This episode: From the Front Lines to Mental Health Advocacy: Troy Siewert’s Journey of Service, Crisis Intervention, and Growth.
Here’s what you’ll learn about:
Introduction and Purpose of the Meeting (0:00)
- Guest Troy Siewert expresses gratitude for the invitation and thanks the host for the opportunity to speak.
- Host Drew Deraney introduces Troy Siewert and thanks Suzanne Taylor King for the introduction.
- Drew discusses the linear nature of life and how adversity can disrupt this linearity, introducing the concept of three types of men: those who are blind to adversity, those who blame others, and those who see adversity as an opportunity for growth.
- He identifies Troy as a representative of the third type of man who sees adversity as an opportunity for growth and asks Troy to share his defining moment that transformed him.
Troy’s Background and Early Career Challenges (2:56)
- Troy begins by thanking Drew for the compliment and explains that his transformation was not due to a single crisis but a series of events.
- He shares his background as a retired police lieutenant with 30 years of law enforcement experience, starting in 1992.
- Troy describes the lack of training in handling mental health crisis calls during his early years in policing, leading to frustration and ineffective responses.
- He recounts a pivotal moment when he was assigned to run a Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) program, which provided the training he needed to handle mental health crises effectively.
Turning Point 1: Introduction to Crisis Intervention Training (6:07)
- Troy explains the initial resistance he felt towards the CIT training but acknowledges its pivotal role in his career and personal growth.
- He describes the week-long, 40-hour training class as one of the best he received, leading to the development of the Crisis Intervention Team.
- Troy shares his experience of handling mental health calls more effectively after the training and the positive impact it had on his officers and the community.
- He emphasizes the importance of proper training for officers to handle mental health crises effectively and reduce potential liability.
Turning Point 2: Impactful Call with a Single Mother (6:54)
- Troy recounts a specific call involving a single mother with a son suffering from schizophrenia and the impact it had on him.
- He describes the challenging nature of the call, the use of cannabis counteracting the son’s schizophrenia, and the successful resolution of the crisis.
- Troy shares the emotional moment when the mother hugged him, expressing gratitude for the care and support provided by the police officers.
- This experience reinforced Troy’s commitment to expanding the Crisis Intervention Team and improving training for officers.
Turning Point 3: Expanding Training and Impact on Officers (8:58)
- Troy discusses the collective impact of his training and experiences, leading to his role as a certified trainer for the state of Illinois and other organizations.
- He highlights the positive feedback from officers who appreciated the training and the impact it had on their ability to handle mental health crises effectively.
- Troy emphasizes the importance of making training accessible to officers, even if their departments are understaffed or underfunded.
- He shares his passion for continuing to train officers and make a difference in the lives of both individuals in crisis and the officers who respond to these calls.
The Role of 988 and Mobile Crisis Teams (12:52)
- Drew and Troy discuss the implementation of the 988 program, a rebranded version of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, which now includes any type of mental health crisis.
- Troy explains how 988 routes calls to the nearest call center, which then dispatches a mobile crisis team composed of a mental health professional and a person with lived experience.
- He emphasizes the importance of having properly trained officers and mental health professionals respond to mental health crises to ensure effective and compassionate care.
- Troy shares his hope that the 988 program will be fully implemented by 2027 and make a significant positive impact on mental health response.
Impact of Training on Personal and Professional Life (17:05)
- Troy discusses the personal and professional benefits of his training, including improved communication skills and a focus on understanding others’ perspectives.
- He shares a personal anecdote about using active listening skills with his wife, which led to a deeper connection and better communication.
- Troy emphasizes the importance of emotional self-care for officers, especially in light of the high suicide rate among police officers.
- He highlights the need for officers to have the skills to support each other and address mental health challenges within their ranks.
Advice for Younger Versions of Troy (25:51)
- Drew asks Troy for advice he would give to his younger self, both in life and in business.
- Troy advises his younger self to seek first to understand and then to be understood, emphasizing the importance of empathy and perspective in all interactions.
- He encourages his younger business self to embrace challenges and new experiences as opportunities for growth and self-improvement.
- Troy shares his excitement about starting a YouTube channel, highlighting the importance of stepping outside one’s comfort zone for personal and professional growth.
Final Thoughts and Contact Information (28:57)
- Drew thanks Troy for his insights and expresses excitement about future collaborations on mental health initiatives.
- Troy reiterates his commitment to helping others and making a positive impact through his training and advocacy.
- Drew provides contact information for Troy, directing the audience to his website for more information and resources.
- The meeting concludes with a reminder for the audience to take care of themselves and each other, emphasizing the importance of mental health and support.
