RECLAIM THE PRESENT

Jay meets Valerie Mena, a devoted mother and hygienist that embodies a tale of resilience, perseverance, and unwavering dedication. Rooted in the rich heritage of her immigrant parents, Valerie's journey has been marked by both profound challenges and triumphant victories. Growing up, Valerie witnessed the hardships of depression and alcoholism with her mother that placed her amidst trauma and conflict. These challenges were intensified in her most formative years and well into adulthood. Valerie became pregnant while in high school, giving birth to a beautiful daughter. She immediately embraced the role of being a single mother, a journey dotted with episodes of domestic violence being brought upon Valerie. Despite the adversity, Valerie's spirit remained unbroken; she navigated through these tribulations and traumas and pursued a fulfilling career in hygiene, demonstrating that one's past does not define one’s future. Valerie's resilience was further highlighted as she became a beacon of support for her mother during her most trying times, caring for her until her final moments. Her life story is not just about enduring pain; it is a testament to her strength and compassion, as she continued to excel in her professional field while navigating personal adversities. In every aspect of her life, Valerie exemplifies grit and a relentless pursuit of betterment, becoming a symbol of hope and an inspiring figure for many who find themselves in similar circumstances. Valerie Mena’s story is one of hope, transformation, and unwavering love. In sharing her journey, she aims to inspire and empower others to overcome their own obstacles and build a life marked by achievement and fulfillment, regardless of the difficulties they face. https://www.samhsa.gov/ https://www.thehotline.org/ https://mutualground.org/

Jay meets with Paige Arnone. Paige is a yoga practitioner and Founder of Firstgevity she is AZPOST CERTIFIED & E-RYT 500. With years of experience working directly with first responders, Paige knows firsthand the unique challenges these brave individuals face and the toll it can take on their mental and physical health. Her journey with yoga began when she struggled with debilitating anxiety and panic attacks from childhood traumas. Yoga taught her how to take back control of her life, and it has since become her mission to give back to those who have always protected her. Paige's ultimate goal is to support the development of a new generation of first responders who are physically healthy and mentally strong being able to easily handle challenging conditions. Paige's passion and dedication to helping first responders thrive and creating a stronger and more resilient community for all are at the heart of Firstgevity's mission. https://www.firstgevity.com/

Jay and Colleen from the Reclaim Team have Jen take the wheel to provide insight to shed light on the teacher experience of going back to school. Jen is a Masters level educator that served as a teacher for 15+ years. In this episode Jen unpacks the challenges a teacher faces or may face and the the overall mindset of teachers. Jen also shares some practical ways students and parents can start the year off strong. She also offers further dos and don'ts to start the year off with positivity.

The Reclaim Team meet with Jeremy Indika. Jeremy was sexually abused for two years when he was 8-years old, by a 25-year old man. He now speaks publicly about what happened, covering a range of topics such as how it felt to speak out for the first time, prosecuting the man that did this to him and how we can better protect children moving forward. He is the founder of a movement called Something to Say, runs a podcast, YouTube channel, clothing line and speaks in schools, businesses and organizations to encourage conversation around the crime of children being sexually abused. Jeremy has been ridiculed and has been met with considerable outrage from interviewing and learning from individuals that have been charged for sexual deviancy. His goal is to bring awareness and education to provide greater tools and resources to protect children and teenagers! Jeremy Indika : www.jeremyindika.com STS: www.somethingtosayofficial.com

Jay meets with Retired Police Officer of Phoenix Arizona, Christopher Hoyer. Christopher is an author, keynote speaker/presenter, trainer, protector, survivor and active advocate for mental/ physical/emotional/spiritual wellness for the First Responder and civilian communities. After over 20 years as a street cop, having been faced with the worst horrors imaginable, he has turned his focus to public speaking and writing various articles worldwide. Having recently published a book: When That Day Comes Training For The Fight, with Natalie June Reilly he is helping LEO and First Responder communities from all over prepare for the crisis, stored trauma and joys that come with the job. His book was written for a couple of specific and special reasons. The first is to honor the memory of all fallen Law Enforcement Officers ... one in particular. The second is to pass on what time on the street taught him about survival ... mental, physical and emotional.He has spoken to thousands, including First Responders, mental health advocates and various professional entities, sharing his story in hopes of saving lives. https://a.co/d/aD5freS https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopher-hoyer-25398192/

