Conference Presentations

Wellness on the Front Line™ — November 2-5, 2021 in San Diego

Change Your Brain, Change Your Mind

Daniel G. Amen, MD, Psychiatrist, Neuroscientist and Author

Dr. Amen will give you a completely new way to think about and treat issues such as anxiety, depression, addictions, PTSD, schizophrenia and even personality disorders. It is based on the unique Amen Clinics 4 Circles BRIGHT MINDS program, which shows you that in order to have a healthy mind you must first have a healthy brain; and to do that you must optimize the 4 circles of a whole life as well as prevent or treat the 11 major risk factors that damage the brain and steal your mind.

Unexpected Challenges

Jeff McGreevy, Sergeant, CIT & Peer Support Team Coordinator, Oxnard Police Department

In 2012, Sergeant Jeff McGreevy was severely injured and nearly paralyzed in an off-duty accident, weeks later his wife was diagnosed with Stage 3 Cancer. Jeff will share his story about the stresses and trauma he experienced trying to recover from what should have been a career ending injury, while his wife was fighting for her life to beat cancer. His story of resilience is amazing. Over 20 years as a cop, crippling injuries, financial ruins, cumulative trauma from stress exposure to violence, and 24/7 pain finally caught up to him in 2015 and he finally admitted that he needed professional help.

Operation Longevity: A Mindful Approach to Wellness and Resilience for the Law Enforcement Professional of the 21st Century

Peter J. Killeen, Ed.D., Port Authority Police, Unions Operation Longevity, Founder

Operation Longevity offers the necessary tools for public safety professionals to better adapt and effectively cope with much of the stress experienced within the profession. Finding the correct approach to handle challenges becomes important for self-survival, resiliency, healthier relationships, and a more sustainable lifestyle both on the job and well into retirement.

One Department’s Response to Helping a Firefighter and His Family After Contracting COVID-19 at Work – Lessons Learned

Martin Serna, Fire Chief, Rick Ortega, Fire Engineer & Peer Support / CISM Program Lead Peer, Duane Sweeton, Fire/HazMat Captain & Peer Support / CISM Program Coordinator, Torrance Fire Department

Our presenters will be speaking on how to support a department and their reaction to a firefighter contracting COVID-19 at work.

The Positive Power of Connection

Kimberly Lightly, Risk Management, Program Specialist, US Forest Service, Fire and Aviation Management

Stress First Aid (SFA) is a self-care and peer support model that comprises a set of supportive actions designed to help public safety personnel assist each other in reducing the negative impacts of stress. Through lecture and storytelling, Kimberly will weave the value of SFA throughout her own account of survival and post-traumatic growth and resiliency.

Crisis Management Briefing (CMB) Skills

Steve Diaz, Captain, Cal Fire (Retired), Behavioral Health and Wellness Public Safety Program Manager, The Counseling Team International, Owner, Freedom Coach Steve

The goal of a CMB is to provide coping resources, re-establish a sense of community, provide information, reduce tension and chaos, enhance credibility and control rumors.

Overcoming Adversity, Building Resiliency

Joseph Piersante, LLC Motivational Speaker, Veteran of the United States Department of Justice

Everyone faces adversity at some point in their life, it is how you rebound from these hard times that really defines you as a person and will ultimately determine your happiness. Joe inspires audiences by explaining that we can’t control the unfortunate things that inevitably happen in our lives, but we can control how we react to them. Your mindset and attitude can help you turn your breakdowns into breakthroughs, and help you look at negative experiences as opportunities and a new start.

SDFD Health and Safety Office – San Diego’s Journey to a Comprehensive Program

David Picone, Battalion Chief, Health and Safety Officer, San Diego Fire Department

The behavioral wellbeing of the personnel has always been a priority. With the increase of professional and personal stressors, these can cause the deterioration of the physical and mental well-being of our first responders. For so many years he’s been taking care of the citizens but now has this incredible platform to take care of our own, both physically and mentally. His quest for a comprehensive program has grown beyond his imagination and he’ll be sharing with us the journey.

Asher Model: 7-Point Approach to a Culture of Wellness and Resiliency; Turning Tragedy into Hope

Neil H. Gang, Chief, Pinole Police Department

The Law Enforcement Community has been struck by an epidemic of police suicides. In 2019 alone, we have lost approximately 228 officers to suicide and that does not take into account that the experts predict that these numbers can be under reported by a factor of 2.5. The numbers are alarming as we are losing double the amount of officers to suicide than in all other line of duty deaths combined. Attendees will benefit from learning about police suicide and equipping law enforcement personnel with proactive and practical strategies in creating a culture of wellness and resiliency within their organizations.

Stop the Stigma

Nikki Stevens, Fire Captain and Widow, Santa Barbara Fire Department

Nikki will be sharing how the suicide of her husband of 26 years affected her and her two sons and how she learned to heal with the help of peer support and counseling. She will discuss how she believes being open and honest with fellow firefighters about her struggles has helped other members in her Department seek emotional assistance through informal conversations or counseling.

