The Work
2nd Ascent Coaching
The second ascent is the final leg of any meaningful journey — the part where you stop surviving and start becoming. Gary offers four distinct paths for people who are ready to make that climb:
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Trauma Recovery Coaching — unwinding the patterns that have been running the show
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Loop Ecology — building a personal operating system that actually fits your life
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Rebel Aliveness — returning to a felt sense of zest and vigor.
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Leading Along the Edge — regulation-based leadership coaching for people who lead under pressure
The Rebel's Playground
The Rebel's Playground
Heading: The Rebel's Playground
Body: A world built for people who are done consuming and ready to move. Inside you'll find:
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The Rebel's Walk — a philosopher-guided journey back to yourself
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Soul Recovery — unwinding the patterns that have been running the show
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Heroic Kids — breaking cycles before they form in the next generation
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The Guiding Rebels — the voices who walked this path before you and left something worth following
Books, Series & Podcasts
Three published books. A fourth coming in July. Several podcast series. And a 12-week Substack series running now.
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Rewilding Your Soul — the awakening. Free in audio inside the Playground.
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Rebel Well — breaking cycles with your kids. A guide for parents and mentors.
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Being Invitational — the art of creating space for others to step into their own truth.
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The Rebel's Walk — the transformation. Coming July 2026. Follow the creation live on Substack — new posts Tuesday through Saturday.
"We've been crushed by the world, then sold detours around the pain — and we don't even know it." - Gary Lougher
I spent years looking for my way back to myself in all the right places — self-help, spiritual practice, optimization culture. They gave me the language of healing without the actual healing. Insight without movement. Comfort without freedom.
It wasn't until I went through trauma recovery coaching that everything broke open. Not because I learned something new. Because I finally saw what had been running the show.
I know two worlds intimately — alcohol abuse and functional burnout. And the two-way relationship between them that almost nobody talks about.
At 57, I am more alive than I have ever been.