Salute to all site visitors as I open the doors of behindthebadge.net.
To give you an overview and a brief background, “Behind the Badge” is a small organization that is all about helping people who are going through difficult times, personal problems and relationship issues.
The Story of Behindthebadge.net
Allow me to introduce myself as “Sergeant Barry”. I previously served at the Miami-Dade Police Department and started out as a Police Officer assigned on various specialized units such as the Special Response Team, Narcotics Bureau and Robbery Bureau.
I was gradually finding my way up from being a Police Officer to Sergeant and aspiring to become a Lieutenant when I encountered a sudden twist of fate.
An unfortunate event happened during an operation which caused me to lose a friend and to suffer from a severe back injury.
The tragedy left me bed bound for 6 months. And when I finally got back on my feet, I was temporarily assigned at the Personnel Management Bureau.
But as fate would have it, I fell into depression. Scenes from the tragedy continued to haunt me. And after a few months, I took the courage to surrender my badge and leave the service to explore a different path.
A Different Kind of Calling
Following an extensive service at the Miami-Dade Police Department and my job-related injury, I came into a realization that I might be destined for something else.
My last designation prior to the fatal tragedy was Sergeant of the General Investigations Unit. And I have made my final salute to that.
Career as a Miami Public Adjuster
And so, I decided to move on and to explore other career options that are also in line with helping other people – particularly those who are in desperate need.
I felt that even though I surrendered my badge as a public servant, I still owe it to myself the personal fulfillment of helping others in my own way.
That would preserve my dignity and honor. From here on, I am revealing to you a different side of me that evolved behind the badge which I have worn for years.
A friend who’s working as a claims adjuster for an insurance company was the one who talked me through towards becoming a public adjuster miami requires.
He was considering about the idea of shifting into becoming one because it’s more in line with helping people. So I took the educational program and licensing exam.
Soon enough, I got into the field, gained some experience and started working towards obtaining a Senior Professional Public Adjuster (SPPA) Certification for more technical knowledge.
I was actually doing well. And the job gave me a sense of fulfilment whenever I was able to negotiate for maximum insurance coverage.
Seeing the look on my clients’ faces after delivering them the good news gives me so much joy. It felt like I was actually giving them a fresh start to rebuild and recover whatever they’ve lost.
My Responsibilities as a Public Adjuster
Being a public adjuster opened a lot of opportunities for me. In enabled me to help people especially those who want to recover what they’ve lost.
The most common situations I’ve dealt with are losses and damages related to natural calamities, flood and hurricane damage.
I also encountered problems related to business bankruptcy, theft and unauthorized breaks-ins in their property and fire-related incidents.
My first assignment was client consultation. After several weeks, I became a part of the damage assessment team and documentation.
And as soon as I acquired enough credentials, I started representing clients and taking part in the negotiation proceedings. It was a tough job but the outcomes are rewarding.
Most of my clients aren’t even aware that I was once a Police Officer turned Sergeant. My background actually enabled me to develop the personality and guts needed to present every case with conviction.
The following were the most challenging aspects of my responsibility as a public adjuster.
- Client Consultation
- Identifying the merits of the claim
- Documentation of evidences and preparation of supporting documents
- Interpretation of insurance policy and claim analysis
- Case presentation with insurance provider
- Negotiation for maximum insurance settlement
- Case resolution
Advantages of Working as a Public Adjuster
Working as a public adjuster opened doors for me to meet a lot of people. It helped me establish new connections and friendships.
Some would ask me for advice regarding the type of insurance that matches their needs. There were also some who would inquire about insurance claims.
I met a lot of interesting people like realtors, homeowners, property investors and home buyers. I was often invited to a lot of family gatherings and social events. Eventually, I got the hang of it and started to enjoy the social aspects related to my field.
Talking to a lot of people about their frustrations over insurance companies and witnessing their victories in claims resolution made me appreciate what it’s like to live far away from being involved in chaos and physical danger.
And it helped me recover from a lot of traumas associated with being a Police Officer and Sergeant.
From Being a Public Adjuster to Having My Own Consultation Chat Line
Soon enough, due to my clients’ referrals and recommendations, I started to receive random phone calls from people who need help in claiming for insurance coverage. Some had been denied of coverage while some had been presented with an unreasonable amount.
And then there are some who refuse to deal with insurance companies on their own. They prefer to be represented by a public adjuster for better negotiation outcomes.
I entertained as much calls as I can. And somehow, I enjoyed the whole process of people coming to me for help.
Eventually, I opened up my own consultation chat lines that are accessible during my working days and business hours. Doing this helped me manage the phone calls and the personal aspects associated with it.
It also added up to my productivity. And before I even knew it, I was actually entertaining a lot of clients. I dealt with problems that range from insurance claims to property issues due to divorce and separation, and other marriage troubles.
And I actually gave advice to clients on how to manage their relationships first in order to come up with better resolutions for their property and insurance concerns.
Due to my consultation chat lines, I was able to help a lot of couples find a way to compromise and to identify the best solutions to their problems.
Relationship Chat Lines and Helpline Numbers
Even while I was still in the service as a Police Sergeant, I already knew that I had a way with people. Helping those who are in need and saving people from danger always gave me a sense of accomplishment. I had that intense drive to make the world a happier and safer place.
Being a public adjuster gave more validation to that. I actually like talking to people and listening to their stories.
It made me realize that there’s so much more in my heart and mind behind that badge that I wore for years. I discovered compassion for people and eagerness to help in any way I can.
