Hi: I'm Mike Haney...

Professional Adventures

My first professional role was as an investment banker in NYC and Houston – structuring nine-figure bond deals for major hospital systems.

I’ve spent most of my career as an oil and gas management consultant – working on five continents advising top executives at major and national oil companies on strategy & operations.

I’ve spoken at major energy conferences in Houston, London, Seoul and Rio de Janeiro, among other places. 

Entrepreneurial & Sales Experiences

Along the way I held key roles at construction, technology & broadband firms, plus was involved in several successful startup ventures.

One recent venture uses mediation and arbitration techniques to resolve complicated disputes – and I have resolved hundreds of complex healthcare billing disputes.

I even serve as an elected official in my local community.

Plus: I’ve had a ton of fun adventures. I was a radio DJ and welding instructor in college, I’ve driven a stock car, and I worked security for two major concerts.

So my work life has always meant a lot to me – just like it does for you.

Key Challenges

But as I’ve tried to lead a full work life while maintaining relationships, I’ve had to learn a lot in my journey, often the hard way.

A married dad since 1993, a divorced dad since 1998, and a remarried dad & stepdad since 2001, I’ve gone through many personal changes and challenges.

I was born into a traditional nuclear family, and my parents celebrated 50 years of marriage in 2013.

I had no experience with divorce or stepfamilies, and I had no idea how to deal with the end of my first marriage and all the challenges that followed: divorce, single parenting, remarriage, and 20+ years as a stepdad.

Coaching Journey

From there, we spoke and taught others on the importance of building strong and intentional marriages and how to address complex stepfamily issues, first to local audiences, and then on to larger audiences such as the Pursue Oneness Conference in Houston and the International Fatherhood Conference in Miami.

We recently appeared on Ron Deal’s FamilyLife Blended Podcast to discuss the daily practices of happy stepcouples, and Ron and I spoke again on his podcast recently.

Along the way, I’ve trained and researched with many great leaders and mentors. I am certified as a Stepfamily Coach through the Stepfamily Foundation, also completing FamilyLife’s Smart Stepfamily Therapy Training. I trained to lead John Gottman’s Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work program. I am a TMCA Credentialed Mediator, having completed alternative dispute resolution training in mediation, arbitration and parenting coordination.

I have researched and learned from Bill Eddy, Michelle Weiner-Davis, John Van Epp and many other experts focusing on marriage, divorce, stepfamilies and many other personal topics. I have completed training from the High Conflict Institute related to both New Ways for Families and New Ways for Work, aiming to resolve conflicts at home and in the workplace.

In 2006 I co-founded The Bridge Across, offering coaching, education & programs for families of all types. Our most recent group program, Exes and Answers, offered key support and insights to stepfamily couples and parents.

I am a certified coach, trained by the ICF-approved Coach Certification Training Academy, and a member of the International Coaching Federation (ICF).

Here for you.

I know how lonely men can feel when dealing with their wives, children, friends, family and all the rest, and I want to help men feel less lonely, more empowered and better able to make the right decisions for themselves and their families.

My strongest wish is for other men to find this same level of peace and love in their own homes, to feel less lonely and isolated, and to be able to navigate the complex forces around them.