Mindset Matters – Where Shared Experiences Connect People
Encompas Mental Health Wellness Program
Wednesday, September 25th – 10:00am ET – 11:00am ET
Featuring Bernie Leufkens – The Human Side of First Responder Resilience
Featuring Bernie Leufkens and his 36-year journey of service, support and leadership as a Toronto Firefighter who was stationed at Firehall 345 on Dufferin St at Dupont and retired as District Chief of Operations.
Bernie is an inspirational example for first responders, having overcome adversity, addiction, and mental health issues during his career. His story is one of experience, strength, and hope. He shares a very human side of the first responder world and how exposure to trauma, the first responder identity, stigma and demands of the job were contributing risk factors for his own addiction. A turning point for Bernie led him to explore a treatment centre and then a 12-step recovery community which has given him a new way of living, even when life’s challenges continue to present themselves.
Join us, as Bernie highlights the importance of healthy coping strategies, a community of recovery support, being of service to others and how his life has changed both personally and professionally because of asking for help many years ago. Bernie has been an active voice and change maker in the first responder community through peer support engagement and leaning in to support those who may be suffering in silence.
Since retirement in 2019, he continues to actively engage with Fire Fighters and other first responders in need of support by offering peer mentorship and acts as an empathetic witness to those still on the front lines.
Bernie is here to share his own experience navigating the challenges of life before and ongoing in recovery and how he has cultivated a mindful approach to gratitude and wellness which has kept him clean and sober for over 20 years now.