About Beyond Training
Preparing People for the Human Side of the Job
Beyond Training began with a belief: preparing people to do demanding work should include preparing them for its emotional and psychological impact.
For first responders, the job can mean repeated exposure to people’s most difficult moments. Understanding that exposure—and having meaningful conversations about how it affects us—deserves a place in our professional education.
Beyond Training LLC was created to bring greater attention to mental health, trauma exposure, and resilience through education that connects with the realities of the work. The goal is to help people better understand what they may experience and feel more prepared to respond to its impact in their professional and personal lives.
Our first course, Building Trauma Resilience in Law Enforcement, puts that purpose into practice. As Beyond Training grows, the vision is to expand into additional mental health and resilience topics for other professions and communities.
Because the effects of demanding work don’t always end when the shift does, the value of our training shouldn’t end when class is over.
Meet the Owner & Lead Instructor Michael Van Scoik
Why This Work Matters to Me
I’ve been a first responder since 2010. I began my career working as an EMT and paramedic, serving in those roles until 2016, when I became a police officer. I continue to serve in law enforcement today.
Across emergency response and policing, I’ve experienced and seen firsthand what trauma exposure can look like for first responders. Those experiences have shaped my concern for the people doing this work and my desire to help us become better prepared for the challenges that come with it.
I started Beyond Training because this subject matters to me personally and professionally. I want trauma exposure education to be part of how we prepare ourselves and support one another throughout our careers. I want us to have the knowledge and language to talk about the impact of our work, recognize when we may need support, and take mental health seriously.
That passion also drives my continuing education. I hold a Bachelor of Science in Communication and am completing my Master of Arts in Psychology. My next step is a Doctor of Criminal Justice, specializing in Public Safety Wellness, with a focus on mental health for first responders.
Experience in the Field and the Classroom
My law enforcement experience includes serving as a state-certified Law Enforcement Training Board (LETB) General Instructor, a Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) and DRE Instructor, and a Standardized Field Sobriety Testing (SFST) Instructor. I have also served as a Field Training Officer (FTO) and FTO Manager/Coordinator.
These roles have given me opportunities to teach, mentor, and support officers as they develop their knowledge, skills, and professional judgment. They have also helped shape my belief that preparing officers for the job should include attention to the mental and emotional demands they may encounter.
Beyond Training brings that commitment into the classroom, connecting my experience in law enforcement instruction and field training with my passion for trauma exposure education and first responder wellness.
Through Beyond Training, I’m bringing together my frontline experience, education, and commitment to the people who serve our communities. My purpose is to help us better understand what we carry—and be better prepared to care for ourselves and one another along the way.
Go Beyond.
Continue the Conversation
Beyond Training grew from a desire to help people better understand the impact of the work they do. If that purpose resonates with you, I’d welcome the opportunity to connect.
Whether you’re interested in training for your organization, have a question about a course, or want to suggest a future topic, I’d like to hear from you.