First Responder Weekend Retreat
Mission: Reset
A private weekend retreat for first responders. Nervous system training, real rest, and time with people who understand the job. Hosted by the Center for Suicide Awareness.
About the Weekend
A quiet weekend built for the people who carry everyone else's worst days.
Mission: Reset is a private weekend retreat for first responders. Law enforcement, fire, EMS, dispatch, and military. It's hosted by the Center for Suicide Awareness, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Kaukauna, Wisconsin, and co-led by Jesse Coomer (Breathwork//Tactics) and James Stewart, Breathwork Instructor and Veteran Wellness Advocate.
Look, most wellness content aimed at first responders is either watered-down mindfulness or a fire hose of shame about mental health. This is neither. It's a small group, three days, in a quiet place, learning to actually work with your own nervous system. That's it.
The weekend is intentionally small and intentionally slow. There's no conference schedule, no swag bag, no keynote. There's stress physiology education you can actually use, extended breathwork sessions, sauna and cold plunge, and time to be around people who get it. Nothing more, nothing less.
What's Included
Stress Physiology Education
A clear, practical grounding in the nervous system science behind first-responder stress, and how tactical breathing changes it.
Tactical Breathing for On-Duty Use
Field-ready protocols you can bring back to the job the following week.
Guided Breathwork
Extended, facilitated breathwork sessions designed for deep nervous-system reset, not a quick demo.
Sauna and Ice Bath Contrast Therapy
Full hot-cold contrast protocols on-site, paired with breathwork for maximum physiological effect.
Quiet Reflection
Unstructured time and space, on purpose. Recovery requires room to actually happen.
Peer Connection and Continued Support Planning
Real conversation with people who understand the job, plus a plan for what continued support looks like after the weekend ends.
Who It's For
Built for people whose job is to run toward what everyone else runs from.
- Law enforcement (patrol, corrections, investigations, admin)
- Fire and rescue (career and volunteer)
- EMS and paramedics
- 911 dispatch and telecommunicators
- Active-duty military and veterans
Residents of Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, or Iowa.
We keep the group small on purpose. If you're the only person from your agency, that's fine. If you're bringing a partner or a squad, also fine. The point is that everyone here understands the job.
The Format
One weekend, three days, one small group.
Retreats run Friday evening through Sunday afternoon at a private location in Wisconsin. Lodging, meals, and all program activities are included. The specific location is shared with confirmed registrants.
We run the weekend a few times per year. Dates are set based on facilitator availability, host schedule, and department demand. If your agency is trying to send a group, we work with you on timing.
Led By
Jesse Coomer and James Stewart
Jesse Coomer, founder of Breathwork//Tactics, and James Stewart, Breathwork Instructor and Veteran Wellness Advocate, co-facilitate the weekend. The retreat is hosted by Barb Bigalke, Founder and Executive Director of the Center for Suicide Awareness.
Bring Mission: Reset to Your Team
Two ways in.
Path 1
Send responders to an upcoming retreat.
If your department wants to send one or more responders to an upcoming Mission: Reset weekend, or if you're a responder who wants to attend as an individual, get on the interest list. We'll notify you when the next dates open.
Path 2
Bring a workshop to your agency.
If a full weekend isn't the right fit, we also run a one-day Mission: Reset workshop on-site at your department (up to 50 attendees). Same program elements, condensed into one day, with dual certificates from Mission: Reset Training and Breathwork//Tactics.
Funding
Federal and state grants can pay for this retreat.
If you're a department administrator or a wellness lead trying to get responders in the door without hitting your budget, the funding directory lists current programs and deadlines.