Jay from the Reclaim Team meets Johnnie Davis. Johnnie is a successful author, entrepreneur and miracle to still be here spreading love, insight and sharing his inspiring story. Johnnie grew up in one of the toughest housing projects in NJ with 5 of his other siblings and his mother. His mother worked countless hours to provide her children with private education which gave Johnnie the opportunity for college. Johnnie became very successful in the direct sales business and was retiring at the age of 34 years old!!! The Johnnie came down with heart failure and battled that sickness for 6 amazing and death defying years. We unpack this and his harrowing journey coming back from Sudden Cardiac Arrest, being saved by his wife Rachel, the Fire & Rescue Team at Station 38 and SOOOOO much more! Johnnie is a Board of Directors Officer for the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation. https://www.amazon.com/Im-Still-Here-Failure-Champion-ebook/dp/B072BCVMVH/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

The Reclaim Team meets with Cody Bentley. Cody is a man of faith, principal and family. He was raised in a loving and nurturing family where his mom and his dad were his heroes and well respected. Then tragedies and crisis hit his family one by one. Then one day the ultimate tragedy happened and his parents were no longer there to support him and his siblings. Cody takes us on a journey of his life and shares with us his way back from trauma and horror to creating the organization he founded so everyone can have access to support and love one conversation at a time. Cody's nonprofit Humane Kinect is a way for people from all walks of life to receive peer support and love at the click of the button. This revolutionary approach allows everything to be kept anonymous while people are getting support at times where it is needed most in their lives and the have the opportunity to pay it forward to someone else in need. https://humanekinect.org/

The Reclaim Team meets with Dr. Ted again to unpack anxiety. Although Ted is not taking new clients at this time, Ted is a psychologist who works with clients whose concerns include depression, anxiety, stress, anger, conflict management, poor self-esteem, compulsive behavior, eating disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, unemployment stresses, alcohol and other substance abuse issues, psychosis, domestic violence, as well as marriage and family issues. Ted Welsch, Psy.D. is a licensed clinical psychologist in the state of Illinois. He has a doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the Illinois School of Professional Psychology-Chicago. Prior to establishing CCCA, he worked at a community mental health center, at a parish, a psychiatric hospital, and a nursing home. In addition, Ted conducted court ordered psychological assessments and provided counseling services to adolescents at a juvenile detention center. Over the past 10 years in private practice, he has experience working with couples, families, adults and adolescents in individual therapy. Ted is a husband and father of four adult children and utilizes that experience in his work with his clients. The field of psychology is his second career endeavor, previously working in various capacities in a family-owned construction firm. so he can also relate to occupational challenges that individuals face in the work world. Ted places a priority on keeping up with current developments in areas of interest in the field of psychology. He maintains membership in the American Psychological Association, the Association for the Development of the Person-Centered Approach, the World Association for Person-Centered and Experiential Psychotherapies, the APA Division of Psychologists in Independent Practice, Division of Humanistic Psychotherapies and the Division of Clinical Psychology.

