From Leukemia To Lymphoma To Life: Dean Hall On The Power of Resilience, Nature, & Purpose

In today's episode we sit down with therapist and endurance athlete Dean Hall for a raw, energizing, & inspiring story of resilience amidst a rare leukemia profile, profound grief, a lymphoma surge, & the unlikely decision to train for a 187-mile swim in 42-degree water. 

Dean walks us through the exact choices that shifted his trajectory, healed both of his cancers, and transformed his life. We explore practical tools you can use today, including his “Nervous System First Aid” playbook, the Wild Me Manual, and simple weekly practices to recharge. 

If you’re navigating cancer, burnout, or anxiety, this conversation offers both science and soul—showing how joy, play, and purpose...along with a healthy dose of nature...can be part of a serious healing plan.

Enjoy the show & share it with someone who could use a new perspective and renewed hope in their healing journey.

More about today's guest & how to connect with him:

Dean Hall is a licensed therapist with over 35 years of clinical experience and more than 60,000 hours working face-to-face with clients recovering from trauma and anxiety.

After losing his wife to cancer and later being diagnosed himself, Dean became the first person in history to swim the entire 187-mile length of Oregon’s Willamette River. Immersed daily in cold, moving water for weeks, the experience profoundly changed how he understands healing, resilience, and humanity’s relationship with the natural world. His doctors believe this sustained immersion was responsible for the spontaneous remission of his leukemia.

That lived transformation, combined with decades of clinical practice, gave rise to BioWild Psychology, a nervous system first, nature-based approach to restoring safety, clarity, and emotional regulation by working with the body’s biological signals rather than willpower or Mindset.

Dean now teaches this work through books, keynote speeches, retreats, and his LifeText platform, helping people remember how to regulate, heal, and belong anywhere on Earth.

👉 Dean's Website: https://www.thewildcureway.com/ 

👉 Grab Dean's Books: https://www.thewildcureway.com/books 

👉 Follow Dean on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deanhallofficial/  

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Chapters

• 0:00 Welcome And Dean’s Introduction
• 2:40 Early Life, Resilience, And Sport
• 7:35 The Leukemia Diagnosis And First Choices
• 13:20 Loss, Grief, And Cancer’s Return
• 18:15 Rock Bottom And The Viktor Frankl Pivot
• 22:10 Training, Purpose, And Early Wins
• 26:55 Planning The 187-Mile River Swim
• 30:35 The Swim: Hypothermia, Fuel, And Grit
• 36:00 Lab Results, Lymphoma, And A New Path
• 40:20 Forest Bathing, Cold Plunge, Remission
• 44:00 Biowild Psychology And Nervous System Care
• 49:30 Tools, Books, And Coaching Offers
• 53:20 Play, Joy, And Practical Resilience
• 55:45 Resources, Subscription, And Closing