based in the Wood River Valley of Idaho, where Sun Valley is located. Founded by the Efinger family in memory of Annekë’s brother Kyler, their work largely focuses on their local community, but also branches wider, especially to mountain towns across the West. I originally connected with their family when doing speaking events with my mental health films in Sun Valley. We’ve stayed in touch ever since. One of the things I love about Love Like Ky is their solutions are fun, inclusive, and cool, and that’s why I personally see how this impact can spread to so many of the communities we care about. We focused this conversation on those lighthearted initiatives. And while we specifically talk about the power of a chairlift conversation, I hope that you’re left feeling the magic of a chairlift conversation like we both were too. — Listen / watch / subscribe: * YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@DrewPetersenPodcast] * Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/1FSe5PihpUnTnCuqulgHmO?si=46be6b68f1d84ab6] * Apple Podcasts [https://apple.co/4bKnwg6] — Learn more & support Love Like Ky: lovelikeky.org [https://www.lovelikeky.org/] Follow Love Like Ky on Instagram: instagram.com/lovelikeky_ [https://www.instagram.com/lovelikeky_/] Learn more about TogetherWe (formerly the 5B Suicide Prevention Alliance of Blaine County): togetherwe5b.org [https://www.togetherwe5b.org/] — Follow me/the show on Instagram: instagram.com/drewpeterski [http://instagram.com/drewpeterski/] Sign up for my Substack/the podcast newsletter: substack.com/@drewpetersen [http://substack.com/@drewpetersen] — This episode is brought to you by Salomon. To check out the QST line of skis, and all Salomon ski gear, visit https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbXlQVkFDdnZXb2p4M3ZzaWNXTUt0b25uMHZRZ3xBQ3Jtc0tsRnc2dnNaWnFYOW80eGpELUVxREJQcG52VzQzNUdkLV9GV3VWMFZQZE4ydWxXQl9sT3JWeHRjVjJnQ1NfcXJfcmJoM1BfNTFSRzBzRnpLM0ZUM2o1dUxUaG9VeDVxeWxkNUg1SmxrU3FNZ0E3VXI0UQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Fsalomon.pxf.io%2FDPP&v=2FsJkrkycgshttps://salomon.pxf.io/DPP [https://salomon.pxf.io/DPP] — Score discounts and connect with all of the podcast’s sponsors any time at https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbEhBal9RZmQxWTE1WTZPcnhuakN5TlFnUm4wZ3xBQ3Jtc0tucTJFcHA5N3gzSkpHa3R0Q3hCS29xdkZGWTBMczlqNGFGOXp1b25kQjNIRUVqM0tlUmxxeWE1dzhYYm5ybUlXYUVwaE9zRy00NVY2dEJ1LW5xaXAtQU0wREpWTFFCa2FSVWFRZDFQNzVEd04tZEQwbw&q=https%3A%2F%2Fdrew-petersen.com%2Fpodcast&v=2FsJkrkycgshttps://drew-petersen.com/podcast [https://drew-petersen.com/podcast].

Is Laughing the Antidote to Climate Anxiety? — Rollie Williams of Climate Town

Rollie Williams is a climate comedian as well as the creator and host of the wildly popular Climate Town. What’s a climate comedian, exactly? Well, someone who knows how to make a joke out of something very serious in a manner that welcomes people into the conversation to make them care. I’m sharing this episode now to bridge between Earth Day last week and the upcoming arrival of May, which is Mental Health Awareness Month. Climate anxiety is personally knocking on my door and I’m also encountering it as a more frequent, more present component of the communities I connect with about mental health. I was excited to have this conversation with Rollie and share it with all of you because I personally use humor as an essential tool of survival. This episode was recorded live on stage at the historic Wheeler Opera House in Aspen, Colorado. The in-person event was a celebration of Earth Day in partnership with Aspen Center for Environmental Studies (ACES), Aspen One, City of Aspen, CORE, and POW. This episode is brought to you by Protect Our Winters. To learn more and to join Team POW, visit protectourwinters.org [http://protectourwinters.org/]. — Listen / watch / subscribe: * YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@DrewPetersenPodcast] * Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/1FSe5PihpUnTnCuqulgHmO?si=46be6b68f1d84ab6] * Apple Podcasts [https://apple.co/4bKnwg6] — Subscribe to Climate Town on YouTube: youtube.com/@ClimateTown [https://www.youtube.com/@ClimateTown] Follow Climate Town on Instagram: instagram.com/climatetown [https://www.instagram.com/climatetown/] — Follow me/the show on Instagram: instagram.com/drewpeterski [http://instagram.com/drewpeterski/] Sign up for my Substack/the podcast newsletter: substack.com/@drewpetersen [http://substack.com/@drewpetersen] — Score discounts and connect with all of the podcast’s sponsors any time at https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbEhBal9RZmQxWTE1WTZPcnhuakN5TlFnUm4wZ3xBQ3Jtc0tucTJFcHA5N3gzSkpHa3R0Q3hCS29xdkZGWTBMczlqNGFGOXp1b25kQjNIRUVqM0tlUmxxeWE1dzhYYm5ybUlXYUVwaE9zRy00NVY2dEJ1LW5xaXAtQU0wREpWTFFCa2FSVWFRZDFQNzVEd04tZEQwbw&q=https%3A%2F%2Fdrew-petersen.com%2Fpodcast&v=2FsJkrkycgshttps://drew-petersen.com/podcast [https://drew-petersen.com/podcast]. — Recorded live at the Wheeler Opera House, Aspen, Colorado. Venue partnership courtesy of the Wheeler Opera House, a department of the City of Aspen.

