Ryan studied Monasticism at the Thomas Merton Center at Bellarmine University, Kentucky and Zen Meditation, Buddhism, and mindfulness at the Buddha Mind Monastery, Oklahoma and Spirit Rock Meditation Center, California.

He earned a Masters of Social Work degree at the University of Oklahoma and a Masters of Divinity at Austin Seminary. His graduate studies included training in comparative religious analysis, pastoral care & counseling, practical theology, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Motivational Interviewing (MI), Narrative Therapy, and Mindfulness. Upon completion of graduate school he began working with diverse populations, from treatment and care of person’s with addictive disease to reclamation of executive assets to incarcerated people to men struggling with childhood trauma to people seeking to live lives full of peace. Ryan completed a two year clinical supervision program in Somatic Therapy in Kansas. He completed a three year clinical supervision program in Narrative Therapy and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) in Oklahoma.

Prior to beginning his career as a therapist, he worked for more than 18 years in various Christian ministry roles, from youth pastor to global & national missionary to parish pastor to bouncer at a bar to church planter to community organizer to prison chaplain. He has worn many hats in this life.

Ryan’s role as a therapist is one of many among; insurance salesman, graphic artist, truck driver, underwriter, carney, claims processor, TV actor, pizza slinger, bartender, photojournalist, art teacher, and a SEARS repairman. He earned an undergraduate degree in Comparative Religious Studies from California State University, Northridge (Where he had enough credits to declare two more majors.).