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In this conversation, retired SWAT sergeant Travis Gribble shares his experience with PTSD, its impact on family, a police culture that reinforced silence, and his journey to Post-Traumatic Growth through Boulder Crest's Warrior PATHH program.

About the Guest: Travis Gribble is a retired 24-year law enforcement veteran. He spent 11 years in Michigan where he worked as a Deputy, Deputy Sergeant, and SWAT Team Leader. In 2008 he made a lateral move to the Mesa Police Department in Arizona. Mesa is a city of 520,000 and 850 sworn police officers. In Mesa he worked as a Patrol Officer, Patrol Sergeant, SWAT Assistant Team Leader, and SWAT Sergeant Team Leader. During the course of his career he was involved in countless critical incidents and always thought none of the calls were affecting him.

In 2016 he experienced what he now knows to be a life-changing call. For five years after the call he never sought appropriate help and was slowly self-destructing from within. As the years and calls went by, his cup was reaching capacity and in 2021 he reached his breaking point.

Thankfully he was put in touch with a therapist who specializes in first responder care, so he began the journey of healing. It was then he learned to live life in a much better way, but due to the extent of the trauma, he ultimately decided to seek retirement. In 2022, Travis was awarded a post-traumatic stress injury retirement and his current journey began. Only one short month after his retirement and through unplanned circumstances, he was given the opportunity to share his story with a leadership group of SWAT operators in Montana. He presented his story in the most vulnerable and authentic way possible, while also highlighting lessons learned by him and his agency. From that day forward he continued sharing his story on podcasts, at law enforcement conferences, for individual agencies across the country, and through a social media platform. This whole path led him to form the organization, My Arena, which is dedicated to providing training for individual first responders, their families, and agencies. The organization stands for one very specific concept: It's okay to not be okay, but it's not okay to stay that way. He works with like-minded organizations and providers, changing the views surrounding mental health, and provides assistance for those who need support and guidance. In 2024 he was fortunate to be invited to a five day immersive training, provided by the leading authority on Post Traumatic Growth, the Boulder Crest Foundation. The training was nothing short of life changing, so he charted a path to begin work in the Post Traumatic Growth world. He is now a Senior Level Guide for Boulder Crest, working immersive programs once per month in Texas. It is truly an honor for Travis to be in this space and is proud to have presented at conferences, first responder agencies, and tactical units across the country.

• Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/my_.arena/
• Boulder Crest Foundation Warrior PATHH Program - https://bouldercrest.org/program/warrior-pathh/

Thank you for listening. You can connect with me here:

Instagram: @dr_baumgart

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drbaumgart/

Website: https://www.drbaumgart.com/

Book: https://www.amazon.com/Surviving-Retirement-Finding-Purpose-Fulfillment/dp/B0CB99HMVS

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In this conversation, retired police sergeant Rich Creamer talks about the experiences that led to his involvement in peer support, the unique experience of navigating cancer, and how he is giving back to the public safety wellness industry. Rich is known for having tough conversations, encouraging agencies to transform awareness into action, and helping first responder agencies build thoughtful and effective wellness programs.

About the Guest: Rich Creamer is a US Navy veteran and retired Sergeant with the Norfolk Police Department, where he served with distinction for 24 years. His career began patrolling some of Norfolk’s most crime-ridden neighborhoods and evolved through specialized assignments including the Gang Unit, Homicide, FBI Violent Crime Task Force, Cold Case Homicide, Training Division, and Criminal Intelligence Unit. Over his career, Rich received numerous honors, including Officer of the Year, two U.S. Attorney Public Service Awards, and multiple departmental commendations. In his final assignment with the Training Division, Rich oversaw the development and instruction of Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) and Peer Support programming, providing direct support and training to both the Norfolk Police Department and other emergency service agencies across the region.