30+ Years Covering Mountain Towns — Jason Blevins on Big Changes in Small Towns

Jason Blevins has been writing about mountain towns and the ski resort industry for over 30 years. Jason is a co-founder and reporter of The Colorado Sun and has rightly become one of the most revered and bonafide experts on many of the most relevant, pressing topics in mountain towns: housing, public lands, economics, and mental health. Rather than just interview Jason about a specific story he’s currently reporting on, I wanted to get to know him as a human a little better, so I asked him about the perspective and lessons he’s learned through his experience. While Jason is an exceptional reporter and journalist, I think any loyal reader will also attest that he puts a noticeable passion into his work. Jason has interviewed me countless times in the past handful of years about the mental health crisis of the Rocky Mountain West. I really appreciate the effort and interest he has put into reporting on this reality, and it’s part of what we choose to talk about for the interview. — This episode is brought to you by Salomon. To check out the QST line of skis, and all Salomon ski gear, visit https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbXlQVkFDdnZXb2p4M3ZzaWNXTUt0b25uMHZRZ3xBQ3Jtc0tsRnc2dnNaWnFYOW80eGpELUVxREJQcG52VzQzNUdkLV9GV3VWMFZQZE4ydWxXQl9sT3JWeHRjVjJnQ1NfcXJfcmJoM1BfNTFSRzBzRnpLM0ZUM2o1dUxUaG9VeDVxeWxkNUg1SmxrU3FNZ0E3VXI0UQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Fsalomon.pxf.io%2FDPP&v=2FsJkrkycgshttps://salomon.pxf.io/DPP [https://salomon.pxf.io/DPP] — Listen / watch / subscribe: * YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@DrewPetersenPodcast] * Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/1FSe5PihpUnTnCuqulgHmO?si=46be6b68f1d84ab6] * Apple Podcasts [https://apple.co/4bKnwg6] — Read & subscribe to The Colorado Sun: coloradosun.com [https://coloradosun.com/] Sign up for Jason's newsletter The Outsider: coloradosun.com/outsider [http://coloradosun.com/outsider] Recent story by Jason about the current mental health reality in mountain towns this spring: coloradosun.com/2026/04/13/mental-health-mountain-towns-offseason/ [https://coloradosun.com/2026/04/13/mental-health-mountain-towns-offseason/] — Follow me/the show on Instagram: instagram.com/drewpeterski [http://instagram.com/drewpeterski/] Sign up for my Substack/the podcast newsletter: substack.com/@drewpetersen [http://substack.com/@drewpetersen] — Score discounts and connect with all of the podcast’s sponsors any time at https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbEhBal9RZmQxWTE1WTZPcnhuakN5TlFnUm4wZ3xBQ3Jtc0tucTJFcHA5N3gzSkpHa3R0Q3hCS29xdkZGWTBMczlqNGFGOXp1b25kQjNIRUVqM0tlUmxxeWE1dzhYYm5ybUlXYUVwaE9zRy00NVY2dEJ1LW5xaXAtQU0wREpWTFFCa2FSVWFRZDFQNzVEd04tZEQwbw&q=https%3A%2F%2Fdrew-petersen.com%2Fpodcast&v=2FsJkrkycgshttps://drew-petersen.com/podcast [https://drew-petersen.com/podcast].