and the TTSCT Course.
"Angela's expertise has been particularly helpful to
me. The MBV Program is invaluable! I highly recommend Angela to all fellow
warriors and First Responders without reservation."
Chris Maynard, former US Army, North Carolina National
Guard.
"Angela has done a fantastic job of reaching out to
countless military and public safety personnel with the unselfish goal of
helping with post-traumatic stress and other mental health issues. With Angela's program I was able to
incorporate its tenets into our police department's wellness and safety
program. She has made a surprising
impact on our officer's mental well-being.
Angela is an incredible resource and most importantly, a lovely human
being. I wholeheartedly recommend Angela
and her skills." Rebecca Labb, Lindenhurst Police Department, Illinois
"In these times of cutbacks, new methods of supporting
personnel must be found. MBV Program is
a simple-to-use application that in cost-to-benefit anaylsis pays for itself
exponentially. Across the country,
police, fire services and military personnel are facing downsizing and budget
restrictions. This means added stress on
service members who have to do more with less.
Keeping these members healthy is imperative to public safety.
The MBV Program has been designed in a comprehensive, cost
effective way to be the most benefit possible for the least amount of time and
money. Areas specifically addressed in
the MBV Program as recommended by the US Marine Corps field manual on Combat
Stress are breathing techniques to reduce anxiety, visualizations to promote
calm and balance, reduction of anger and grief, re-energizing and rebuiding
exercises and sleep management. These
are critical factors in personnel care.
As Director of Pathology, as a former US Army Special Forces
Combat Medic, as a current consultant to the military (US and Canadian) as CEO
of a defense company which specializes in deployment resources, I understand
the need for streamlined, cost effective, simple-to-use, comprehensive resources
that deliver dependable results and are deployment ready. The MBV Program is that resource." Nathan Krekula, Former US Army.
"I have been a police officer for 42 years. I served in Vietnam with an Air Force Combat
Security Police unit. I saw rocket and
mortar injuries and fatalities and a range of other deaths that happened in
theatre. I have been a trainer most of
my career specializing in officer survival and later in firearms skills. Most of my career was spent in a community
that often leads Florida in homicides per capita. I spent most of my career on patrol, usually
in high crime areas. Sleep has always
been a problem for me especially when I worked nights.
I became aware of Ms. Benedict's program and participated in
a trial (field test). I found it very
effective on me and I worked through some issues I did not even know I
had. As I slowed down to write this I
realize I can benefit from listening again.
I am finishing up a second Master's Degree, this one in Mental Health Counseling. I see great benefits in her program for
anyone who is suffering from trauma but especially for military and police
personnel."
Bill Strudel, US Police officer, Florida
"I am a full time police officer and also a member of
the United States Air Force Reserves, which I deployed with to Afghanistan in
2010. Due to the recent war on Law
Enforcement, the evolution of domestic and international terrorism and the
economic impacts being faced by all Emergency Services personnel, I am writing
to promote this program which needs to reach the community and help keep the
team together on a mental level. Every
soldier, police officer, firefighter, emergency medical personnel, air traffic
control, hospital staff etc. need to learn to dial down and take care of one's
person.
This program was tested in 2011 through a joint
Canadian/American stress study and is based on material found within the United
States Marine Corps field manual on Combat Stress. This program was tested and endorsed by
professionals and used to help those who help others. This program has been designed to help a
person deal with Traumatic Stress, Operational Stress and Cumulative
Stress. I would challenge you to
evaluate and explore the MBV Program for Warriors to ensure that boots on the
ground are empowered with the proper tools to survive and come home safely to
their families." Jeffrey Engle, US
Police Officer, New Jersey
"The other day my youngest of five children asked me
what I was putting on my chest as I readied for work. I explained what a bullet resistent vest was
and she replied she thought the police get the bad guys...so why do I need a
"bullet stopper"? She's 4
years old and I told her there is nothing to worry about, I always catch my bad
guys and put them in jail. But that is
not really the truth, is it?
You see I have been a police officer for over 24 years and I
put on my bullet resistent vest every day I go to work because on that day I go
into combat. I view combat in simple
terms as a conflict between one or more persons that may result in injury up to
and including death. I know on the day I
go to work there are people who now hate me, want to hurt me and are more than
willing to kill me. I also know, besides
the fact that I am in all reality a sitting target, that I go out and put
myself in harm's way at any given moment in the name of honor and service and
the belief in a lawful society.
So, in the last 24 years, I have been assaulted with feet,
hands, knives and guns. I have faced my
own death and seen death countless times.
I have lived, felt and cried for the tragedies of others for many, many
years. I would like to tell you I am
normal and these horrible things I have witnessed and been part of have not
affected me. But that is not the truth
for me and that is not the truth for thousandds of other honorable police
officers across this country.