Teamwork After a Catastrophic Injury

Paul Meyer, Sergeant, Portland Police Bureau

After an on duty freak accident, Paul’s life changed forever. But what happened next is an unbelievable story of how his peers and department leaders came together to rally behind Paul and his family. It is that teamwork which has inspired so many others to come to the aid of him and his family when they needed it more than ever. The presentation will focus on those selfless acts that have been so inspirational and have had a positive impact in helping Paul and his family overcome the difficulties that have followed, both at home and at work.

Out of Chaos

Chris Fields, Retired, Oklahoma City Fire Department

Chris served over 31 years with the Oklahoma City Fire Department,Chris was captured in a photo that became an iconic symbol of the Oklahoma City Bombing in 1995 when he was cradling the body of 1yr old Baylee Almon. Chris discusses the brutal realities of a life spent responding to citizens in their darkest hours. Routinely placing others before himself and representing the greater good in all of us. Chris tells a story of his life, his 31 years of public service and how that day in 1995 all combined to take a toll on his life and his family, he suffered in silence for many years. Now he shares how he took control and his journey out of the suffering in hopes of helping other 1st responders avoid the failure, the pitfalls and to reach out.

Work Hard, Play Hard: A Prosecutor’s Story of Addiction, Recovery and Resilience

Susan Broderick, J.D., Senior Attorney at National District Attorneys Association, Washington D.C.

Susan spent 14 years as a prosecutor, handling sex crimes, homicides and overseeing the child abuse unit. She “worked hard and played hard” until it stopped working for her. Susan made the decision to stop drinking in July of 2001 and hasn’t looked back. She credits her sobriety as a turning point in her life. During this session, she will share the findings of the Hazelden study along with the latest research about addiction and recovery. She will also share her personal story – what it was like, what happened and what it’s like now.

Self-disclosure Skills

Alana Negroni, M.S., The Counseling Team International

Self-disclosure is an approach to communication that involves sharing information about yourself, your history, and your emotions. Self-disclosure can be a very useful skill, but only if employed properly. In this session Alana will discuss the importance of self-disclosure, how it can help communication in relationships and ways to effectively use this tool to provide support to those in need.

Significant Other Survival: Fire/EMS Track

Mike Russ, Fire Captain/Fire Chaplain and Rita Russ, Spouse, San Manuel Fire Department

This presentation involves a fire captain and his wife who will describe their personal losses and what worked for them to overcome those losses. They will help family members who have loved ones in public safety gain a different perspective and move towards resiliency .

Significant Other Survival: Law Enforcement Track

Anna Bell, Latent Fingerprinting Examiner II, San Bernardino County Sheriff’s
Department (Retired) and Frank Bell, Captain, San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department (Retired)

This presentation will help you understand the public safety culture, the stressors of the job and the effects these careers can have on personal lives and relationships. The more your family understands about the public safety culture, the better chance you will have at maintaining resiliency and a healthy relationship.

Too Much Ugly: Multiple Roles and Multiple Line of Duty Deaths

Jocelyn Roland, Ph.D., Public Safety Psychologist, Timothy Burns, Lieutenant, Stanislaus County Sheriff, Randy Davis, Sergeant, Modesto Police Department, Jennifer Hannula, Lieutenant, Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department

This presentation will address the challenges faced by two departments in Stanislaus County who experienced 5 line-of-duty deaths in 3 years. Providing interagency support, the Peer Support Teams were taxed by the services provided in their helper roles. The panel will discuss the challenges faced, the resources used, and how they managed supporting others and caring for themselves as both helpers and victims.

Myths & Realities: Current Addiction Theories and First Responders Life

Stephen Odom, Ph.D. CEO, Chief Clinical Officer

First Responder culture is steeped in traditions that include imbibing, yet alcohol is also the most common form of self-medication for Post Traumatic Stress. Join Dr. Stephen Odom as he presents an informative and entertaining look at the evolution and explanation of addiction and the intersection with PTS and public safety professionals.

Some Core Concepts of Peer Support

Steven Froehlich, Ph.D., Director, Behavioral Health Services and Scott Ross, Captain, Los Angeles County
Fire Department, PSPSA Director At-Large

Dr. Froehlich and Scott Ross will be diving into some of the core concepts of Peer support. The topics discussed will include; Developing Rapport/Trust, establishing the rules of engagement, active listening, starting the conversation and referring peers to culturally competent MHP’s

Emotional Survival

Kevin M. Gilmartin, Ph.D. Author and Motivational Speaker

This presentation will review the short and long-term effects on first responders on both the personal and
professional aspects of their lives. The goal of the course is to have the first responder review the potential impact the career causes in the personal life and to develop strategies for overall emotional survival. The strategies are designed to permit the professional to continue functioning effectively and ethically without “burning-out” and without resorting to emotional isolation from friends and colleagues.

If you would like to review information covering previous conferences, visit our Training Calendar archive section.