We've lived the cost of grief, burnout, and moral conflict, and we choose a different path:
Focused Pathways® was created for people who care deeply and carry heavy things, like nurses, coaches, caregivers, and helpers who’ve been holding it together for everyone else.
We offer a coaching certification that equips you with evidence-based tools, mentorship, and structure so you can keep showing up with clarity, presence, and purpose.
For those looking to serve others without losing themselves in the process, this is your next step.
If you’ve been too busy to stop, start here. This takes 2 minutes—and it’s just for you.
Our Mission
We uplift a world in grief by training wellness leaders with evidence-based tools and a chaplain-based approach so they can bring peace, resilience, and forgiveness into the lives they touch.
Why We Started
I founded Focused Pathways in 2021.
By then, I had pastored four churches, and I kept noticing the same pattern: Leaders who cared deeply, but didn’t always have the tools or space to support the kind of care I was offering.
I also learned that not everyone feels safe or seen in a church setting, and not every environment is fully equipped for the kind of emotional and spiritual support people need.
As a chaplain, I sought a way to support both churches and communities in strengthening the care they were already providing. So I built something I could stand behind: A space where helpers could show up, be honest, and grow without having to fight for dignity first.
Focused Pathways was born from that clarity: To train wellness leaders in a way that protects both the helper and the people they serve.
If nobody’s asked how you’re doing lately, allow me.
Take a minute for your personal Wellness Check. It’s private, takes just about a minute, and it’s completely on us.
Meet Your Mentor
I’ve served as a combat medic, a nurse, a pastor, and a military chaplain.
I’ve worked in clinics, churches, and military units, offering care in some of the most emotionally heavy environments you can imagine.
Over the last few years, I provided pastoral counseling to more than 700 Soldiers and spouses. I walked with people through grief, moral injury, marriage struggles, and questions of faith and identity. I showed up with presence because I believe that’s what people deserve.
Ryan McCollum, MDiv
I discovered what many helpers already know: The need for deep, vulnerable care was there, but the systems and resources to sustain it weren’t. Leaders cared, but without that support, the weight of that work often fell on my shoulders alone.
Eventually, my body broke under the weight. Sleep disappeared. My blood pressure spiked. I kept showing up for others through headaches so sharp I could barely see straight.
When I stepped away, I took time to reflect. I sifted through the criticisms. Some criticisms were fair, much of it was just destructive, but I grew anyway. I learned what I needed to change. I've developed practices and tools that keep me attuned to my needs, allowing me to live my purpose of helping others while staying true to my values.
As a chaplain, I don’t replace churches or clinics. I come alongside, helping leaders and caregivers carry the weight of care in a healthier way.
Now, through Focused Pathways, I train nurses, coaches, and caregivers to provide wellness coaching without burning out while trying to do the right thing.
And here’s the difference: Today, my life is sustainable. I wake more rested. My health has improved. I no longer overextend myself or struggle with caregiver fatigue, because I have more tools and perspective than ever.
What helps you live your purpose without burning out?
I share this so you know: I’ve been where you are, and it doesn't have to be that way.
What is the Certification?
The Focused Pathways® Wellness Coaching Certification is for coaches, caregivers, and wellness professionals who believe walking with those who are hurting still matters — and want to offer that support in a way that’s sustainable, ethical, and real.
What you’ll gain:
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A framework to navigate sensitive conversations like an expert, without the stress of over‑prepping for every session.
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Skills to help clients reduce stress and work through difficult emotions, so they can stay open, engaged, and supported in every area of their lives.
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The ability to help clients surface their true intentions, values, and plans — unlocking the kind of lasting change they can actually live out.
Why it matters:
This certification draws on the experience of chaplains — individuals trusted to enter the most challenging rooms, hold space for pain, and bring presence where words often fail. That perspective infuses the training with something most programs overlook: a clear, steady understanding of how forgiveness, reconciliation, and honest support can alter the course of someone’s life.
Health and wellness aren’t the same thing, but they are deeply connected. When clients feel understood and emotionally supported, they remove roadblocks that can slow their healing and prevent them from following through on the care plans their doctors provide.
Most people don’t change simply because they “should.” They stay stuck because:
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They’re not in enough pain yet to move,
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They’re more afraid of success than the familiarity of failure, or
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They’re blocked by something they can’t name on their own.
The skills you’ll gain in this certification — including approaches like solution‑focused coaching — help clients recognize those roadblocks, move past them, and finally step into the changes that will improve their lives.
