Surviving PTSD; A Success Story

Presented by: Keith Hanks, Advocate, Author, FF/EMT (Ret.), International Speaker, Life Coach, Peer Support, Podcaster

Room 204

The main objective of the presentation is to bring awareness to the mental health and PTSD crisis within the 1st responder community. To focus on getting people to talk about what we see on and off the job to bring about mental wellness and resiliency. The biggest goal is to let those out there with trauma and/or PTSD that they are not alone. Much like occupational cancer, occupational mental health needs to be addressed and this presentation does that along with offering some solutions.

The purpose for this presentation, much like the objectives, is to share a story of how unresolved trauma and PTSD can not only affect a 1st responder but their department, family, co-workers, and society. By being transparent and sharing my personal stories of struggles, failures, lows and highs, loss and even gain and then wrapping it up with how I turned it all around into a success story, it provides hope. Our job as 1st responders is thankless from the get-go and for most of us that’s ok cause it is not what we signed on for. However, not being able to or not knowing how to deal with and heal from what we see and do during our career(s), is not what we signed on for.