Mental Health Advocate, Key Note Speaker, Support mentorship
Welcome to SteveSerbic.com
Hello and welcome, my name is Steve Serbic. I am a Fire Chief, Tedx presenter, author of two books and a trauma informed speaker.
I am extremely passionate about mental health and have traveled across North America sharing my story. To learn more about me, please view my about me page for more information on Steve.
Learning about your own mental health starts with you, and it doesn’t have to cost you to understand what is happening, there are so many free resources out there, but booking a professional like myself is the best bang for your buck, production and morale.
The costs to employers associated with lost productivity are staggering.
1 in 5 will struggle with their mental health and well-being.
We look at the stigma around mental health
If we’re going to make any progress, mental health needs to stop being seen as a taboo in the workplace and there needs to be an understanding and acknowledgement that people with mental health issues can thrive at work – with the right support!
Steve will be signing copies at the Indigo/Chapters located in the Mayfair Mall on Saturday November 4th and Sunday November 5th between 12pm and 3pm. Come get your personalized books signed and meet Steve!
A FIREFIGHTERS PERSPECTIVE If you had told me when I was a rookie Firefighter in 1990 that I would have been speaking to thousands of people about mental internationally health after my career as a firefighter, I would not have believed it.
I dedicate this website and everything I do to those friends, Police and Firefighters whom we have lost to suicide, my brother Greg and my friend Ken.
Fighting anxiety and depression quietly has been costly to the Fire Service. Opening the conversation is essential. Encouraging employees to seek out help in a private and confidential environment is the key to reducing absenteeism and mental health claims.
HELPING YOUTH MAKE BETTER DECISIONS WHEN IT COMES TO DRUGS, ALCOHOL AND DRIVING
I also speak to young adults and teens about the risks, dangers and effects of drugs and alcohol and mental health. Delivery of this material is inspirational. I draw upon real stories using my personal experiences as a first-responder.
DRIVING – I present corporately as an endorsed Road Safe Speaker for the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia as a Road Safe Speaker.
Presentations in the province of British Columbia’s High Schools are sponsored by the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia and there is no cost to the School for Steve’s Road Safe Presentation.
“I’ve seen the independence that comes with getting a driver’s license taken away by someone who made a bad decision behind the wheel.”
Contact
Please feel free to reach out and contact me to book a seminar, or for more information regarding my presentation; We would be happy to answer any questions you may have.
steve(replace this with @)muscularmentalhealth.com
Publications
Steve has published two books outlining his personal experiences, challenges and hurdles he’s run into surrounding mental health exposure in the workplace. Each of these books reflect upon the effects that mental health trauma can have on one’s career, in Steve’s case, as a professional firefighter and administrator/Chief Officer. There are two ways to purchase the book – Instantly online at Friesen Press Bookstore or Amazon, or you can choose to request a personalized signed hardcover for $30 US or $35 CND which includes shipping anywhere in North America. I will write a personal message and sign each book and then send it to anyone you feel would benefit from reading it.
THE UNBROKEN…
The Unbroken is a book about the struggles as a child growing up and living in the boundary bay area of Vancouver. When a series of traumatic calls on the job as a firefighter leaves Steve shaken and unable to recover, he, reluctantly at first, seeks out clinical counselling. His one rule, “I won’t talk about my childhood,” closes the door on several therapists, until he meets one who is willing to respect his wishes—providing he explores his childhood on his own. When Steve begins to reflect on his past, he also begins to write it all down. The good, and the terrible.
EXTINGUISHED…
Extinguished is Steves second book and it asks, what do you do when you lose more than you can afford, when the stable bridge you’ve been crossing suddenly gives way and you find yourself plummeting into a chasm of fear and self-doubt?
After losing a dear friend and fellow firefighter to suicide, Steve is left shaken and leaves the fire service forever – or so he thinks. While trying to decide what his future holds, Steve takes us through his past. From Firefighter to Assistant Chief, a winning lottery ticket to a twist of fate, a series of strange health problems and devastating injury, Steve pulls us along the dizzying journey with him. And just when we think it can’t possibly get any worse for him, he leads us to the edge. And then the healing begins.
Order yours today!
You can either purchase thorough the banner above, which links to Friesen Press, or you can order direct from me by filling out the form below. I will sign and mail/deliver to you only through this form. Cost of each book is $30USD or $35CAD including postal fee in North America.
Care to help even more? Please visit HeadsUpGuys UBC donation page to make a personal donation.
Testimonials
As I’m sure you all realize, a mentor and guest speaker relies upon feedback from their presentations. The connection with the people we speak to and their openness. We welcome all feedback and take each as an opportunity to learn, modify and re-develop my material so each place I visit gets a tailored and unique presentation. This landing page will get you to the reviews and feedback I receive from Steve’s actual audience, in their words, and only first name and title will only be used to protect their identity. If you like what you heard at one of Steve’s presentations please send us your testimonial (use the form on this page) and we will be sure to put it on this website.
An example of the feedback I recently received, thanks to Ian for his comments!
I can’t put into words the impact that Steve has had on my life. Several years ago, after losing almost everything in my life, I hit my rock bottom. Riddled with anxiety and depression, I felt there was no way out and that my kids would be better off without me. Thankfully I made a call to a man that I knew I could count on, someone not in my direct circle of friends…but someone I trusted and respected a great deal. Steve helped me out of the darkest place I’ve been in my life to where I am today. I couldn’t have done it without the help, support, and genuine care & concern he showed me throughout that time. He is a great friend, a great leader, and an even better person. As a leader, what makes him so exceptional is the fact that he makes everyone else around better…no matter what the circumstances are. He will battle harder for anyone than they often will battle for themselves. His message is strong, his charisma is unequivocal, and his ability to make everyone else around him better is what make him such a tremendous person.
I would also like to take this time to thank all the teachers and administrators that welcomed me to speak to their schools this year. I delivered 42 high schools presentations in 8 months (2018/19). I must reflect that these kids are among the smartest, most compassionate, and most empathetic generation in history. I noticed however, they are also the most stressed generation in history, weighed down by the pressure to succeed socially and in education. As a result, I believe the basic high school curriculum should include courses that deal with mental health and addiction, as well as provide tools on how to deal with adversity, anxiety and depression.
Without an outlet for these kinds of stressors, these kids become susceptible to falling into the perils of cannabis and alcohol abuse as a way to help them cope. I would like to see High schools implementing a safe, judgement-free environment where kids can speak freely about the issues they face, given the opportunity to express how stressed they may, be and share thoughts and emotions that they may feel uncomfortable sharing with their families or guardians.
I am not sure where we are headed, but I know that, in this regard, the high school curriculum is failing our kids, and something needs to be done. We need to empower teachers to be the best they can be and support our school boards to pursue a more modernized approach to dealing with stress and emotion in the classroom and beyond. I believe that if we want to reduce addiction and mental health numbers, we need to start with high school kids. Many of these students’ cries for help are not being heard, and that is something that needs to change.
