Tyler Wasson, Psy.D.
Psychologist, mindfulness teacher, author, and founder of Freedom Within Reach.
HOW I GOT HERE
Psychology, mindfulness, and a different way of thinking about belonging
I’m a licensed clinical psychologist, mindfulness teacher, and author whose work sits at the intersection of psychology, mindfulness, nature, deep ecology, and the questions of loneliness and belonging that show up in queer men’s lives.
I’ve been a licensed psychologist since 2013, and my professional work has taken me through university counseling, primary care, workplace wellness, and private practice.
But the work I share here didn’t come from clinical training alone.
For years, I was also trying to understand my own persistent experience of loneliness. Mindfulness practice and the study of Zen Buddhism gradually changed the way I understood the problem.
Instead of treating belonging as something I could secure only through the right relationship, social circle, or life circumstances, I became increasingly interested in what becomes visible when we stop striving long enough to pay attention to what is already here.
That question eventually became the foundation of Freedom Within Reach and my book, Queering Connection: A Nature-Based Journey That Transforms Loneliness into Unshakeable Belonging.
MY WORK
What I’m exploring now
Most of my current writing and teaching centers on loneliness, belonging, mindfulness, nature, and the cultural pressures that can make belonging feel like something we have to earn.
I’m especially interested in the experience of queer men who have already done a fair amount of inner work and still find themselves organizing too much of life around being chosen, partnered, desirable, or finally “enough.”
My book Queering Connection brings these threads together through The N.A.T.U.R.E. Formula™, a six-stage framework for exploring loneliness, connection, and belonging through mindfulness, direct experience, and our relationship with the natural world.
I also write about Subversive Awareness™, my framing of mindfulness as something quietly but decidedly countercultural: pausing long enough to see clearly rather than automatically following habit, pressure, distraction, or performance.
Through Freedom Within Reach, I’m continuing to develop writing, practices, community experiences, and other resources around these ideas.
PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND
The training and experience that inform my work
Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.)
Licensed clinical psychologist since 2013
Professional experience across university counseling, integrated primary care, workplace wellness, and private practice
Mindfulness and meditation teacher
Author of Queering Connection
Founder of Freedom Within Reach, LLC and the Queering Connection Community
I’ve spent much of my professional career working with stress, anxiety, depression, major life transitions, identity, grief, and questions of meaning and direction.
That background informs the way I approach this work: psychologically grounded, attentive to evidence, but also interested in the parts of human experience that don’t fit neatly into a clinical model.
My clinical training informs this work, but the writing, teaching, and resources I offer through Freedom Within Reach are educational rather than psychotherapy.
Podcast and Media Appearances
Q-MindBody with Darren Main
Loneliness, connection, and deeper belonging among gay men.
40 Plus: Gay Men. Gay Talk. with Rick Clemons
Moving beyond avoidance and performance toward presence, connection, and belonging.
The Queer Quest with Christiano Green
Practical, queer-specific strategies for overcoming loneliness and disconnection.
Shamash Alidina – World Mental Health Day
Mindful approaches to mental health, awareness, and embodied well-being.
SHOUTOUT
LA
A Feature on Mindfulness, Mental Health, and the Nature of Belonging
Continue Always (Mental Health Series)
Impostor syndrome, performance culture, and emotional regulation.
How Can I Help You?
NEW BOOK: Queering Connection: A Nature-Based Journey That Transforms Loneliness into Unshakeable Belonging
In this candid and practical book, I share my personal journey through loneliness and the practices that deepened my sense of belonging. Learn about The N.A.T.U.R.E. Formula™ and how it can help you cultivate connection from within—without relying on a partner, social gatherings, or dating apps.
FREE COMMUNITY: Thoughtful Gay Men: Mindfulness, Connection & Personal Growth
A private Facebook community for gay and queer men interested in mindfulness, deeper connection, personal growth, nature, inner life, and more thoughtful conversation. It’s a space to reflect, connect with others, explore meaningful questions, and participate in an evolving community built around living with greater presence, intention, and depth.
FREE DOWNLOAD: Breaking Free From Loneliness: 6 Myths Keeping Queer Men Lonely
Discover six myths that keep queer men stuck in cycles of loneliness and how intraconnection—your inherent bond with nature and others—can help you break free. This free guide offers actionable insights to reframe loneliness and unlock meaningful connection, starting today.
COMING SOON!
COACHING: The N.A.T.U.R.E. Formula™: Your Mindful Path Through Loneliness
Transform loneliness with a step-by-step program designed to guide you from isolation to connection, using mindfulness and nature-based practices. The N.A.T.U.R.E. Formula™ empowers you to navigate emotions, reawaken awe, and embody your true self, creating a lasting sense of belonging and freedom.