Episode Sub-title: Breathe, Climb, Adapt: Marty Doolan on Nature’s Role in Raising Strong Kids

In this episode of the Building Resilient Kids podcast, host Tim Curtis speaks with Marty Doolan — a NSW Fire and Rescue firefighter, outdoor educator, father of two, and lifelong adventurer.

Marty shares reflections from years spent guiding young people in the wild and responding to emergencies on the front line. His insights draw from two high-stakes domains — firefighting and outdoor education — and reveal what these worlds can teach us about how kids build emotional strength, courage, and problem-solving skills.

This is a wide-ranging conversation on nature, parenting, discomfort, and self-regulation — with practical wisdom for parents, teachers, and coaches helping kids find their inner footing.

• Growing up in the bush and how early immersion in nature shaped Marty’s identity and career
• Why outdoor education is less about physical strength and more about mindset, courage, and emotion
• The link between perceived risk, real growth, and meaningful challenge in controlled environments
• What firefighting taught Marty about pressure, calmness, and presence under stress
• Regulating emotions through breath, routine, and team support
• How parents can let kids struggle safely without rescuing them too quickly
• The importance of modelling vulnerability, reflection, and honest emotion
• Peer influence in outdoor programs: how leadership, encouragement, and language shape group dynamics
• Making space for curiosity, play, and growth without expectation or pressure

Marty Doolan is a full-time firefighter with NSW Fire and Rescue, and a part-time outdoor educator. He spent years guiding in the Blue Mountains and taught outdoor leadership to young adults before transitioning into emergency services. Now a father of two young children, Marty continues to apply his knowledge of risk, resilience, and human performance to both professional and family life. He brings an open, self-aware, and experience-driven perspective to the conversation around how kids grow stronger through challenge.

NSW Fire and Rescue
https://www.fire.nsw.gov.au

Outward Bound Australia (example of programs similar to those discussed)
https://www.outwardbound.org.au

The Resilience Shield – Model referenced throughout the episode
https://resilienceshield.com

Nature Play Australia – Encouraging unstructured outdoor play
https://www.natureplay.org.au

Project Rockit – Building peer support and leadership in youth
https://www.projectrockit.com.au

Breathwork Australia – Understanding breath as a regulation tool
https://www.breathworkaustralia.com.au