Most people would call Fred a jerk.
Fred lives in a homeless shelter I used to run. Most people would call Fred a jerk. He yells at people… a lot. He tells people when they have gained weight. He interrupts people when they are mid-sentence. He is moody. Fred is not a jerk. Fred suffers from traumatic brain injury (TBI). Traumatic Brain […]
How do I handle repeat offenders?
Dear Ryan, I work at a coffee shop. There is a guy who lives in the woods nearby. Most days he will come in and buy a small coffee and sit around for a while. That is cool. What is not cool is that he keeps asking other customers for money. When we ask him […]
Christmas Eve in a Homeless Shelter
The following story is from my book “A Homeless Christmas Story” To see the illustrated version and hear it read by Actor Emilio Estevez, go to https://www.homelesstraining.com/books/a-homeless-christmas-story/ (if the URL doesn’t work, type it into your browser) Winter’s crisp darkness settled over the large, brick homeless shelter. Chicago winds whooshed snow across a frozen parking […]
De-escalating conflict is like typing without looking at your hands.
Can you type without looking at your hands? If not, this newsletter won’t be very helpful. Do you remember learning how to touch type? It was REALLY hard. First, someone had to teach you where to put your fingers. Then, you had to think about every single key very carefully (“’J’ is my right index […]
A dog taught me about homelessness.
I had dinner with my aunt last week. She explained that she had called a dog rescue program and asked them to contact her when they had a dog that absolutely no one would ever adopt. Three weeks later they called her to say that they had a Maltipoo (Maltese Poodle mix… Google them, they’re […]
Homelessness is War
Jeremy was one of my best friends in high school. For nearly four years, we saw each other almost daily. We ran cross country together. We drove to dances together with our dates. After graduation, he was a groomsman in my wedding. And then the United States invaded Iraq. Jeremy was a sniper platoon leader […]
How bad are homeless people?
I stumbled upon something interesting over the weekend and I had to share it… In an average night in New York City in January 2022: That means: Is it possible that homeless folks aren’t as bad as the world thinks? peace, Ryan SOURCES AND NOTES (1) That number is from the annual point in […]
Someone who is “Level 3 Drunk”
In this week’s training, I teach how to de-escalate conflict (and enforce the rules) with someone who is drunk or high. The are four levels of people who are under the influence: Here is a 1-minute video from that training teaching the core tool for individuals who are a “Level 3.” If the link above […]
“An addict will do anything to not be dope sick.”
“I am scared sh*tless of being dope sick. I will do anything, anything I have to do to make sure I’m not dope sick… An addict will do anything to not be dope sick. It is our biggest fear.” Sherri If you work with the public, there are two things you need to know about […]
Can withdrawal from heroin kill you?
The intern’s face was pale white, and her eyes were panicky. “Ryan, I need help.” She led me into her office. Harold was lying on the concrete floor of her office. “He says he is withdrawing from heroin,” the intern said. I tried to talk to Harold but didn’t get very far. He was far […]
