Client Reviews

I wanted to share with you an incident that recently happened at the facility where I've worked for the last couple of years. I was an AVADE instructor with another hospital for a while, and then, 2 years ago, I transitioned over to this new drug and alcohol detox facility. I was excited to bring this program here to help keep our staff and clients safe. We are fortunate that the majority of our patients are redirectable. We can use good de-escalation and have a great outcome. Last week, there was an incident involving two different clients that ended up in a fight that escalated extremely fast, and one of the clients ended up putting the other in a rear carotid choke. I heard the commotion through the wall of my office and immediately ran in to assess the situation, yelling for help as they were both on the floor and trying to figure out how I was going to keep myself and the other patient safe. I never panicked; I was calm the whole time and was able to assess the situation appropriately what I ended up doing was getting down to the floor behind the client who had the other in the carotid choke, positioned myself as safely as I could, and used distraction techniques basically I covered his eyes and shouted in his ear to let go, and he immediately did. I was able to keep myself safe when he started swinging back, probably because he was startled. I just wanted to thank you. I've used other techniques, mostly de-escalation and escorting that kind of thing. This was a very serious situation, and I'm just glad that I could handle it appropriately and that everybody ended up being safe.

The class was well organized and it had a good balance of lecture and practical exercises. The instructor, Kelly Boyer, was a great instructor with plenty of experience as an LEO and hospital security officer. He made it fun and he wanted us to all leave there with a better understanding and competence in the AVADE program.

Went into the instructor training with a lack of optimism due to past training experiences. I have to say that Patrick is a very detailed and driven instructor, his knowledge is priceless. We hit him with questions throughout the three days of the training and he had an answer every time. This training will save lives.

Learned amazing techniques to keep my patients, coworkers and myself safe. Recommend wholeheartedly!

35 years of law enforcement experience with a heavy focus on training, and this was some of the best training I have received. Cosmo's knowledge of the material, coupled with his nursing skills, added an extra value to the course with understanding how our bodies and minds work and can be affected due to neurological and physiological issues simply added a new and interesting dynamic to the training. Cosmo was fun, attentive, and passionate about the training. I would highly recommend the AVADE WPV course for ANYONE!

I have taken de-escalation courses at my workplace before. I was so nervous about taking this course due to past trauma. But this was hands down the best course I have ever taken. It was not only informative but empowering and fun. From the beginning to the end, Cosmo, kept the course relatable for not only my work position, but he also taught me basic skills to keep my family safe.

The AVADE course was one of the most REFRESHING, enthusiastic and student engaged classes I have ever been able to attend. Not only do I feel more confident as an instructor going forward but I have a renewed passion to want to teach this to all and anyone I'm able to. Thank you Dave and Genelle!!

Thank you, Patrick for another great training for our renewing and initial staff members! The content is relatable to the workplace and everyday life, which is what we are trying to teach our own staff. It was well instructed and incorporated teaching skills to help us, in knowing how to deliver the content to our own staff. Excellent program!

The De-Escalation Instructor class was an excellent addition to my Master Instructor WVP certification. I had the pleasure of learning from Cosmo Rowell who presented the content with a perfect mix of discussion, humor, and active scenario training. Thank you Dave Fowler and Cosmo Rowell for always being at the forefront of WVP and De-Escalation training!

AVADE is a great program for professions of all types, and bobby and Dave were excellent in its delivery. The curriculum is so well done, I am seeking to be an instructor for this program for my company.