For this episode, we will have Javier and Cathy Bustos. They're known as that Peer Support Couple. They are amazing, they are going to dive down into what it takes to have a healthy career. And that includes on an off duty with your relationship with your spouse especially. And we're going to also talk about what it takes to have a great career and end your career ready for retirement. And that means healthy. Just like when you got into this service, you were healthy. And that's how you want to leave it because you want to collect as many of those pension paychecks as possible. You deserve it. No more than anyone else. Because you have endured that tough career for all those years to get there.
In the episode, we will learn the following:
👉Do most first responders stay longer in service for finances and insurance;
👉Why do you need to start saving for your retirement fund as early as you start working;
👉What does a first responder couple look like;
👉Why is it important to learn your partner's love language;
👉How to free yourself from control factors;
👉What to do when you get off track of your routine whether physically, mentally, or emotionally;
👉How does peer support help you to get back on track;
👉What should healthy responders' life look like;
👉and many more!
ABOUT THE GUESTS
Cathy and Javier Bustos
That Peer Support Couple, Certified in Law Enforcement Peer Support
That Peer Support Couple, Cathy and Javier Bustos, are certified in Law Enforcement Peer Support. Throughout their careers they have experienced many critical incidents separately and together. On August 18th, 2010 they experienced the trauma of a line of duty death for a fellow officer and friend at Cathy’s police department in Cedar Park, TX. A month later on September 25th, 2010, Javier was in an Officer Involved Shooting in Austin, TX. Cathy & Javier were thrust into a new and changed world. They had to adjust their lives for the “new normal”. It is important officers get help in the early days after a critical incident. The days of the macho “shaking it off” are in the past.
With four decades of law enforcement experience Cathy and Javier's mission is to help other officers and their families deal with the stress of critical incidents. They serve as Peer Support Team members at the Bill Blackwood Law Enforcement Management Institute of Texas, Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, TX for quarterly Post Critical Incident Seminars. They volunteer at National Police Week in Washington, DC as Support Services. They serve as Wellness Support for Survivors of Blue Suicide. They act as Wellness Services for Texas Fraternal Order of Police Hill Country Lodge #23 and the Texas Fraternal Order of Police.
Cathy is an instructor for Warrior's Rest Foundation. She is an International Critical Incident Stress Foundation approved and certified Group Crisis and Assisting Individuals in Crisis instructor. She's also a certified trainer on the topic of Law Enforcement Suicide.
Cathy and Javier are certified Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Instructors. They write articles for law enforcement publications. They appeared in the documentary "Officer Involved"