Dr. Renee Thornton
Director Of Training & Research

My work with Pathfinder is my way of living my own resilient path. As far back as I can recall, I lived traumatized. I grew up believing that everyone lived the same way I did, so I didn’t question the abuse or my abusers. Years of studying the brain, body, spirit, and behavior allowed me to heal and recognize that many of my coping decisions early on were incredibly healthy and responsible for catapulting me into this world of resilient self-mastery.

A little more than a decade ago, I made the decision to put into a curriculum some of the tactical resources I had been using to stay sane and healthy amidst the chaos that was my life. Since then, I’ve lost two of my family members suspiciously, my mother and cousin to suicide, and daily I am keenly aware of the number of veterans and first responders – many of them my friends – who lose their battles with substance abuse, lost fortunes, divorces, and life.