Freddy Benjamin is a larger-than-life personality at Recovery Centers of American Raritan Bay in South Amboy, where he works as primary therapist.
The RCA facility is an alcohol and substance abuse treatment center, and it offers a treatment program targeted specifically to military and first responders called RESCU (Resilience, Empowerment, Safety and Care for our Uniformed Heroes).
The RESCU counsellors and therapists, including Benjamin, are either former military or first responders.
“Ben” as he is known around the halls of RCA, was a member of the Matawan Fire department for 21 years. He has worked at the RCA facility since 2021.
“Ben” completed his college education in Costa Rica (from which his family hails). He majored in Addictive Sciences and Human Services.
For all his experience as a fireman, it was witnessing what his father endured after returning from military service in Vietnam that compels Benjamin today.
Military Matters recently sat down with Benjamin.
Military Matters: Tell us about what happened to your father and how it affected you?
Freddy Benjamin: My father was a marine – a career marine. He did three tours in Vietnam.
Like other Vietnam veterans, when he came home after the war, he was not treated well.
He was diagnosed with shell shock (now called PTSD). He would never talk about his experience in Vietnam or what he saw.
It became too much for dad, and he eventually left the country because of how he was treated.
MM: In addition to witnessing what happened to your father, did your job as a firefighter affect you?
FB: Yes, I witnessed things in my job as a firefighter. But, you know, years ago, when you had a traumatic incident, the general rule had been that you take it as a part of the job. But there is always a problem later.
Over time I began displaying symptoms of PTSD, but it never occurred to me that I needed help. Finally, one day, a friend of mine told me I needed to see someone.
So, I looked around, and I found a woman who had been a first responder and who had also been in the military. I worked with her for three months. Unlike dad, talking about my issues seemed to come more naturally to me. It was very intense.
She and I could speak the same language of shared experiences. It is hard for a civilian to do that.
MM: You were a fireman for 21 years. Did that help prepare you for your work as a primary therapist?
FB: There is an old saying – only a badge knows where a badge goes.
When you can speak the language of the first responder – or a military member – you can connect with people in those fields you are trying to help.
I know the mentality because I have been there. Military and first responders are task oriented.
They are good at doing their jobs. When they are not doing their jobs, they are waiting for the next time they can. They are always on the job and cannot turn it off.
These people are trained well to do their assignments; but when it comes to the assignment of taking care of themselves, they don’t do so well. They do not self-practice mental health.
MM: Does Freddy Benjamin have a philosophy of self-practice for mental health?
FB: I think too many of us worry about the wrong things.
We get stuck in the past and we worry about the future. We never feel comfortable in the present. Recovery is the bridge from the past to the future. All you have to worry about is the present.
MM: How would you describe your approach with those you are trying to help?
FB: First, I learned a lot from trying to help my dad.
In dealing with mental health problems, the psychotherapeutic concept of mental health focuses on the person – say the first responder – and the treatment has to be specialized to the person. That is what makes it difficult. No two people react the same way to trauma or to treatment.
I look for answers to the fundamental questions – ‘what does this person need?’ and ‘what is shutting him or her down?’. If we can find that out, then we can customize a treatment.
Firefighters have an old saying I learned when I worked at the firehouse. They said don’t worry about the smoke. The smoke can lead you to the sources of the fire, so that is where you need to go. It is the same in this line of work. We don’t want to deal with the smoke. We want to find the source of the problem.
MM: Do you also deal with the family of the person you are trying to help?
FB: Educating the subject’s family is important. We have full sessions with them present and with the therapist involved.
But we do not want family members to be the addiction police – constantly asking ‘have you been drinking?’ or ‘have you been doing drugs?’
Better the family ask – ‘how can I support you?’
MM: When it comes to the work you do, how do you define success?
FB: I think we are very successful at RCA because we focus on the tools that allow us to achieve our goals.
But success is subjective to the person. It is a success when our people have their families back and when they have their jobs back.
Yes, clients do slip, they do come back. But the fact they choose to come back to get help again is also success. The fact these folks know they have a place where they can go for help – that too is a success.
MM: It seems the number of military and first responders dealing with mental health issues continues to grow. Do you think we will ever get a handle on it?
FB: I am optimistic we are going to win this fight. When we went to fight a fire, we never gave a thought to the idea that we might die. It’s the same here.
Everyone should understand my ultimate goal is to put myself out of business.
