My name is Silouan Green, and yes, my wife Thecla and I have nine children. Our oldest is 25 and our youngest is eight. That is not a typo. It is simply our life. Our story began with a road trip to Graceland and a motorcycle ride across the American West that stretched into three and a half unforgettable months. From there, life took on a momentum of its own.
We started in San Francisco, where I ran an outdoors magazine, but the pull of home eventually brought us back to Indiana. Today we live in a stone house deep in the woods, beside a creek, down a long and winding driveway and across a bridge. It is a fitting place for a large and lively family. My wife homeschools the children, navigating the joyful chaos, while I travel the country working with first responders, veterans, and anyone facing the hardest parts of being human. My work is simple. I help people rebuild their lives with meaning and purpose.
No matter how tough you are, anyone can be broken.
I learned that truth the hard way. After a jet crash in the Marines, I hit rock bottom. One night, with a gun in my hand, I stood on the edge of hopelessness staring down a life filled with pain and loss. Everything I had and everything I was felt shattered beyond repair.
So I did the only thing I could think to do. I got on my motorcycle and rode into the night.
That ride turned into a 23 month, 20,000 mile journey. I was not alone on that road. On one shoulder sat a voice whispering, “Find a quiet place to pull over and end it.” On the other shoulder was a better voice saying, “Keep going. Keep riding until you find something worth living for.”
By the grace of God, I listened to the right voice.
The road did not fix me overnight, but it opened a path. It taught me that purpose is found step by step and mile by mile. That journey has never really ended. Wherever you are on your own road, you are invited to walk with me. Maybe our paths will cross at a workshop or a conference. Until then, you can find videos and resources here and on YouTube.
Over the years, I have had the privilege of helping thousands across the country. I have worked on military bases where PTSD and suicide cast long shadows, in small towns fighting through addiction, with police and firefighters carrying burdens most people never see, and with parents trying to raise strong families in a world filled with isolation and distraction.
I have sat with people from every walk of life, all searching for the same thing. They want a reason to keep going and a way to build something meaningful.
Inspired by my own long road to recovery, I created The Ladder UPP, a life skills program built from the lessons I learned in my darkest hours. It is a simple and practical blueprint for turning trials into growth and for helping people reclaim direction when life falls apart. Alongside The Ladder UPP, I speak and teach on leadership, peer support, PTSD, mental health, and the challenges that veterans and officers face when crisis strikes.
I have been honored to teach and speak for organizations across the nation. These include the New York Police Department, the National Park Service, the Department of Homeland Security, and the National Association of Hostage Negotiators. I have worked with the California Highway Patrol, the Broward County Sheriff’s Office, the Chicago Police Department, and the Bureau of Land Management. I have also spoken at institutions such as Walter Reed Medical Center, Fort Bragg, the University of California, and Purdue University.
I have stood before the men and women of Fort Campbell and Camp Lejeune. I have spoken to the American Red Cross, the Marine Corps League, Mental Health America, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, the Veterans Administration, the National Guard, hundreds of police and sheriff’s departments, and countless conventions, universities, and mental health organizations.
Through it all, my mission remains the same.
To help the lost find direction.
To help the broken find strength.
To help anyone who is struggling build a life of purpose.
For more on hope and overcoming the adversities of life, you might check out the following works by Silouan: Sycamore Hill, Who Am I, and The Ladder UPP.
“Silouan Green’s journey of overcoming incredible personal trauma to find passion and purpose in life is both inspirational and timely. I look forward to helping spread the word and reach those who need to hear his message.”
Sheron Bellio, Producer, Bill Handel Show, Clear Channel Media + Entertainment
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