Little did I know that the consultation chat line was just the start of something bigger. To widen my scope, I opened up the chatlines numbers and phone helpline that aim to help people who are going through difficult situations in life, family, career and relationships.
Chat Lines for People With Personal Problems
The first chat line I launched was not specialized. It was more of a helpline for people who are lonely, depressed and anxious – or for anyone who needed a friend. I was enthusiastic about this helpline because I know what it feels like to be lost in the dark and confused.
There was a time in my life when even talking to my own family and friends made me anxious. Their reaction feared me the most because they’ve always known me as someone who’s strong, self-assured and determined. I was so afraid and anxious to disappoint them.
In such difficult times, I know that it’s more comforting and reassuring to talk to strangers who don’t know anything about you.
And so that became the goal of my helpline. My objective was to help people who need someone they can turn to for their personal problems and uncertainties; or someone they can simply talk to without judgments.
Chat Lines for Relationship Problems
Two months following the launch of my helpline number, a friend who works as a marriage counselor joined me. And we initiated a new helpline category that deals with family and relationship problems.
It works almost similarly as the chat lines but it’s more like a friendly hotline that offers advice and professional counselling. Basically, we offer our opinions and advice to couples who are going through rough patches in their relationship.
I attended a training seminar on basic counselling to gain an idea on how to approach vulnerable and sensitive callers. To further enhance my knowledge, I took an online course on the fundamentals of basic psychology.
My friend started to promote our chat line using various social media apps. And sooner than expected, we were surprised to receive calls from various individuals who were having problems with their relationship and marriage.
The chat lines we initiated kicked off to a great start and I soon found myself appreciating the uniqueness of each conversation.
While we don’t offer advice concerning divorce and various legal matters, we try our best to focus on the human and emotional side of things. What we offer are mostly advice on love and relationship.
For example, we offer tips and insights on how to deal with husbands suffering from certain fixations like womanizing and frequently calling phone sex numbers, how to settle arguments and how to motivate and appreciate each other.
We also offer advice on how to deal with jealousy and how to identify the signs of toxic relationships among many others.
Common Relationship Problems
It has already been 6 months since we started our chat lines for family and relationship problems. Prior to initiating this venture, one of our short-term goals was to identify the most common reasons why people call relationship help lines for counselling and help.
Over the past few months, we were able to come up with our own data which reveals the most common problems associated with family, marriage and relationships. These are as follows;
Unresolved Petty Arguments
As much as 50% of the calls we receive have something to do with unresolved petty arguments between couples.
What makes them turn from bad to worse is when the grudge brought about by these arguments remains bottled up for a long time until they start to pile up. So what may seem like a tiny issue escalates to become a bigger one.
We believe that every person has a breaking point. At first, we try to understand our partner the best way we can by being patient and giving.
Over the course of time, we come to a realization that everything is already too much to bear; and as humans, we can only take so much. We get tired of the process and before we even know it, we’re getting close to our breaking point.
Such scenario is actually the most commonly encountered in our helpline. The most common contributing factors are ineffective communication, attitude problems, lack of time and intimacy and unhealthy habits. Others are; jealousy and lack of appreciation between partners.
Couples Growing Apart
One of the saddest reasons why people call our relationship helpline is when they start to feel that they’re growing apart from their partner.
For some, the reason behind the call is because they feel that they have outgrown their partner.
As much as 20% of the calls fall under this category. Some callers admit to having a change of heart after living with their partner for quite some time. Others change their mind after getting to know their partner well enough.
Others confess about outgrowing their partner and realizing that they actually want more.
Based on our experience with our helpline, the most common contributing factors as to why couples grow apart is when one matures and the other stops growing.
Or when one has bigger dreams while the other one prefers to have it easy; or when one party finds someone else who has something more to offer than what the current partner can ever provide.
Financial Issues
A lot of couples fight over the other’s spending habits or over their financial situation. True enough, because financial issues account for over 20% of the calls we receive.
What’s ever more devastating about this problem is that majority of the couples who fight over money end up getting separated or filing for divorce.
It seems that money is one of the major culprits behind a shattered marriage and ruined partnership. And as the cliché goes, a person who cannot be trusted with money cannot be trusted with your life.
So people end up calling our helpline for advice and counselling. It helps them manage the stress brought about by their situation. And it also helps to talk to someone who won’t judge them for their financial dilemma.
Infidelity and Third-Party Issues
Dealing with infidelity and an unfaithful partner accounts for around 10% of the calls we receive. These refer to all confirmed cases with actual proofs and evidences.
Suspicions and gut feels are not necessarily part of this figure.
More than half of our callers who seek counselling concerning their cheating partner are women. Some caught their partners red-handed on the spot while others had been living with the situation for quite some time.
I can personally say that this problem is the most challenging to address. It’s hard to offer advice to someone whose heart is severely broken into pieces.
It’s also difficult to find a solution wherever emotions and feelings are concerned. We could all agree that we cannot force someone to love us if the feeling is already gone.
Therefore, the best that we could offer to callers who are dealing with partners falling out of love or finding someone else are comfort, sympathy and a listening ear.
We also advise them to acknowledge and to honor the pain. In this way, they can release all their emotions and find a way to think straight and move on.
The Takeaway
Please feel free to explore the other topics that we’re sharing with you here at behindthebadge.net.
We’re trying our best to provide you with more relevant content based on our experiences with our relationship chat lines. Rest assured that we will continue to share real-life situations that provide valuable lessons about love, life and relationships.