From peaks to recovery: Drew Petersen highlights mental health at Deer Valley event

PARK CITY, Utah — Deer Valley Resort will host a community event on Monday, Jan. 6, at the Jim Santy Auditorium to spark dialogue about mental health in mountain communities. The event features a screening of Feel It All, a powerful film by professional skier and filmmaker Drew Petersen, followed by a keynote address.

The evening begins with doors opening at 5:30 p.m., and the film screening starts at 6:00 p.m. Following the screening, Petersen will deliver a keynote titled “My Story is the Story of Our Community.”

Petersen, a vocal advocate for mental health awareness in outdoor communities, shared his motivation for creating the film, “The most basic answer is, I wanted to help people. But it goes far, far deeper than that. I have struggled with mental health my entire life, all the way back to when I was a little kid, and I didn’t have the language to even know what was happening.”

Feel It All chronicles Petersen’s journey from the depths of suicidal depression to finding purpose, strength, and resilience by setting a goal to run the Leadville Trail 100 ultramarathon. The film intertwines his experiences of skiing Colorado’s 14,000-foot peaks with the emotional challenge of running one of the world’s most iconic 100-mile races. Petersen explains, “The film shows how within the struggle of living with mental illness lies an opportunity to access an infinite, inexhaustible well of strength to achieve our limitless potential.”

Unique Mental Health Challenges in Mountain Communities

Petersen, who has lived in mountain towns for much of his life, spoke about the specific challenges these communities face.

“There are unique factors at play,” he said. “We live in amazing, idyllic places, but that creates a toxic positivity and ‘good vibes only’ culture, which makes it difficult for people to feel valid in their struggles. Humans struggle—that’s part of the human experience. But when we have a culture that celebrates a ‘good vibes only’ mentality, it becomes very difficult for people to feel valid in their struggles, which leads to shame and silence.”

Rocky Mountain states consistently rank among the top 10 in suicide rates nationwide, with mountain communities contributing significantly to these statistics. Seasonal lifestyles, economic disparities, and transient populations amplify the challenges. The mission of the film, Petersen shared, “is to break down the stigma surrounding mental health and suicide, creating lasting cultural change to prioritize mental health and save lives.”

“We need to shift two things: systems and culture,” Petersen said. “By making mental health a cool and expected part of our mountain culture, we can create communities that thrive and save lives.”

Community Impact and Advocacy

Petersen’s advocacy work has resonated with audiences across the country. “By my estimation, somewhere over a million people have been reached by my story—watching one of my films, reading a story, or attending an event,” he shared. “The response has shown me how far from alone all of us really are.”

Petersen’s connection to Utah makes this event particularly significant. “I lived in Salt Lake City for about nine years, attended the University of Utah, and went through some of my toughest and most transformative times there,” he said. “Park City and its community were instrumental in helping me become who I am today.”

He hopes the event will be a community-wide celebration of mental health. “Whether you personally struggle or not, it’s about showing each other that we care,” Petersen said.

For more details, the full event calendar, and film release information, visit drew-petersen.com/feelitall.

Event Details:

• Date: Monday, Jan. 6
• Time: Doors open at 5:30 p.m., screening begins at 6:00 p.m.
• Location: Jim Santy Auditorium, Park City

Feel It All is supported by UCHealth, with additional sponsorship from Mountain Gazette and Best Day Brewing.