Episoder
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Josh Goldberg is the CEO of Bolder Crest Foundation - A nationally recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit focused on ensuring the military, veteran, and first responder communities can live great lives in the aftermath of trauma.
Boulder Crest Foundation is the home and global leader in the development of Posttraumatic Growth (PTG). They exist as an organization to transform the way that our society thinks, feels, and acts when it comes to notions of mental health and struggle, so that we live in a world that is fueled and founded in notions of PTG, not PTSD, diminishment, diagnosis, or dysfunction.
Josh joins Linda & Jay to discuss Bolder Crest's mission, how the foundation came to exist, what their purpose is, the programs they currently offer, and the future of PTG.
Josh also shares his own story; one of struggle, growth, development, purpose, and meaning.
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Dr. Gilmartin joins us on the podcast, Dr Gilmartin is a behavioral scientist specializing in law enforcement and public safety related issues. He is the author of the book Emotional Survival for Law Enforcement: A Guide for Officers and Their Families. He previously spent twenty years working in law enforcement in Tucson, Arizona. During his tenure he supervised the Hostage Negotiations Team and the Behavioral Sciences Unit. He is a former recipient of the International Association of Chiefs of Police-Parade Magazine, National Police Officer Citation Award for contributions during hostage negotiations. He presently maintains a consulting relationship with public safety and law enforcement agencies in the U.S, Canada and Australia.The Department of Justice, FBI, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, New South Wales Police and International Association of Chiefs of Police have published his work. He holds a doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology from the University of Arizona. He is a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps and resides in Tucson, Arizona and Bend, Oregon.
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Mangler du episoder?
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Molly O'Neil joins us and shares about her husband Chris. She talks about meeting him when she was still in high school, going to the same college, and falling in love. She talks about starting a family together, and how Chris lived and loved to be a father. She describes her experience when Chris began to struggle, and what was going on in those days and weeks leading up to his loss. Molly also shares with us what life was like for her family after Chris passed, the struggles, the grief, and the challenges they all faced, as well as the support they received, and how she began to heal and move forward in life. Today Molly is helping to break the stigma that often makes it difficult for first responders to reach out for help during times of struggle, she is helping others as a reiki master, she has worked with the Quell foundation, an organization she speaks highly of and recommends their first responder resiliency project as a helpful and impactful resource for first responders.
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Mike, Tom, and Jim come together and join us on the podcast to share about their careers in Law Enforcement, why they chose to serve in the first place, some of the critical incidents they have been involved in, the impacts those incidents had on them both professionally and personally, and the ways in which they offer service and support to their fellow LEO's and each other.
These men have all experienced their own critical incidents, they know what it takes to get through it, and how to help others navigate through difficult times.
If you want to learn more about Mike, Tom, and Jim, and the work they they are doing to help and support their fellow first responders, follow the links below.
https://www.saveleos.org/home
https://www.saveleos.org/SMAC
https://www.tmkelleylaw.com/ -
Bryan Mokrisky joins us to share his journey of service, as a soldier, in law enforcement, and now as the Public Safety Wellness Coordinator for the town of Stoughton Ma. Bryan talks about serving in the Army as a Military Police Soldier, his time spent working for the Sherriff's Dept as a corrections officer, serving as a Police Officer in the town he grew up in, and the valuable lessons he learned along the way. While working in law enforcement Bryan served on a SWAT team, as an instructor within his dept on firearms, tasers, less than lethal munitions, and had additional duties as an armorer and a field training officer. In this episode we discusses ethical dilemma's, moral injury, duty stress, how the job effected him personally, and how communication problems began to develop at home for Bryan. Bryan also shares with us about the psychological state he was in leading up to, and in the moments he chose to leave his profession as a first responder, how he had the phone number of a peer support member and reached out for help, how he began to heal personally, and how his life began to improve as a result. Today Bryan has dedicated himself personally and professionally to wellness, and works to improve conditions for first responders as the Wellness Coordinator for Stoughton Ma, where he grew up, worked as a cop, and continues to serve.
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Jason joins us to discuss his career of service, the lessons he learned along the way, and what he's doing now to inform the next generation of first responders. He is a Navy Veteran, retired NYC police officer with over 20 years of experience in forensic and criminal investigations, and was a member of the NYPD Peer Support Team. He co-authored the book "Living Blue" along with Barbera Rubel - which focuses on police officer wellness and resilience, he volunteers at the long island crisis center, is a certified life coach, and a public speaker.
