Listening

Listening is the most important thing one human being can do for another.

Most people are not broken, they do not need therapy, they may just need someone to talk to.  Someone who will listen and not judge, someone who can relate to their experiences.  We are Qualified Listeners!

We cover Colorado and Wyoming and if feasible, we will meet face to face over a cup of coffee, lemonade or tea.  Otherwise, we will talk on the phone or video chat with you.

Our listening Program is confidential and non-judgmental. Combat Veterans listening to Combat Veterans to help prevent suicide is what Qualified Listeners was originally based on and it remains our #1 focus. However, we’ve learned that families of Veterans also need someone to talk to. We’re working hard to meet these needs.

    Male Veterans

    Female Veterans

    Spouses of Veterans

    Children of Veterans

    Parents of Veterans

    Grandparents of Veterans

    We inform Veterans and family members of the many resources available to them

    If you would like to connect to a Qualified Listener, just give us a call at 720-600-0860.

    With well over 1,000 Listening sessions we’ve learned a great deal. A key thing is the difference between PTSD and Moral Injury.

    PTSD & Moral Injury

    Do you know about moral wounds or injury and how it compares to PTS?  PTS is mainly based on fear for one’s life.  Moral wounds exist when a person has seen or been a part of actions which conflict with them as a human being.

    Our experience indicates moral wounds are much more common than PTS, and some people suffer from both.

    Meet Our Qualified Listeners
    Greg Goettsch (pronounced Getch)

    Greg Goettsch (pronounced Getch)

    Founder & Executive Director

    Greg was born in South Dakota in the mid-1900s, but raised in Nunn, Colorado, 20 miles north of Greeley. He is a U.S. Navy Combat Veteran having served on destroyer gunships in Vietnam & Korea, 1968 – 1974. He has been married to his bride Barb since 1982 and is the father of two grown sons. He obtained his private pilot license in 1976 and enjoyed flying single engine airplanes for a few years.

    After spending 50 years in private businesses at various levels, including ownership in several small businesses, he decided his next journey must revolve around Veterans. He joined the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) and spent several years at various post, district, state and national positions. He is a life member of the VFW, Vietnam Veterans of America, Disabled American Veterans and a member of the Marine Corp League Detachment in Loveland, CO.

    He started Qualified Listeners in January 2017 for the purpose of training combat Veterans to listen to other Veterans so they would have someone safe to talk to and would not judge them. His mission is to not let any Veteran feel alone like he did for 39 years.

    Barb Goettsch

    Barb Goettsch

    Barb was born and raised in a rural community in northeast Missouri. She knew at an early age she has a passion for Veterans which stemmed from listening to her father’s military experience in the Navy during WWII. Her father tabooed her from joining the military after high school, so she found another way to serve her country – by helping those who did serve. She surrounds herself with Veterans of all ages, as well as their family members, listens to their story, and advocates on their behalf in her position as Resource Coordinator with Qualified Listeners.

    She’s a Charter Member of the Carbon Valley Rotary Club, three-time president of the club, and former Assistant Governor in Rotary District 5450 of Rotary International. Rotary’s Motto is “Service Above Self” which speaks to Barb’s inherent drive to serve all communities of people.

    She is married to Greg Goettsch, Founder and Executive Director of Qualified Listeners, and a Navy Veteran (imagine that), and enjoys listening to his military experience in Vietnam.

    Dave Sloan

    Dave Sloan

    Vietnam veteran, Army, draftee. Was at Bien Hoa Airbase, Vietnam from January 1969 to January 1970. Stationed with 145th Combat Aviation Battalion headquarters company in the signal department. The battalion consisted of 2 “slick” huey companies and one Cobra gunship company.

    I have been the Commander of VFW Post 4334 in Ault, CO for the past 6 years and also a member of American Legion Post 26 in Eaton CO. I volunteer a lot of time with veteran’s help organizations.

    Denise Sachs

    Denise Sachs

    Denise grew up in the mountains near Boulder and graduated from the University of Colorado with a degree in history. She has four living children and lost a son, an Iraq war veteran to suicide. Denise is a part time funeral assistant and the Service to Veterans Committee Chair for her local chapter of DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution.) She also enjoys volunteering to visit with veterans at the Cheyenne VA hospital, in local nursing homes and for
    Qualified Listeners.

    Other Qualified Listeners include:

    Roman Nykyforuk