The Reclaim Team meets Eddie Penney. "Eddie Penney spent 20 years in the U.S. military, first as a Marine and later as a Navy SEAL assigned to the Naval Special Warfare Development Group (DEVGRU), better known as SEAL Team Six. During the grueling six-month SEAL training and selection program known as Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) Training, Eddie and his fellow trainees watched the 9/11 attacks live as the images streamed worldwide. Knowing that he and his classmates would soon be in harm’s way, the training took on a sobering importance. Suddenly, it was real. After two combat deployments with SEAL Team Two, Eddie tried out and was selected for DEVGRU, the elite of the elite and the tip of the nation’s spear in the fight against terrorist threats worldwide. Terrified of missing the action, Eddie became a breacher, the first man to the door on a target and one of the most dangerous jobs imaginable. Eddie endured five more deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan and Africa in his role, relishing in taking the fight to the enemy as he engaged in countless examples of extreme close-range combat. Then, in the midst of near-constant combat, the unthinkable happened: two weeks before he was scheduled to go on an overseas deployment, Eddie became the single father of three young children. This hardened warrior who had never changed a diaper became a sole caregiver of an eight-month-old, a four-year-old and a nine-year-old overnight, thanks to the custody decision of a family court judge. Eddie dug into his new role with the same zeal with which he had attacked his enemies, putting his military career on-hold as he juggled the endless tasks of both mother and father. The stress and grief brought-on damaging behaviors, drinking, womanizing, anything that would stop him from feeling the pain. Eddie transitioned out of the Navy and was physically there for his children, but his inability to show normal emotions challenged his relationships with them. He was on a dark path, with few signs of hope. He was on his way to becoming yet another statistic. On a whim and with nothing to lose, he agreed to attend a men’s retreat at a local church. The event changed his life, instilling in him the peace that he could be forgiven for his actions. His faith gave him hope and allowed him to attack civilian life with the same focus that he had used to forge such a successful military career." https://a.co/d/32kEFwy (Amazon direct link Christian book) https://a.co/d/gkdaa0z (Amazon direct link adults book) https://eddiepenney.com/about-eddie/

The Reclaim Team meets Deputy Chief Matthew Thomas. Matt is an author, speaker and decorated Leader in the LEO community who was recently recognized for his 30 years of distinguished service to the the Pinal County Sheriff's Office. For 30 years Matt has been in the fight and serving on the frontline in the war with the Mexican Cartels trying to infiltrate the USA. He takes us into a raw view about a day in life, what his personal time looked like and what it took to learn and fight these criminal organizations. Link for Matt's book: https://www.amazon.com/Interceptors-Untold-Against-Mexican-Cartels/dp/0578374277?asin=B0BL5FTQHY&revisionId=f468bfbe&format=1&depth=1 Matt is native of Arizona, growing up in Phoenix. He is married to his wife Susie of 30 years and has three children. Matt has been employed with the Pinal County Sheriff ’s Office for over 30 years, starting his career as a Detention Officer in 1993 and promoted through the ranks to his current position of Chief Deputy. He has served in several specialty units—Detention, Patrol, Traffic, Training, the Police Academy, Motors, Narcotics, and Investigations. Having served 18 years on the Pinal Regional SWAT team as a member, team leader, and finishing as the team commander, he was involved in and/or led over 700 missions during his tenure on SWAT. Matt has also worked in an undercover capacity, both as a detective and as a sergeant, while assigned to the Narcotics Unit. He has worked and supervised everything from street-level drug cases to large, organized-crime cases in a cartel-infested environment. Matt’s current assignment is as the Sheriff ’s Executive Officer, serving as second-in-command for the agency. He oversees and manages all operations for over 650 employees and volunteers in a county that covers over 5,400 square miles and has an approximate population of 500,000. He has served as a regional representative and the Vice President of the Arizona Tactical Officers Association and is a member of the Executive Board for the Point 27 Foundation. He is a graduate of Leadership in Police Organizations and the FBI National Academy, session 261. Matt holds additional duties as a law enforcement trainer for basic and advanced officer training in leadership, tactics, narcotics, Mexican cartels, and several other specialty areas. He has instructed for High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA), National Tactical Officers Association, Arizona Narcotics Investigators Association, Washington State Investigators Association, Georgia FBI National Academy State Chapter, National Rifle Association, and multiple agencies throughout the U.S. Matt serves as an expert on the Southwest border issues and the problems associated with the Mexican cartels in Arizona. He has spearheaded large-scale operations targeting the Mexican cartels and smuggling operations at the local, state, and federal levels. Matt is known for his collaborative efforts in working with local, state, and federal partners to fight organized crime in his county, state, and nation. He continues to do his part in fighting these criminal groups.