In this episode Jason shares how being a recruit in the academy when terror struck on 9/11, and being removed from the classroom to assist in the aftermath of those attacks, influenced how he would go on to process duty trauma throughout his career. He talks openly about years of difficult calls and investigations taking a toll on him, he talks about overcoming the personal challenges that trauma had created within him, and what he is doing now to raise awareness and advocate for other first responders who are facing their own challenges.
Check out - https://livingblueapparel.com/
Learn more about Jason - https://jasonpalamara.org/
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Devin Cole is a retired Police Officer, First Responder Wellness Advocate, and Public Speaker. He discusses his career which spanned over 30 years and included roles in patrol, gang enforcement, community outreach for addiction programs, K9 officer, and attachment to the departments SWAT team. Davin explains how he suffered an on duty injury, how that injury led him to develop an addiction to opiates, how that addiction impacted his personal life, his family, and ultimately ended his career when he robbed a pharmacy to maintain his addiction. He then goes on to explain his journey to recover, the lessons he has learned, and what he does to advocate for other first responders.
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Dr. Baumgart is a licensed psychologist who is board certified in police and public safety psychology. She is an author, speaks publicly about the challenges police officers face when transitioning into retirement, is on staff as a psychologist within a law enforcement organization, and is married to a now retired police officer. Dr Baumgart shares with us some of the challenges that began to surface within her marriage, what it was like as she began to realize that those challenges might be the result of her husbands public safety duties, and how they worked together to address those issues and improve interpersonal conditions within the home. Dr Baumgart explains the complexities of what transpires in the brain of a first responder, how that influences mood and behavior, and what that looks and feels like to a loved one. She also talks about retirement in first response. She shares what her and her husband expected, versus what they experienced, when he decided to retire from law enforcement. The lessons they learned are detailed in her book "Surviving Retirement" . You can purchase that book on Amazon by following this link - https://www.amazon.com/Surviving-Retirement-Finding-Purpose-Fulfillment/dp/B0CB99HMVS/ref=zg_bsnr_g_10907_sccl_3/138-7805334-5823516?psc=1
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Police Chief Christopher Workman began his career in the fire service before transitioning into policing. He has a combined total of over 3 decades working in first response, he is an author, public speaker, founder of the Deep Blu Project, and podcast host. Chief Workman shares openly about how the job unwittingly influenced his personality, his personal life, his professional life, and every relationship he had. He talks about the difficult moments that allowed him to gain insight into himself, how he leaned into those moments to promote personal change, and how he models that change within his department from the Chiefs office. As we all know, change starts at the top.
The learn more about Chief Workman and the work that he's doing, follow these links:
https://deepbluproject.com/
https://www.amazon.com/Silence-Behind-Blue-Wall-Surviving/dp/B0DJ8K5Y38/ref=sr_1_1?adgrpid=1342506165084875&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.ATWEz30MVdVWemaNHhZKIJpuo1k72qWDZeBiKtCudYCoTkWqQPf3pD5HDMWDTYXqK8TtdXR7TmWEiq65QN2sczjDTh4SGHMdX4S2Fh_I7GgGyPPEGnji29yBSxJ6TzmpszkHz5iqus40DAjZ9jfGlj_3J_y_iy_2tQ9lB7r9rUtsw5ZQBNyxxmXo4VKku0yroUHF60W0eNk74yxpTUp5PR_513Bt9kzoQ9WC2IdYSWY.GeGu3FKIvPbMvkTf5n1mtFTNB81OnK2H0n9Q-Eylrq4&dib_tag=se&hvadid=83906908768570&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=51462&hvnetw=o&hvqmt=e&hvtargid=kwd-83907747211339%3Aloc-190&hydadcr=22568_13494428&keywords=silence+behind+the+blue+wall&msclkid=e2f128a3ec421dec7b084f30652c2960&qid=1737724102&sr=8-1
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Doug joins us and shares his personal journey of service, stress, struggle, and recovery. He embraces vulnerability as he tells his story, explaining how Post Traumatic Stress Injuries influenced his relationship with himself and caused his marriage to deteriorate. It was clear to us and it will be to you as you listen that Doug began to explore the depths of his soul in an effort to recover from PTSI. He talks about his wife approaching him during a critical moment of personal crisis in a way that promoted and allowed for positive change to occur. His story sheds light on not only how a family struggles as a unit, but also how they can and do heal together.
