Ten Thirty Three

In this episode I connect with retired Cst. Treena Tulk who served in the RCMP from 2007 to 2020. Treena, who endured numerous traumatic calls, paints a picture of what she experienced leading up to her diagnosis of PTSD in 2011. Treena's story is particularly important as she recalls how she also experienced workplace trauma even as a bylaw officer prior to joining the RCMP. Treenas' childhood dr...

In this episode I connect with a retired Sgt. Laurie White who served in the RCMP from 1996 - 2020. Laurie, in 1998, while executing a Search Warrant in Kitimat, BC was shot in the leg. Laurie recalls the incredible pain and suffering that came from that moment. Laurie later had to come to terms with the loss of her leg as it could not be saved despite the best efforts of surgeons in Vancouver. La...

Join me as I wrap up Season One! For those that have followed: you know how deep and personal my story has become. I am honoured to share what I have experienced, what I have learned and how I have grown. Struggles in life occur and should occur. We often times thrive in struggle if we allow ourselves to address it head on. Acceptance, among other aspects, is one thing I realized at the end of my...

Join me as I reflect on leaving rehab. Rehab allowed such a shift in my recovery to happen. For me to learn so much about myself and to finally recover from years of trauma. Going home I was fearful, concerned and hopeful to bring these new teachings home with myself. I knew that the hard work would begin at home. I needed to challenge myself in many ways to maintain recovery. I reflect on what th...

Join me as I reflect on my continued journey into rehab. I reflect on how I was challenged to begin to meditate, participate in group therapy and share my emotions. I also learned how to assess myself in detail to see what exactly I was experiencing throughout the day. I was learning to acknowledge the depression, anxiety or pain that came from my past trauma's. I also learned in depth about the s...

Join me as I reflect on when I went to a rehabilitation centre in Nanaimo, British Columbia. Police Officers go to rehabilitation centres, first responders go to rehabilitation centres. You would be surprised how many first responders end up going to a rehabilitation centre. There are programs designed specifically for first responders and the trauma they have endured as a result of occupational s...

Join me as my journey continues into PTSD and the relationship between it and suicide. First responders are at a heightened risk for suicide. Many times when we think of suicide we believe that it is or was a selfish act and can be very misunderstood as to why someone would consider taking their own life. Our first responders can be exposed to significant amounts of trauma. So much so that the pai...

Join me as my journey continues into the chapter when I reflect more in depth about my return to work following paternity leave. I speak specifically about some of the challenges I faced upon my return to work that left me feeling unsupported and most likely contributed to the return of my panic attacks. Further organization challenges push my panic attacks to grow. I do not blame the RCMP for thi...

Join me as my journey continues into when I noticed an improvement in my mental and physical health while off on paternity leave. At the same time I was medically supported to use medical cannabis to treat my PTSD, depression and anxiety(amongst the other symptoms I faced). Despite this time away from work and decreased stress, which evidently did help, upon return to work my anxiety and panic att...

Join me as I recall when I decided I no longer could remain silent about having had experienced harassment and bullying within the RCMP. This was an incredibly difficult time in my life; however, was recognized as a moment that I possessed the strength to deal with such a complex situation. The unfortunate part of this was that I quickly learned that the complaint process for harassment is largely...

Join me as I continue to reflect on the later stages of my experience with harassment within the RCMP. My supervisors' Mental Health worsened as active addiction (Alcoholism) continued to occur behind the scenes while at home. Trauma impacts our officers Mental Health in incredibly profound ways and at times our members suffer so severely they can become ineffective as they suffer in silence. This...

Join me as I reflect on when I encountered a bully within the ranks of the RCMP. I approach this topic with sensitivity and compassion as it deserves just that. This is not an episode where the focus is placed on the culprits reputation and is definitely not rooted in slander. What this is in fact is an opportunity to approach harassment and bullying with an understanding as to why it occurs. What...

Join me as I reflect on a call I had once with my partner who to this day I have immense respect and care for. We were called to stop a vehicle that was used in a crime spree in Squamish B.C. and had fled from local Police. My partner and I attended to this call with a spike belt and ultimately were successful in stopping the vehicle; however, what happened next still shocks me. When we attempted...

Join me as I continue to discuss and conclude dissociation from last weeks episode. We recap on why it happens to us and that it is a perfectly normal bodily sensation when faced with a shocking or traumatic event. Following that I recall an event which I found to be incredibly difficult. It involved the loss of an animals life, but yet also the depth of the emotional ability of a horse. *** Trigg...

I reflect on last weeks episode where I was swarmed as a Police Officer and the long lasting impact it had on myself. Following that event I feared being in large crowds on days off and started socially isolating. My anxiety would later become a monumental road block for myself and my social life as I believed that social isolation was a healthy coping tool to keep me safe. My inner circle and fri...

Join me as I recall when I learned that as Police Officer we are often thrust into incredibly difficult situations. I learned early on that in order to manage my own emotions I needed to shut them down first and rely on my training to ensure the most positive outcome. Repeated cycles of this coping style are beneficial in the Policing environment but often times lead to much unresolved trauma. I a...

Join me as I discuss and explain where trauma sits in the body and why!  I first learned that trauma is not located in the mind, but rather the body from my journey into rehab. I explain in detail a common misconception that people believe trauma is stored in the mind. In our journey into our own trauma it is important to understand our body and how it holds onto past traumatic events and how...

Join me as I continue on my journey. I was first posted to Whistler, British Columbia after Depot (Police training) in 2007. In this episode I recall my first moments in Whistler. I was surrounded by profound beauty, picturesque mountains and a resort community which was beyond beautiful. Here is where I learned how to become a Police Officer, but prior to that I had to navigate the pain of loss a...

In this episode we continue in my journey as I enter Depot. I leave behind one civilian life for another. The world of Policing is a world unto its own. Depot has been training civilians since 1885 and preparing men and women for the unique challenges that Policing brings. Our Police officers have duties that range from Municipal, Provincial and Federal duties. We also serve internationally in Uni...

In this episode I share what my life looked like prior to being a Mountie. I speak to specific steps that I took to ensure I pushed myself closer to obtaining my goal which was to become a RCMP Officer. I was fortunate to get in at a very young age (21 years of age). I describe some of the sacrifices I had to make in order to achieve my dream. Some of the personal goals I had to set with my physic...

In this episode we are going to discuss the power of story. Through my own journey with PTSD as a Police Officer I stopped sharing and believing in my own story. I began suffering in silence unable to express, process or share the impacts that first responder trauma had on myself. As time went on and my PTSD grew I eventually faced addiction. It was in rehab where I learned that the only way to tr...

Hi, I am your host Nathan KAPLER. I have fourteen years of policing experience with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. I am now retired but over my Policing career I developed Post Traumatic Stress Disorder as a result of my service to my community. My experiences with trauma are well understood now; however, I see a need for sharing my story to help others that may be struggling. Please join me o...