Jay from the Reclaim Team meets with SCA (Sudden Cardiac Arrest) survivor Brandon Griffith. Brandon is a Deputy Sherriff for Pinal County Sheriff's Office and Founder of Griffith Blue Heart Nonprofit. Brandon talks about going into full cardiac arrest when he was 26 years old and his newly married wife and a responding police officer to the 911 call teamed up before Fire/EMT ultimately changing the course of death. Brandon was pronounced dead for 16.5 minutes! Sudden cardiac arrest is killing 1000 people a day and 1000s of First Responders on and off-duty. This is an eye opening convo you won't want to miss! https://griffithblueheart.com/

Colleen and Jay from the Reclaim Team meet with Detective Scott Runge. Scott serves as a Deputy at the Benton County Sheriff's Office and is on the South East Regional ICAC Task Force. He also shares his background and what got him into law enforcement, specifically Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. His journey was not an easy one, but it forged his way into one of the jobs most LEO professionals do not want. Scott has a remarkable story of how he became a protector, support system, and a adopting father to a child he was called on to serve and protect that had been brutalized and sexually abused by a member of her own family. The family then rejected the child for speaking up. He talks about one of the greatest honors of walking this adult daughter proudly down the aisle for her marriage. Scott takes us on a journey to the dangers and safety concerns currently presented to our children/teenagers via video games, phone applications, chatrooms, and social media platforms and more.

Jay from Reclaim Team hangs out with Police Sergeant/Community Service Unit, Assistant Team Leader Crisis Negotiations Team, (CNT) Cape Cod SWAT - Mashpee Police Department Michael Assad Jr. Mike's family on his father's side are all serving in Law Enforcement. His father was a US Marshal and proudly served the United States for many years. Mike takes us on a journey with many laughs about what Police Academy was like for him. He shares the job itself moving through various promotions along with his narcotics K-9 handling experience. Mike also speaks about leadership, values and so much more!

Meet Marion Blumenthal Lazan. As a gift to this wonderful woman Marion, we are deciding to launch this podcast the week of Mother's Day in dedication and extreme respect and admiration for Marion and Marion's mother Ruth Blumenthal Meyberg. Marion told us in the podcast and after her jaw dropping presentation that had it not been for her Mother being with her while in the concentration camps her story would be different. The warmth, love, joy, humor, grit, resilience, fortitude, dedication and perseverance was directly shared with Marion by her Mother. We would also like to state that we equally pay respect and homage to Marion's entire family, and anyone that was subjected to the pain and horror of the Holocaust. The Holocaust was the state-sponsored persecution and mass murder of millions of European Jews, Romani people, the intellectually disabled, political dissidents and homosexuals by the German Nazi regime between 1933 and 1945. Holo (whole) caust (burned). In Marion's words: "Since 1979 I have been speaking publicly about my Holocaust experience, but upon publication of my memoir, Four Perfect Pebbles, the number of speaking engagements has greatly increased. The Diary of Anne Frank has always fascinated me. I read it in the original Dutch on our voyage to America in 1948 aboard the Holland-American liner Veendam. Actually, my story is one that Anne Frank might have told had she lived. She was in Westerbork where I was. Eventually, from Auschwitz, Anne was sent to Bergen-Belsen where I also was, and where she tragically died from typhus in March of 1945. With God’s help, I was able to write about “camp” life, liberation, and finally, starting life anew; first in Holland, and later, in our blessed United States of America. I am thrilled that Four Perfect Pebbles has garnered wonderful reviews and awards, and that many schools use my memoir in the study of the Holocaust. It has also been published in Dutch, German, Hebrew and Japanese. Of course, much of the credit should be directed toward Lila Perl, of blessed memory, my talented co-author. But the sweetest recognition was the Sydney Taylor “Best of the Bunch” citation, presented by the Association of Jewish Libraries. Forty years ago, when I was an elementary school PTA program vice-president, a Book-and-Author luncheon was held in our home, and the distinguished guest was none other than Sydney Taylor, the author of the outstanding series of books, All of a Kind Family. Much of my time these days is spent speaking in public, private and parochial schools of all denominations throughout the United States, Germany, the UK, and in Israel. I also speak to adult groups in churches, synagogues and civic organizations. I stress the need for love, respect and tolerance for one another, regardless of the religious belief, color of the skin, race or national origin. Life for me today is rich, full and rewarding, especially when speaking to and with young adults. Over 2 million students and adults in in the United States states and multiple countries have personally heard my story, and important universal messages. My story is one of determination, perseverance, faith, and above all, hope. Marion’s Triumph, my documentary video, has aired on PBS stations nationally several times. Although Nathaniel (her husband) is now 90, and I am in my late 80’s, we keep a rigorous schedule. We do this as we know that today’s generation will be the last to hear first-hand accounts of that dark time in our history." Happy Mother's day to all our listeners!!!! https://www.fourperfectpebbles.com/

