Brad McKayBrad is a Canadian municipal staff sergeant who retired in 2015 after thirty-three years of service with York Regional Police (YRP), north of Toronto. After a police-involved shooting in 1984, he began lecturing new recruits to help them prepare for heir career ahead, which evolved into a volunteer initiative on the sidelines. He had a successful career primarily as a detective investigator. In 1989, Brad co-created a trauma team for his police organization and, in 1996, transitioned it-with Barbara Anschuetz-into the York Region Critical Incident Stress Management Team to serve first responders in his community and beyond. He enhanced the YRP wellness unit and created an in-house peer support team for his organization. After the 9/11 tragedy in New York City, he led members of his team and mental health professionals to support NYPD members there who were suffering in the aftermath of that tragedy.In his retirement, Brad joined with the beloved Canadian Grandfather of Peer Support-Syd Gravel-to co-author Walk the Talk-First Responder Peer Support. They provide valuable advice and, on request, investigate files where organizational toxicity is alleged to exist. Together, they deliver a curriculum that Syd built after the Mental Health Commission of Canada published their guidelines on peer support in 2013. Brad is a co-lead with the peer and trauma support services section at Mood Disorders Society of Canada. As a certified trauma services specialist (CTSS), he does clinically supervised peer support at the Trauma Centre in Sharon, Ontario. In 2019, Brad was honoured to be invited to the United Kingdom by the Oscar-Kilo organization, where he and Syd shared their knowledge of peer support and learned about the great work being done there to support police. Brad's success comes as a result of the kindness and collaboration shared by other organizations. He believes strongly that working together and sharing best practices benefit everyone. Brad also believes that the best peer support and wellness systems are those that are created by the members who benefit directly. Everyone who is a stakeholder needs a voice, and leaders who realize this and support the good work will soon see the benefits. Brad lives in Aurora and is the proud father of two daughters. Taylor is a family physician who, as a result of her upbringing, is developing a trauma-informed approach to family medicine in her practice to support first responder and other families in the community. His other daughter, Erin, is an honour degree graduate in biology who is studying forensic sciences. She is also the artist of the cover illustration for this book. Brad's strength comes from his inner circle of friends and family. Read More Read Less