Ms. Simons has dedicated her career to supporting individuals facing traumatic stress, with a particular focus on first responders, military personnel, and their families.
GILBERT, AZ, December 17, 2024 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Susan Simons has been selected for inclusion in Marquis Who's Who. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.
Ms. Simons has dedicated her career to supporting individuals facing traumatic stress, with a particular focus on first responders, military personnel, and their families. As the President and Founder of Under the Shield, Inc., she has spent over 30 years providing essential support services to those in need. Through both in-office and virtual sessions, Ms. Simons works with clients nationwide, offering anonymous stress coaching. Her unwavering commitment to this cause is deeply rooted in her personal experience, following the tragic loss of a federal agent with the Drug Enforcement Administration. This tragedy fueled her passion for helping those who serve and protect others, ensuring they receive the support they so richly deserve.
Throughout her career, Ms. Simons has served as a guest instructor at the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia, as well as with the U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Air Force in Europe. She also acted as a consulting clinician for the NYPD after 9/11 through the Police Organization Providing Peer Assistance (POPPA). Additionally, Ms. Simons has been honored to deliver keynote addresses at prominent conferences, including those hosted by the Washington State Narcotics Investigators Association, the International Crime Scene Techs Association, and the National Tactical Officers Association Crisis Negotiators Conference, among many other agencies and organizations since founding Under the Shield, Inc. in 1992.
In addition to her long standing tenure as President of Under the Shield, Inc., Ms. Simons is widely recognized as a subject matter expert in Stress Management and Critical Incident Response. Throughout her career, she developed the only Stress Coaching model specifically tailored to First Responders, Military personnel, and their families. One of her significant contributions to the field is The Simons Theory of the Psychological Garbage Can, which reframes Post-Traumatic Stress as an injury rather than a disorder. This innovative theory has become a cornerstone of her approach, helping to shift the conversation around trauma and recovery for those who face the most extreme stressors in service to their communities and country.
Ms. Simons's career began as a litigation paralegal, where she gained valuable experience in legal processes and advocacy. This foundation later supported her work in stress management and support services, ultimately leading to her recognition as an expert in traumatic stress.
Education has played a crucial role in Ms. Simons's success. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from the University of South Carolina in 1981 and a Master of Science in Counseling and Human Development from Troy University in Montgomery, AL in 1996. In addition to her degrees, Ms. Simons holds several certifications that enhance her professional capabilities. She is a Board-Certified Expert in Traumatic Stress through the American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress and one of only a few civilians to receive the Instructor Development Certification with the FBI. Her certification in forensic hypnosis from the Northeast Alabama Law Enforcement Academy further complements her skill set.
Adding to her expertise, Ms. Simons is active as a Fellow of the American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress, underscoring her dedication and contributions to the field. Beyond her professional endeavors, she engages in civic organizations and has contributed to publications for such organizations as ROCIC Special Research Report on Police Suicides, and the Air Line Pilot Association (ALPA), Federal Flight Deck Officers: The Last Line of Defense.
Looking ahead, Ms. Simons is focused on raising awareness about the importance of stress coaching for first responders, military personnel, and their families. She stresses that stress coaching is an anonymous, educational process rather than a therapeutic one, offering valuable support without the constraints of mandated reporting. A key milestone in her vision is the upcoming implementation of The Simons Theory of the Psychological Garbage Can as the official standard in all basic academy training for Arizona Peace Officers Standards and Training (AZPOST). This will further institutionalize her innovative approach to education and stress management.
Additionally, Ms. Simons is honored that Under the Shield will be featured in an upcoming segment of Project Viewpoint, hosted by Dennis Quaid. This segment will spotlight Under the Shield's vital work and serve as an educational platform to increase awareness of this unique resource, benefiting first responders, military personnel, and their families nationwide.
About Marquis Who's Who®:
Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who's Who in America®, Marquis Who's Who® has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field of endeavor, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Who's Who in America® remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms around the world. The suite of Marquis® publications can be viewed at the official Marquis Who's Who® website, www.marquiswhoswho.com.
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