A couple of years ago a series of events tested my resolve
and faith to the limit. I was having a
hard time sleeping, functioning and dealing with everyday life. Why?
Quite simply, sometimes it is very difficult to get the horrors of
life's tragedies out of your head. Years
and years of inner turmoil were taking it's toll. I was reaching out and one day came across
the MBV Program. At first I played the
usual tough guy, but I finally quietly requested the program and gave it my
full attention. The MBV Program is a
program that allows the mind to stop talking, to stop thinking, to stop
reliving what you really don't want to relive.
The mind has to have a place to go to rehabilitate, to rest, to
re-energize and renew. People like us
need programs like the MBV. The MBV
Program allows the mind a place to find peace and comfort.
I urge any person or committee that is in a position to
utilize this program for the benefit of others to consider the impact and
importance the program can have on the quality of life of countless
individuals." Chad Richardson, US Police officer, Michigan.
TTSCT - Tactical Trauma Self Care Training. In-class training.
"Having survived over 22 years of high stress training,
as well as both local and international high risk operations, one might flirt
with the belief that they are near invicible; until of coursse, one allows
themselves to evaluate the less visible damages having occurred within. I have personally had the fortune and
misfortune of living through a number of near death experiences in which some
of my brothers in arms were not as fortunate.
Although I sincerely believed that I had victored my ordeals
relatively unscarred, eventually those so called scars became apparent and
unfortunately began affecting the people I love most as well as myself. Angela Benedict's truly unique approach in
helping me visit the once invisible
issues at the root of my problems through her training, definitely steered me
in a direction enabling the identification and resolution of the factors
hindering my advancement and overall happiness in life. I strongly recommend this training to all of
my past and present operator colleagues, as well as to all professionals
involved in the military, law enforcement, security and emergency service type
environments. Angela can help you heal
and/or strength your inner armour so that your outer armour can protect you
more efficiently. Thank you Angela for
guiding me through this much needed and unquestionably enlightening journey of
healing."
Angelo M. Marino, President, Unitas World
"I have been in the army for over 13 years and lately I
had the chance to do a workshop with Ms. Benedict. The workshop made a lot of sense for myself
regarding where I was and where I want to be 2 years from now. Ms. Benedict has her unique way to explain
things to people. She has a gift in
regards to making people feel comfortable around her."
Cpl. Eric Dagenais, Military Police, Canadian Forces
"I am the Center Manager of a charity who aids veterans
and serving members of the United Kingdom Armed Forces. In 2003, I was diagnosed with Post Traumatic
Stress Disorder at St. Thomas Hospital, London and afterwards attended Combat
Stress (the organization) in Newport, Shropshire UK. I have attended many courses and spoken on
various occasions of how the mental illness impinged on my llife, how I coped
with it...or in most cases, NEVER coped with it; the alcoholism that became
part and parcel of it, my decision making and above all, my relationship with
family and friends.
I was invited to attend a briefing being given by Angela
Benedict, a renowned speaker and researcher on the subject of Post Traumatic Stress. I was intrigued that a non-member of any
Armed Forces could deliver to me, a dyed-in-the-wool older veteran, any further
insight to how I felt and if I would ever get any better than the point in my
life I have now reached. I was totally
wrong in my perception of what I expected the delivery to be, from the first
exercise through to the next and next, I didn't realize what it was leading to
until like a light turning on the whole thing hit me...In the space of two
hours I had just self analyzed myself and was feeling very positive in my
thought progression.
As a sufferer in the past and as an advocate for more
research on the subject of Post Traumatic Stress, I highly recommend anyone of
any standing to listen and experience what Angela delivers. I left the venue feeling extremely positive
and would like to thank Angela for a very enlightening day."
David Cash, HILT Foundation, UK.
"This course blew me away. I learned so much, not only about myself, but
about our mental resiliency as human beings and how we can condition, control
and preserve ourselves, colleagues, friends and family through a little
education. I came out of easy session,
feeling a weight had been removed from my shoulders. I felt that I had identified why I was
reacting to things in an unreasonable and unjust manner. I could recognize the pain in people close to
me in my life.
As a close protection officer, I did not realize I was
carrying such baggage with me and now I feel more streamlined and resilient, in
a position to lead from the front and Team Lead with aplomb, recognizing and
assisting my team with the issues they carry day to day. Life is hard enough...this made it a whole
lot easier. What a difference a day
makes."
Simon. British Army
24 years, now private military contractor.
"Through her use of visualization as well as other
techniques, Ms. Benedict is able to effortlessly create an atmosphere which
speak to all aspects of who we are; mind, body, spirit, emotions. I appreciated very much connecting with
others in the group and intimacy it allowed.
This work is profound."
Mark C. Ass. Director
of Operations, S.S.I.S
