Empowering Healing: Peer Support and Resiliency Coaching

22Zero is a nonprofit organization who's goal is to stop the statisical twenty two veterans and first responders who commit suicide daily. The organization was created by two men who served, one moving into the first responder realm. It's no secret that our veterans and first responders personally experience and witness traumatic events during their service. These experiences take their toll and affect our long term mental and physical health. This in turn can cause Post Traumatic Stress and the elevated level of cortisol (stress hormone) because of that stress.

The long term effects of trauma could rear its ugly head in many ways such as individuals having repeated disturbing memories, a lack of sleep and nightmares, feelings of isolation, negative beliefs about themselves and/or others, having strong negative feelings such as fear, horror, guilt, shame and anger to name just a few. At times individuals may have strong physical reactions when something reminds them of a traumatic event, this can also happen if the memory is suppressed because our subconscious has it stored. There are many more symptoms of PTS that not only affect the individual suffering from its affects but also those around them. Think in terms of our families, children, spouses and/or our parents. In many cases causing our loved ones to walk on eggshells around us.

22Zero understands all of this and we' re here to help with our peer to peer support coaches, all of whom have been trained as resiliency coaches. We are healing post traumatic stress. It's no longer a life sentence. Our coaches utilize two techniques: the Trauma Resiliency Protocol (TRP) and the Emotional Management Process (EMP). TRP is a visualization process that allows our brain to release traumatic memories from the region of our brain called the amygdala. This is where the traumatic event(s) are stored. This is also where our emotions attach to traumatic memories. During these processes there is little if any content that needs to be shared unlike other modalities. We also don't need to be triggered in order to heal. Our coaches utilize "break states" in order to assist our clients if they do get triggered. The EMP is the second technique utilized to help our clients release residual negative emotions that in many cases have been lingering since childhood. Arizona State University has completed the first independent study for 22zero and has recently submitted the 2nd study for peer review. ASU will be doing an additional three studies in 2025, to prove the process works, therefore, validating the process as "evidence- based".

Our coaches work remotely with clients nationwide. Everything is confidential and no one has to know an individual when through the process unless they choose to share it themselves. This is also free service for our veterans and first responder community. Now remember I had mentioned how our loved ones can be affected by our behavior when we're struggling? 22Zero also works with the spouses, and dependent children of our veterans and first responders along with gold star families at no charge.

Many men and women who choose to go into our military and/or other helping professions such as law enforcement, fire, EMS, dispatch tend to pay a heavy price and suffer in silence hence the suicides. Folks, we aren't meant to suffer. 22Zero has proven techniques to assist in healing. We're just a phone call away, feel free to call [login to see] and speak to Dr. Arnell.

Are you looking for a way to pay it forward? Our mission clients do not pay for any sessions, nor do we report to the VA or your employer. 22ZERO relies on donations and fundraisers to fund the mission. If you would like to sponsor a veteran or first responder and receive a tax deduction visit (https://rly.pt/Donate22Zero).