This short interview features Molly, one of Rooted Life Adventures’ Wellness Directors, as she reflects on her role supporting students throughout the New Zealand Fall Gap Year program. She shares meaningful insights into daily life on the program, the personal growth students experience, and the key lessons young adults gain by stepping outside their comfort zones. Molly’s perspective gives students, parents, and educators a clear understanding of how Rooted Life Adventures prioritizes wellbeing, intentional mentorship, and transformative learning during every New Zealand gap year journey.
Interested to find out more about our All-Genders New Zealand Gap Year Program? You can read more about the program here.
Sierra brings a rare combination of warmth, curiosity, and deep respect for both people and place. Her ability to connect with students, lead with empathy, and thoughtfully design meaningful experiences makes her an incredible addition to our team. We’re beyond excited to have her join the team at Rooted Life Adventures.”
– Austin Rogers, Founder of Rooted Life Adventures
About Field Wellness Director | Sierra Derke
Sierra was born and raised just outside of Seattle, Washington, where she grew up exploring temperate forests, saltwater coastlines, and the Cascade Mountains. Craving sunshine and big peaks, she headed south to attend Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado. While studying Environmental Studies and Spanish, Sierra discovered her passion for outdoor recreation and conservation. A semester abroad in Costa Rica sparked her love for international travel, broadened her worldview, and set her on a path toward a career in education and travel.
After graduation, Sierra bounced between small towns working in the environmental education field. From the mountains of Southern California to rural Appalachia and eventually the Rockies, she continued to cultivate a deep sense of wonder for the natural world. This journey led her to work as an international instructor for a gap year program. Sierra guided students throughout Central and South America, before transitioning into an office role directing programs worldwide.
Over the past two years, Sierra has been traveling through New Zealand, Southeast Asia, and Australia on a grand adventure. She’s been surfing, climbing, fishing, hiking, and learning at every opportunity. She is thrilled to join the Rooted Life Adventures team and continue creating transformative experiences for students.
Trainings:
Wilderness First Responder – NOLS
Fair Trade Learning: Theory to Practice – Community-Based Global Learning Collaborative
Collaborative Problem Solving – Think: Kids
Structural Assessment for Wildfires – NFPA
Fluent in Spanish
We’re delighted to have Sierra join our Rooted Life Adventures program for Spring 2026 as our Field Wellness Director in Byron Bay, Australia. Interested to find out more about our All-Women Australian Program? You can read more about the program here.
Molly loves outdoor pursuits and is an expert at facilitating structured adventure! Molly has over a decade of experience in outdoor-based therapeutic programming with children and teens and has so much to share with our students! Molly brings a beautiful energy to everything that she does, and we’re so excited for her to join to RLA family.”
– Austin Rogers, Founder of Rooted Life Adventures
About Field Wellness Director | Molly Mosenthal
Molly brings together a breadth of skills and experiences into her role as Wellness Director. As a clinical mental health counselor, alpine ski coach, and global trip director, Molly centers her work around her passion for connecting (and reconnecting) people with the natural world and a sense of adventure. After many years working with youth and young people in outdoor education, therapeutic rock climbing, and personal development through outdoor recreation, Molly brings these learnings into her counselling practice and beyond with an experiential and somatic approach to therapeutic healing.
Trainings:
Adventure-Based Therapy
Ecotherapy
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (+ACT in Nature)
Internal Family Systems & Parts Work
Trauma-Informed Yoga
AIARE Avalanche Level 1
PSIA Ski Instructor Level 1
First Aid & CPR
Mountaineering First Aid
Single Pitch Climbing Wall
We’re thrilled to have Molly join our Rooted Life Adventures program for Fall 2025 as our Field Wellness Director. She will be joining our Executive Director, Operations Director and Program Instructor in Queenstown, New Zealand. Interested to find out more? You can read more about the program here.
Mickey is the big sister everyone wishes they had. She has worked with children and teens, providing guidance and encouragement to support them in becoming the best versions of themselves. An individual who is fun and playful, Mickey creates a warming and nurturing environment. Mickey has a special quality of putting others at ease automatically – just by being herself.We are beyond excited for Mickey to join the Rooted Life Adventures family as Wellness Director.
– Austin Rogers, Founder of Rooted Life Adventures
Mickey Myers, MA, LPCC
Trained in: • Eye movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) • Eco-therapy • Somatic Embodiment • Trauma-Informed Yoga • Wilderness First Response • Liberation and Feminist Therapy Somatic Embodiment • Mindfulness-Based Therapy • Motivational Interviewing • Eating Disorders in LGBTQIA+ Community • Life transitions
These skills and more make her the perfect addition to the Rooted Life Adventures team as our Wellness Director.
Mickey’s Eco Therapy Journey
Mickey has an impressive background in wilderness therapy guiding, yoga/somatic embodiment, and environmental justice. She has committed her career to bridging the perceived separation between humans and the natural world as an eco-therapist. Qualifications include a master’s degree in clinical mental health, specializing in wilderness therapy. Mickey is passionate about providing nature-based, somatic, and mindfulness interventions in fun and accessible ways. In fact, these are all brilliant skills to bring to her role as Wellness Director.
Mickey adores working with adolescents and young adults. She has provided care for youth in the foster care system and in wilderness therapy settings for over seven years. Above all, she enjoys facilitating nature-based rites of passage for significant life transitions, balancing recreation with reverence.
As a wilderness first responder and whitewater river guide, Mickey is enthusiastic about managing risk and maximizing fun in the outdoors. Consequently, this is where she finds connection and serenity.
Our new Wellness Director
Mickey’s excited about joining the Rooted Life Adventures team in Costa Rica as our Wellness Director this summer. She is particularly looking forward to meeting the students that she will be living with over the next six weeks. She will be joining the RLA team alongside our Program Leader and our Founder and CEO, Austin Roger from June.
