David Berez had a secret. He put up a brave face – as many cops and first responders do – but for two decades he carefully hid the emotional toll of his job, even from those closest to him. A Resilient Life follows his story of being driven into darkness, his desperate search for the light and how he discovered his second chance for happiness and fulfillment.
The average person will experience five traumas in their lifetime, but a police officer can experience an average of 20 in a year. These cumulative traumatic events build into the shadows of the brain. If left untreated, they manifest into post-traumatic stress injury, showing up as isolation, depression, and ultimately suicide.

Through his compelling and emotional story Berez helps readers understand the challenges of policing and the struggle we all face to remain resilient in the face of life’s adversity. Resiliency techniques are the leading modality by which an individual can raise their baseline of mental and emotional strength. Through his personal experiences, Berez provides readers with the tools to manage adverse events and bounce forward into post-traumatic growth.

A Resilient Life provides anyone who knows a cop, veteran, first responder or anyone coping with the emotional toll of trauma a greater understanding of how to best support them. Berez’s insights arms readers with the strength and grace to live healthier, whether they’re part of a law enforcement family or not. He knows we can be freed from the pain we may not even know exists.