Create Your Own Light: Finding Post Traumatic Purpose

PTSD and mental health are VERY real. As a former police officer myself I have my own experience with PTS. This book is so helpful with understanding my own journey and hot to come out on the other side. For sure you should get this book!

Travis' stories were honest and showed real truth and honesty. This book has inspired me to check my own thought process and look toward my own true purpose in life. If you are a first responder this is a must read.

3 days. That’s all it took to finish this book. Once I started, I couldn’t stop. A paradigm shift is coming to the first responder community and it’s in the form of Travis Howze.

Just finished this book and could not put it down. I was a firefighter paramedic for 18 years in Florida. I retired early from the fire service due to burnout and PTSD. I am now a psychiatric RN and pursuing my Psych NP specializing in first responder PTSD, so I can give back to my brothers and sisters. just could not do it anymore mentally. I put my blood sweat, tears and soul into the field I love so much. Travis tells it completely and truthfully like it is. Although our paths are different they are the same. The trauma we see compounds and you push it down. They don't tell you this in the academy or in the EMS schools. They hand you an imaginary box and this is where you put the stuff that you see and feel, only to have it rear it's ugly head as the career progresses. His story needs to reach the masses and I am going to tell everyone I know to check this book out. I still struggle daily with the effects of job but my Faith in God and my family unit is what I live for. One thing I learned from my struggles and from Travis is that reaching others and giving back really helps healing. Another thing I learned from this book is just how important it is for all who have gone through and are dealing with this issue to ACCEPT the past and realize it is OKAY to speak up and say you are not okay. It's okay to not be okay. The stigma in the fire service must be changed. The Lord has blessed me with all of the trials and tribulations in my life for a reason. Reaching the hurting as a brotherhood and sisterhood is so important and I thank you Travis so very much for the courage and strength to speak out on our behalves. God bless you and your family always brother.

I am not the type of guy to sit down and read a book but I couldn’t put this down. It is full of real life stuff that is easy to relate to if you are a veteran or first responder. I even started listening to this guys podcasts after reading this. Check it out for sure.

Travis walks you through traumatic events with a good mix of comedy. Then openly tells how he found good out of it all.His podcast is also very in your face honest as well.

I laughed….and I cried…. and I’m not talking about all of the craziness in the world that haunts our days lately on social or news media. “Create Your Own Light... Finding Post Traumatic Purpose,” was a read I didn’t know I needed and the timing was PERFECT to dive into (and complete) this past rainy weekend.It’s real. It’s raw. It’s funny. It’s personal. Most of all it’s motivating and inspiring to know there are still real men in this world who grew up the “right” way and were taught to live, love and respect by loving parents and close relatives. Travis lives those values throughout his book.I had anticipated that Travis’s insight as a firefighter would help me in my career working with men and women in the fire service who suffer from PTSD which is why I placed my order (as well as sent 10 copies to a local non-profit who provides mental health services to first responders). I will never be able to fully grasp what goes thru their minds before, during and after each call they make to save a life, protect a home, rescue a driver pinned behind the steering wheel, but thru Travis’ stories and pure emotion, I have come a lot closer to understanding which will help me be a better Boss!What I didn’t see coming (but was much needed) was the personal inspiration to “stop carrying around the excess weight” (literally) and make every single day count and make a new life! Thank you Travis for sharing your story so the world can be a better place, one person at a time. God Bless America!

A great book written by an even greater man! Travis has a sobering story to tell about dealing with traumatic events that first responders witness and are a part of. Law Enforcement & Fire Service personnel sometimes have to deal with PTSD and for good reason: they are the ones dealing with traumatic events on a daily basis. Abused children, horrific traffic crashes, fires, murders, death, violence, etc. It can take its toll on a person's mental health and in LE/Fire jobs, often times the men and women who are dealing with this have a tendency to not deal with it properly. All this stress can take its toll and problems arise as a result: depression, loss of sleep, bad eating habits, alcohol/substance abuse, domestic violence, etc. can all be the results. Unfortunately, even suicide has taken its toll on the LE/Fire community and it is currently on the rise with first responders. Travis has dealt with this himself first hand and decided to share his story to help others. His book is a great read! With some funny - laugh out loud moments (he is a professional comedian after-all ;) - and some tearful traumatic experiences that Travis lived through, he tells his story in a way that will keep you reading. Travis explains how he badly managed these traumatic experiences at first, then learned a better way to cope and manage the trauma in a positive light. This book should be on the reading list for all Law Enforcement and Firefighter personnel! READ IT!

I met Travis in early 1997, we served together in the Corps for just under four years. Travis to me was that guy that always had the ability to make everyone laugh, made shitty days better!! On an exchange with Dutch Marines and in the water I was no longer able to swim up to the surface, I was sinking......Travis jumped in and pulled me out. I am forever thankful for his actions that day.His book, straight shooter, no BS, tells it as it is. As first responders we see many things, most of it the bad and ugly that people don't want to know. Travis opens up, VERY few first responders have stepped up to speak of their demons. Create Your Own Light is one man doing just that.Congratulations Travis on your book,Sempre Fidelis!!