Author: John Becker
John Becker Director, First Responder Serivces
John C. Becker Jr. has experience as police officer, clinician, and outreach professional. John is a former Detective Sergeant at Hatboro (PA) Police Department and possesses a unique understanding of addiction among first responders, having overcome addiction in his own life. John holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Behavioral Health Counseling from Drexel University and a Master of Human Services Degree from Lincoln University.
He is the Director, First Responder Services, for Sprout Health Group.
John¹s prior experience includes working directly with first responders, both as a clinician and as an outreach coordinator, at one of the top substance abuse treatment centers in Pennsylvania. He is an active member of the Montgomery County (PA) Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) Team and is certified by the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation (ICISF) for individual and group interventions. John is also a member of the National Police Suicide Foundation. John has provided training to a number of agencies and organizations, including City of Columbus Police Department Peer Support Team, New York Police Department, Philadelphia Police Department, Berks County CISM, PA Chiefs of Police Association, Pennsylvania Narcotics Officers¹ Association, Pittsburgh Police Department, and the Western New York Police Helpline on the topics of stress, trauma, and addiction among first responders.
John can be reached at 215-833-1572 or JohnB@SproutHealthGroup.com
Do you remember your first job? I am willing to say you probably encountered situations and people that made you say, “If I ever am the boss one day, I will be sure NOT to do that!”. We all have experienced positive and negative work environments. One of the most common complaints is that once a person gets promoted, they forget what it is like to be on the lower rung. In any business, stress can become the everyday norm when the overall tone of an organization is dysfunctional. Of course, this leads to additional stress and discontent across all ...
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If you have a job as a First Responder, whether it be as a Law Enforcement Officer, a Paramedic, or a Firefighter, you start each shift with the understanding that it could be your last. The risks of injuries and even death are increasing in alarming numbers for each of those professions. But as a firefighter, you get the luxury of being surrounded by supportive coworkers, taking turns cooking meals, and having your own secure place to train and relax between calls. As a paramedic, you get the fulfillment of seeing new life enter the world, you get to help ...
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Sleep Deprivation and Poor Diet are common throughout our society. For law enforcement officers, they can be extremely dangerous. Becoming a police officer is not for the faint of heart. Many hours of training are required and the learning curve is steep. Once in the position of a working officer, dealing with everyday issues and the constant stress can wear down even the most devoted employee. Being witness to violence and its aftermath on an everyday basis can shake even the most stalwart of people. But what about the aspects of work schedules and lifestyle habits? How do these factor ...
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No one is guaranteed tomorrow. Actually none of us are even guaranteed the next minute. We take precautions, try to make healthy choices, and make plans on returning home to our loved ones. Car wrecks, acts of crime, and medical emergencies often turn a simple ring of someone’s phone into a life-altering moment. No one expects to hear the words from a stranger that their loved one is gone. But it happens. And some people are in positions that place them in situations that increase the chance of a loved one getting that call. One of those positions is that ...
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There is nothing new under the sun. People are just as cruel now to their fellow human beings as they were thousands of years ago. Yet it seems to be the only thing anyone hears about. The news has become a showcase of “most shocking crime” and “unbelievable horrors”. Headlines scream out the obscenities that mankind commit. Uplifting news is often doubted and viewed with a high degree of suspicion. If the average person makes it a habit to ignore the news because of all the terrible stories of crime and pain, then what does the person do who is ...
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