Colleen and Jay from Reclaim Team meet with Cyndi Bennett, MBA, M. ED., CTRC - I. Cyndi is a Certified Trauma Recovery Career Coach and owner of Cyndi Bennett Consulting. She is a trauma survivor with 20+ years in the Financial sector of corporate America and she understands the challenges survivors face in trying to build their careers while overcoming the long-term effects of childhood trauma. As a Certified Trauma Recovery Coach, Cyndi is dedicated to helping survivors overcome the effects of trauma on their career and professional goals. She is phenomenal and will provide her clients with the essential tools to utilize their individual interests, talent, and passions to find professional and personal fulfillment. Additionally, Cyndi is passionate about working with companies to provide trauma-informed leadership training, resiliency coaching, and Employee Resource Groups. Website: www.cyndibennettconsulting.com Schedule free discovery session: https://www.cyndibennettconsulting.com/contact Blog: https://medium.com/@cyndi_62341 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/coachcyndibennet LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cyndi-bennett-mba-m-ed-ctrc-bab95817/ mailing listTrigger Tracker TemplateInterviewing Skills Guide

The Reclaim Team meets with Douglas E Noll, JD, MA. Doug left his career as a trial lawyer to become a peacemaker. Doug is an award winning author, teacher, trainer, and highly experienced mediator. He wrote DE-ESCALATE, How to Calm an Angry Person In 90 Seconds or Less. Doug is also the co-founder of Prison of Peace. Created in 2009 for incarcerated individuals. This training leads inmates through intensive workshops as the people progress through the various program levels from Peacemaker to Certified Trainer, mastering the art of communication and conflict resolution, enabling them to create safer, more peaceful lives for themselves and others in prison and beyond. Prison of Peace has been adopted in prisons domestic and international. Doug brings all his research, knowledge, life experience working with maximum security level 4 prisoners, to ultra wealthy clients, in addition to his own battles growing up and working through several disabilities he was born with. His story and experience is incredible. On this podcast he shares the de-escalation techniques that have already positively impacted thousands of lives! https://dougnoll.com/ https://www.prisonofpeace.org/thejourney https://dougnoll.com/books/