To learn more about Troy’s mission, go to his LinkedIn profile at https://www.linkedin.com/in/tsiewert/
or his website at www.InsightfulCrisisResponse.com
Troy Siewert Bio
Lt. Troy Siewert (ret.) is a nationally certified law enforcement instructor with over 30 years of service at the Orland Park Police Department, retiring as a lieutenant in January 2022.
During his career, he successfully resolved more than 1,000 mental health crisis calls and has since trained over 5,000 law enforcement officers in effective crisis intervention.
He is a certified Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) Coordinator, CIT officer, Crisis Intervention Specialist, Anger Management Specialist, and trained crisis negotiator.
In 2021, he was recognized as CIT International’s CIT Coordinator of the Year.
Troy holds a master’s degree in criminal social justice from Lewis University and now leads Insightful Crisis Response, LLC, providing practical, real-world training to help police officers and civilian staff recognize and resolve mental health crises with skill and confidence.
About your host: I’m Drew Deraney, the proud father of three children. For most of my life I’ve been concerned with what people thought of me and how I was supposed to act. I learned not to be my authentic self and instead became a people pleaser, a man wearing a mask.
In a 9-month span a few years ago, I endured four faith-shaking life events that caused me to question my existence.
I became determined to find a better way to live. Through intense self-reflection and awareness, I realized that in order to be happy, I must adhere to my standards of honesty, integrity and truth and needed to break free from the belief system that was anchored in me for close to 50 years.
I now believe that success happens when we find a better way and are willing and able to share it. HOW I do that is by challenging the status quo and thinking differently. Ultimately, WHAT I bring to the table is a way to contribute and add value by having an impact on the lives of others.
My company, Profit Compassion LLC consists of 3 paths:
The Caregiver Family Health Coach: coach for caregivers of individuals with special needs, including Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). For Caregivers who are open to a conversation about how I can support you on your Caregiving journey: I help caregivers find balance, build resilience, and rediscover their own well-being. Through personalized Coaching, I provide practical strategies, emotional support, and the tools to reduce Burnout, strengthen Relationships, and navigate the challenges of caregiving with confidence. My goal is to empower you to care for yourself as compassionately as you care for your loved one.
The Mindful Man Movement: men’s self-discovery coach, speaker, podcast host, author. For Men Seeking Answers Within: Imagine having crystal clear knowledge of your purpose in life where you make confident decisions, and are assertive, productive, and at peak mental health. Corporate executives hire me to guide them to tap into their natural power through self-discovery so they may write their own story and live the life they want to live.
WealthPath Strategies & Solutions: health/wellness and financial services to support individuals and businesses.
Join me in transforming challenges into opportunities for growth. Let’s embark on this journey together.
HOW TO CONNECT WITH COACH DREW:
Website: https://profitcompassion.com/
Email: [email protected]
Book a discovery call: https://link.mavericksystems.online/widget/bookings/netweaving/connect30
Pick up a copy of Drew’s book: https://amzn.to/40dsbyR or https://bit.ly/BandNDrew
You Tube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@profitcompassion/videos
Drew Deraney now travels the world both to Live and Virtual Events showing mostly men the steps needed to strengthen self-identity and self-worth, to overcome self-limiting beliefs, and to build confidence while being authentic, maintaining boundaries and to transcend people pleasing skills to become the person they are destined to be. Drew challenges them to reach deep inside and make a lasting impact.
In a 9-month span, Drew experienced a grueling divorce, job loss, his son’s suicidal ideations, and his father’s death which devastated Drew emotionally, mentally, physically, and spiritually. It is a commonality for men to consider any challenge as a weakness as well as to show emotion and ask for help. While writing his book, Drew realized he was not the only man suffering in silence. With more clarity of purpose than ever, he began asking for help. Drew Deraney’s mission is to help especially men, release their inner greatness by showing vulnerability, keeping in integrity of their power, and making a great impact on the people in their lives both personally and professionally.
Drew Deraney was born in Brooklyn, NY and raised in Ho-Ho-Kus, NJ where he still lives to this day caring for his elderly mom and his 3 adult children Matthew, Nicholas, and Emma. Drew earned his B.A. in Psychology, M.A. in Applied Psychology, and two psychology research publications while at Fairfield University; a scholarship from the Healthcare Financial Management Association; and his M.B.A. in Health Care Administration from Baruch College / Mount Sinai School of Medicine in NY. His hospital career spanned 24 years where he was co-chair of the Leadership Institute, spoke at JD Power, was one of three leaders interviewed by The Commonwealth Fund, received his Communicating with Empathy Trainer certification and is a Certified Patient Experience Professional. Four years ago, Drew founded Profit Compassion LLC, an entity to coach and empower mostly men to create resiliency and authenticity as Chief Resilience Officer. Drew is the podcast host of ‘From Caving in to Crushing It’ and recently became a best-selling author with his book ‘I’ll Have What She’s Having’ - Memoir of a reformed People Pleaser.