Rich continues to shape the future of first responder wellness as the Director of Public Safety Insights for Lighthouse Health & Wellness, Advisory Board Member for Survive First, Public Safety Liaison for Mutts with a Mission, and Board Member and Trainer for Blue Cancer Connect. He also serves as a Consultant and Family Wellness Co-Chair with the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) Collaborative Reform Initiative – Technical Assistance Center for Officer Wellness.

As the founder of the Norfolk Public Safety Wellness Initiative, Rich helped launch Virginia’s first facility-dog program, a state-of-the-art functional fitness facility, and holistic wellness partnerships providing float therapy, infrared sauna, massage therapy, and nutrition counseling—all at no cost to public-safety personnel. Today, Rich is the host of the Responder Reset Podcast, a keynote speaker, and an action-oriented advocate for authentic, peer-driven culture change in public-safety wellness. His message is clear: the profession doesn’t need more awareness—it needs action.

He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Old Dominion University and a Master of Arts in Human Services Counseling from Liberty University.

• Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/rich.creamer_77/
• LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/rich-creamer-60bb37171/
• Website - https://responderreset.com/
• Podcast - https://www.youtube.com/@TheResponderResetPodcast
• Blue Cancer Connect - https://bluecancerconnect.org/

Thank you for listening. You can connect with me here:

Instagram: @dr_baumgart

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drbaumgart/

Website: https://www.drbaumgart.com/

Book: https://www.amazon.com/Surviving-Retirement-Finding-Purpose-Fulfillment/dp/B0CB99HMVS

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This conversation brings together different perspectives to highlight some of the challenges our law enforcement families face each day. Katherine and Jim also share practical tools and resources that LEOs and their families can start using now to foster connection and communication within the family unit.

About the Guests:

Katherine Boyle is an advocate and speaker for law enforcement kids and families. As the daughter of a Philadelphia Police Department lieutenant, she brings a personal and deeply informed perspective to the unique challenges faced by law enforcement households. Through her work with Beyond the Uniform, Katherine helps families build stronger bonds and stay connected despite the demands of the job. She is especially passionate about giving voice to the often-overlooked experiences of law enforcement children so these kids can grow up with security, understanding, and lasting memories that they will pass on to future generations. Katherine has been featured in Law Enforcement Today, is the host of a dedicated podcast: Beyond the Uniform with The LT’s Daughter, and partners with departments and organizations to lead engaging, impactful trainings, and events. Her mission is to raise awareness of how the job affects officers’ children, advocate for their well-being, and equip departments and families with tools to strengthen relationships.

• Website - https://www.beyondtheuniform.co
• Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/theltsdaughter/
• Family Workbook - https://www.lulu.com/shop/katherine-boyle/the-lts-daughter-legacy-project-workbook/paperback/product-rmzged9.html?page=1&pageSize=4
• Facebook Group - Beyond the Uniform: Community for Law Enforcement Officers, Spouses & Kids - https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1B7dCHVhgj/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Jim Stitzinger is an embedded law enforcement chaplain for a large metropolitan agency in CA and a full time pastor at Crossroads Community Church in Santa Clarita, CA. Previous to his current work he has served in churches and law enforcement chaplaincy in Mobile, Alabama, and Louisville, Kentucky. He began is chaplaincy work in 2005 with the Burbank Police Department. His professional training, and field experience give him an in-depth understanding of the challenges faced and the skill to guide others toward hope and strength in their personal lives, and home. Jim holds a M.Div from The Masters Seminary in Sun Valley, CA. Jim is an avid jiu-jitsu competitor, perpetual trainer of a Belgian Malinois, and extremely proud of the three adult daughters he and his wife Sky have raised.

• Website - https://jimstitzinger.com/
• Iron Sharpens Iron - https://sharpiron.org/

Thank you for listening. You can connect with me here:

Instagram: @dr_baumgart

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drbaumgart/

Website: https://www.drbaumgart.com/

Book: https://www.amazon.com/Surviving-Retirement-Finding-Purpose-Fulfillment/dp/B0CB99HMVS