It was 97 degrees in Laveen, Arizona today, and I decided it was the perfect time for a 5.8-mile walk.
Sounds a little crazy? Maybe. But as behavioral health leaders, we know that sometimes you just have to step away from the desk, get outside, and move.
I’ve been deep in the weeds prepping for my upcoming presentation—Compassionate Leadership in Behavioral Health: A Framework for Elite Talent Retention and Leadership Excellence—at the Southwestern School for Behavioral Health Studies (SWS) 58th Annual Conference, coming up on August 17–20, 2026. We are taking over the beautiful Gila River Resorts & Casinos - Wild Horse Pass in Chandler, and the energy there is going to be absolutely electric!
I was also trying to map out a few final concepts for my upcoming book, Compassion in Action: Transforming Workplace CULTURE & Elite Talent Retention in Behavioral Healthcare. Sitting at my desk, the ideas were there, but they felt stuck.
About two miles into my walk, amidst the desert heat, boom. A major breakthrough for my SWS presentation hit me, followed by a flood of fresh, connecting ideas for the book.
It felt like magic, but it’s actually just science.
A fascinating Stanford University study published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology (Oppezzo & Schwartz, 2014) looked at this exact phenomenon. The researchers found that walking increases creative ideation both in real-time and shortly after. In their study, a staggering 81% of participants saw a massive boost in their creative "divergent thinking" just by getting up and walking.
As the researchers perfectly put it: "Walking opens up the free flow of ideas."
Let’s be real about our industry for a second. Behavioral health is incredibly rewarding, but it is also exceptionally emotionally draining. We hold space for heavy, complex realities all day long. We sit in chairs, stare at screens, and absorb. Staying chained to a desk—operating under the old "Hero Leadership" model where we feel we must constantly be physically present and grinding—doesn't just stiffen our backs. It stifles our minds and drains our spirits.
Stepping away to clear your head is the move of an "Architect Leader." It’s how we create sustainable systems and clear vision, not just for our organizations, but for our own well-being and professional longevity. A steady dose of walking away from the desk is a vital tool for retention—starting with retaining ourselves.
We spend so much time advocating for our clients' health, but we have to practice what we preach. Overall physical activity is an absolute non-negotiable for the alignment of mind, body, and spirit.
Now, I’m not saying you need to go trek six miles in the Arizona summer heat (please hydrate if you do!). It can be a quick 10-minute lap around your clinic building between sessions, or a stroll around your neighborhood at dusk. But give yourself the permission to step away. Give your ideas some legs.
I can't wait to share these new breakthroughs with you all at SWS 2026 this August 17–20 at Wild Horse Pass! If you haven't secured your spot yet, you're going to want to be in the room for this one.
I’d love to hear from my fellow professionals in the comments: How do you incorporate movement into your day to clear the emotional weight and keep your own creativity flowing?
#BehavioralHealth #Leadership #TalentRetention #CompassionInAction #TherapistLife #SWS2026 #CreativeThinking #MindBodySpirit #BurnoutPrevention #ArchitectLeadership