Jay from the Reclaim Team has an eye opening and candid conversation with Amie Leigh, Founder and Clinical Director of Capacity Path, and Emergency Mental Health Response organization. Her depth of knowledge and first hand experience working 19+ disasters ranging from shootings, earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, etc. brings to the forefront a well-honed expertise in working with people and communities in catastrophic crisis. Amie utilizes in her stealth mental health field craft to construct models and systems to de-escalate and support in novel ways that make a real impact, changing the way we look at the current mental health crisis. Amie asserts an approach to responder mental health, and disaster behavioral health that goes beyond “trauma-informed” to essentially being “crisis-informed”, understanding that crisis is not yet trauma, and perhaps, never has to be. Crisis Informed care - and crisis stabilization specifically- can serve as missing link of preventative measures to reduce PTS/PTSD in responder professions and disaster impacted regions. We discuss a really interesting and compelling wide array of practical approaches to navigate high-stress crisis scenarios and professions, considering these techniques and exercises that can increase ones window of tolerance and build resilience. We explore several programs she has authored and coauthored (Crisis Stabilization and Safety - CSS, Basic Crisis Stabilization - BCS, and Working with Trauma in Disasters - WWT) that explore crisis stabilization techniques and crisis psychosocial education as a means to get. These structural shifts in how we think about mental health in-the-field offers a solid footing and secure stance to endure the changing pressures. Capacity Path has provided mental health support, crisis intervention, psychosocial support, and resiliency programs to 1000s of people and agencies in the US and internationally, from disaster case managers to first responders, including public safety and public health, to working with individual survivors and other community leaders such as pastors and teachers. Most recently, Capacity Path developed a critical response crisis stabilization team that was utilized as the state of Florida’s first ever SERT (State Emergency Response Team) for Mental Health and Wellness after the worst hurricane in terms of loss of life in Florida’s history for the past century. . Creating a Wellness field unit that served First Responders and Residents, more than 75 counselors provided 8337 Crisis Stabilization support sessions in the first few months after the storm, building a structure than can be duplicated anywhere that the damage is this significant, and the mental health issues looming. By partnering with Emergency Management, from local to federal, and collaborating with disaster VOADs (Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters), Capacity Path’s model builds new structures that engage local providers to reset and restore wellbeing in an otherwise very upside-down and disoriented instance of distress.

The Reclaim Team meets with SGT of Narcotics, Swat Team member Eric McCants. SGT McCants brings his animation and fun to speaking about his background while he shines a light on what a day on the job can look and then how to come home to his family. He also shares his journey to joining LEO and what it takes for him to keep showing up as the Law Enforcement Officer he is today. SGT McCants talks about the different worlds of being a husband and father and the world of being LEO. He has a deep concern for his fellow officers and First Responders and he unpacks some things he learned and has done to help himself, his team and develop a community on social media platforms to have fun and humanize the Officers behind the badge. Enjoy!

Today we meet Christina Spevak Hougan. She is a mother of 6! Christina shares with us her birth story of her 6th baby Luke Hougan. What happened to Christina, her family and most importantly her son Luke is unimaginable. Luke has Campomelic Skeletal Dysplasia. This story is as inspiring as it is apowerful how one mother and family and pediatric surgical care team fought to beat the odds of a disease with a 95% death rate at birth. This busy mom is also Program Director for Precussion For Kids, Inc where she teaches kiddos all things Precussion. Christina comes from 7 generations of Precussionists. if anyone has information for Christina on home nurses available in Yorkville, Oswego, Somonauk, Sandwhich and surrounding areas please email info@relativitynetwork.com https://www.facebook.com/fivepercentluke/ https://www.nowilaymedowntosleep.org/ https://www.rush.edu/ https://rarediseases.info.nih.gov/diseases/10027/campomelic-dysplasia

Jay, Colleen and Jen meet with Nicole Watters. She is a Soul Alignment Emissary and Director of Education at The Delta Foundation for Spiritual Studies. This conversation unpacks life force energy! We have had several FirstResponders, Nurses and the like reach out to us and state that people they took care of passed away and visited them. Nicole is a gifted medium that realized she had gifts at a very young age. Nicole addresses many different topics including people seeing ghosts! You don't wanna miss this!! https://www.deltaspiritualfoundation.org/