Christy Warren is a retired fire captain from the Berkeley Fire Department in California. She has twenty-five years of service as a professional paramedic and eighteen years as a professional firefighter/paramedic. After being diagnosed with PTSD in 2014, she retired from the fire service; since then, she has become a triathlete, completed the Escape from Alcatraz swim five times, and earned a bachelor’s degree in business from Washington State University. She is a volunteer Peer at the West Coast Post-trauma Retreat and hosts the podcast The Firefighter Deconstructed. She lives in Pleasant Hill with her wife, Lisa, and dog, Harriet.
Christy Warren's powerful memoir of her struggle with PTSD is both heartbreaking and inspiring. It's a must-read for first responders and the clinicians who help them heal. -Ellen Kirschman, PhD, public safety psychologist and the author of I Love a Fire Fighter, I Love a Cop, and co-author of Counseling Cops Christy Warren brings her incredible heart and psychological wisdom to this page-turner of a book. She engages with topics that most people would find too scary to even approach, and dives into them without fear of what she might find. What emerges from her efforts is a memoir about bravery, vulnerability, and the complexities of surviving complicated lives. This book is a gift for first responders everywhere, for the communities who support them, and for humanity at large. It is a must-read for anyone striving to become a better person. -Maya Shankar, cognitive scientist and host of the podcast A Slight Change of Plans A tough and emotional read but a must-read. Christy dives deep into her life's journey of trauma and, more importantly, her healing and ultimate recovery. I cried and I laughed and I can honestly say this book has helped me dig into my never ending healing process. If you need inspiration, Christy nails it. Thanks for helping me with my journey Christy. -Clint Malarchuk, former NHL goaltender and author of A Matter of Inches