
Dr. Dave
I thought coming out and accepting my gay identity would be the climax of my story.
Instead, it was the beginning of a harder chapter — marked by depression, disconnection, and doubt.
What changed everything wasn’t a dramatic breakthrough, but three grounded intentions rooted in science — small shifts that gradually altered the course of my life.
Over time, those shifts became something more structured. I began noticing patterns — in my own experience, in the lives of the men I worked with, and in the research emerging from positive psychology and narrative identity science.
Clarity wasn’t random.
Growth wasn’t accidental.
Meaning could be cultivated.
Out of that convergence — lived experience, clinical work, and research — the COMPASS Framework was born.
COMPASS integrates narrative identity work, strengths-based development, values clarification, community and accountability, and purposeful life design. The result is not just insight — but direction.
COMPASS isn’t about reinventing yourself.
It’s about orienting yourself.
Finding steady direction in seasons of identity shift, spiritual transition, relational change, and life redesign.
It now serves as the foundation of my COMPASS Coaching Programs for queer and questioning men.

Hello & Welcome...
The COMPASS Coaching Programs are developed and taught by me, Dr. Dave Stefan. I'm a Professor, Therapist, Positive Psychology Researcher and Founder of the Good Life Lab.
COMPASS is a proven framework that I designed to help queer men create lives filled with greater meaning and purpose.
In a pilot study with pre- and post-assessments, participants in a seven-week group experience reported significant improvements in:
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Connectedness
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Health
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Happiness
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Meaning
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Satisfaction in life
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Accomplishment
This isn’t just theory — it "can" lead to real life change because it is backed by positive psychology research and lived experience.
By the end of the COMPASS Coaching Programs, participants report:
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Greater clarity about who they are and where they’re going,
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A more compassionate and coherent understanding of their life story,
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Increased confidence in decisions, boundaries, and next steps, and
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A renewed sense of purpose, meaning, and connection.
In the COMPASS coaching experience:

COMPASS Coaching Program Tracks
Self-guided COMPASS Journey
Track 1: Cost $395
Program includes the following:
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One 30-minute introductory call with Dr. Dave
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Structured curriculum with 21 extensive video teachings that introduce key concepts and science-backed tools.
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Personalized weekly quests to help you apply insights in real life—not just talk about them.
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Good Life Project Plan, designed to guide your exploration and growth and over the next year.
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Good Life North Star Statement - a purpose to keep you focused and motivated towards your key intentions.
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10-Year Good Life Vision & roadmap to help you orient long-term decisions with confidence and purpose.
Guided COMPASS Experience
Track 2: Cost $795
Program includes the following:
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Three 45- minute virtual calls with Dr. Dave (a value of $350)
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14 Additional video case studies/stories of actual participants walking through the COMPASS program, step-by-step.
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Structured curriculum with 21 extensive video teachings that introduce key concepts and science-backed tools.
-
Personalized weekly quests to help you apply insights in real life—not just talk about them.
-
Good Life Project Plan, designed to guide your exploration and growth and over the next year.
-
Good Life North Star Statement - a purpose to keep you focused and motivated towards your key intentions.
-
10-Year Good Life Vision & roadmap to help you orient long-term decisions with confidence and purpose.

High Touch COMPASS Mentorship
Track 3: Cost $2995
Program includes the following:
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12 Weekly 45- minute virtual calls with Dr. Dave (a value of $1800)
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Weekly email check ins with feedback on submitted work.
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Custom designed AI assignments to support innovation and progress.
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14 Additional video case studies/stories of actual participants walking through the COMPASS program, step-by-step.
-
Structured curriculum with 21 extensive video teachings that introduce key concepts and science-backed tools.
-
Personalized weekly quests to help you apply insights in real life—not just talk about them.
-
Good Life Project Plan, designed to guide your exploration and growth and over the next year.
-
Good Life North Star Statement - a purpose to keep you focused and motivated towards your key intentions.
-
10-Year Good Life Vision & roadmap to help you orient long-term decisions with confidence and purpose.
