#43 Cynthia Hamilton Urquhart's Story: Redefining What Being ‘Strong’ Means and Embracing Mental Health Challenges (View from Former Police Officer)

In this episode, I have the pleasure of chatting with Cynthia Hamilton Urquhart who is a retired police officer, mental health advocate, writer, speaker, and mentor, diagnosed with Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (C-PTSD) 7 years ago, 2 years after she retired.

Cynthia is passionate about sharing her life story as it  is an opportunity for her to give you hope, and let you know you are not alone. She believes that her diagnosis was a gift. For the first time in her  life, she had to focus on herself and prioritize herself. 

Since Cynthia was a First Responder, having served over 25 years in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, her life journey is powerful and unique. Cynthia has great insight into the world of trauma and mental health because of all her experiences. She brings a multiplicity of perspectives to the PTSD conversation as she is diagnosed as well as her spouse. She was also diagnosed with a rare and life-threatening genetic disorder called Loeys-Dietz Syndrome (LDS) in 2009, which presented other challenges. 

Cynthia is a passionate mental health advocate and educator and has presented at the Canadian Institute for Military and Veteran Health Research Conference in Toronto, The Sheldon Chumir Health Center - Trauma Workshop in Calgary, and most recently, to over 800 people at The First Responder Suicide Awareness Conference in Calgary. Learn more about her journey at her website. https://afirstrespondervoice.ca/

Topics Discussed: 

- What is PTSD and how does it affect the brain? 

- Life as a Police Officer in Canada

-  mental health advocate and educator

- Pushing through the blocks and asking for help

- Benign a female Police Officer 

- Redefining what ‘weak’ means

- Storytelling 

- Processing Greif 

- NEW Mental Health tools & Mindsets

- Redefining Strength

- Challenges as a first responder

-Genetic disorder

- Embracing Differences & Mental Health

If you want to learn more about Cynthia or want to connect with her, check out his Instagram, Facebook, or Website!

Connect with me on Instagram, Facebook, TIK TOK, and now YOUTUBE!!! You can now watch all the interviews on my youtube channel! If you have a story you would like to share with the world, reach out to me!

 Sending love and joy your way!

Selina Novello