Jason Kaylor
Senior Field Guide
Joined Open Sky: May 2011
In Wilderness Therapy since: 2011
Interview with Jason Kaylor
June 2011
Q: If you were able to meet anyone (living or dead), who would it be and why?
A: I would want to meet the Blind Traveler; Lt. James Holman because of the adventures he could recount in full detail. There were a lot of his writings and story that went untold after his society deemed them unworthy. I'd ask him what he thinks about the 2012 prophecies and how it would effect the way he'd live.
Q: What are a few of the defining moments in your life and why?
A: I was in a car crash that led to some major life changes that inspired defining moments of getting sober and celebrating my own life on a daily basis.
Q: Who has been your greatest inspiration and why?
A: My grandfather, John Dooley, has been my greatest inspiration because after he got polio during WWII, his doctors told him he would never walk again, and he decided not to give up; continuing to walk while living a fulfilling life.
Q: What are your unique gifts and/or experiences that help our students?
A: I've had a lot of experience in the wilderness working for the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad that brought me closer to my personal truths. I have a strong connection to nature and music; I play a few instruments and enjoy adventure in nearly any form. Communication is something I pride myself on with honesty, laughter and a desire to understand through close interactions with others.
Q: Why do you work in wilderness therapy?
A: I've lived and learned the hard way for a long time and found my own serenity through a love for nature and being outdoors. This is a feeling that I want to be able to help others seek and find for themselves with creativity and ingenuity.
Q: Why do you think wilderness therapy works?
A:There is a great deal of confidence and self respect that grows from the ability to survive and thrive in the back country. I believe that people can find themselves in this therapeutic setting and gain empowerment through the process.
Q: What do you think Open Sky students need?
A: I believe Open Sky students need a network of support, discipline and establishment of self care. They need an open space to create a flow of life and a path that is all their own.
Q: What do you like to do for fun when you aren’t working in the field?
A: I enjoy being with my family and friends, rock climbing when the weather permits and backpacking. I like to run nature trails in the summer and cross country ski in the winter.
Q: Anything else you want to tell us about yourself?
A: I love Colorado and am excited to be a part of Open Sky. I'm open to the Great Mystery that is life on this wild Earth that we share.
Professional Experience
Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, Durango, CO
Maintenance of Way Crew, Patrol and Head Patrolman
Construction Labor, Mancos, CO
United Kennel Supply, Fresno, CA
Associate
Planet Java, Inc., Fresno, CA
Barista
Education
General Education
Fresno City College, Fresno, California
Wilderness First Responder (WFR)