Check out Doug's book "Hiding In Plain Sight - The Truth about Trauma, Service, and the Way Forward" to hear his story in full.
https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/hiding-in-plain-sight-the-truth-about-trauma-service-and-the-way-forward/53935374/item/73573642/?mkwid=%7cdc&pcrid=76897258815619&pkw=&pmt=be&slid=&product=73573642&plc=&pgrid=1230353765528421&ptaid=pla-4580496734886475&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Shopping+%7c+NEW+condition+books&utm_term=&utm_content=%7cdc%7cpcrid%7c76897258815619%7cpkw%7c%7cpmt%7cbe%7cproduct%7c73573642%7cslid%7c%7cpgrid%7c1230353765528421%7cptaid%7cpla-4580496734886475%7c&msclkid=cc46c76bfb171a0a687ba0e1b01f8437#idiq=73573642&edition=71953208
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Lynn Lewis is the mother of a first responder. She shares with us about the tragic loss of her son to suicide, how she processed that loss, and how she managed to not be consumed by grief. Today Lynn coaches others through their own experiences with grief & loss. She talks about striving daily to keep moving forward, and the power of self love. She is the Co-Author of "Prepare for Purpose - Your Invitation to the Next Level," and the Author of "My Suicide Grief Journey, Journal, and Memory Book .
To learn more about Lynn check out her website:
https://www.destinedtothrivegriefcoaching.com/
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Nicole Ferry joins us on the podcast to discuss her 26 year career in law enforcement, including a decade working in sex crimes. Nicole shares with us about her experience with co-worker suicide, what happened when trauma begin to surface within her, within her department, and what she does today to advocate for first responder mental health, resilience, and suicide prevention.
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John and Christine join us to share their stories of themselves, as individuals, as first responders, and as a couple. Both John and Christine discuss their pathways to becoming first responders, the toll that life and the job have taken on them, how trauma began to surface and the challenges that brought with it, how they were tested as a couple, how they got help, and how they persevered. Together they healed.
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Joe shares with us about his career in the fire service. He speaks openly about difficult calls and how he was affected by them. He talks about the progressive symptoms he began experiencing, having panic attacks, and how he eventually considered taking his own life. Amy shares her perspective. She talks about how Joe's mental health affected her, their marriage, and their family. Then Joe reached out for help. Joe and Amy explain how they were guided to culturally competent resources, talk about treatment, care, and how their family began to heal.
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Chaplin JD Hebert provides spiritual guidance and support to first responders. He is a Chaplin with the Western Ma CISM Team, the State Police, and other departments. Chaplin JD has been a first responder himself since 1987 & currently works as a firefighter / EMT. This is Chaplin JD's second appearance on the podcast - he talks about the recent death by suicide of a first responder. He shares with us how losing this first responder to suicide affected the departments involved, the community, and those who were on the scene. He talks about his own experience as a Chaplin visiting with the affected department members & providing support through this complex grieving process. He also discusses peer support, family support, and the importance of having these difficult conversations when we notice a first responder is struggling, the importance of having conversations about trauma, about suicide, and about the help that is available.
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We are replaying this episode for some of our new listeners.
In this episode we speak with first responder spouses, who are suicide loss survivors. They share with us what its like to love a first responder, how the job impacted their loved one & how that impacted their family. These woman showcase strength as they discuss loosing their husbands to suicide & the importance of support for first responders and their family members when mental health becomes a factor.
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Mike MacCurtain joins us to discuss his career in the fire service. He shares about how that career began, the comradery and sense of belonging he felt early on, and how the calls he would go on didn't seem to bother him. Like we have heard from so many others, those calls were adding up, even if Mike wasn't aware of it at the time, and eventually his armor broke. Once that happened more calls began to affect him, and Mike began experiencing serious trauma symptoms. With his mental, psychological, and emotional health suffering and in decline, Mike reached out for help. Like most first responders who commit to recovering from trauma with the guidance of culturally competent clinicians, his symptoms began to subside, and Mike began to heal. He shares his story to be of service to other first responders who are struggling, so they know they are not alone, that help is available, and that healing is possible.
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Kenny Mitchell joins us & shares his story of purpose, service, struggle, and healing. Kenny was inspired to service after the terror attacks of 9/11, he talks openly about the strength of that calling, and how it ultimately led him to the fire service. Kenny talks about his career as a Firefighter & the many roles he had, which included critical incident stress management. He shares openly about difficult calls, surviving suicide loss, and how he was mentally, psychologically, and emotionally effected by the trauma's he experienced or witnessed throughout his career. Today Kenny is a public speaker, he's an advocate, and actively helps first responders who are suffering from the invisible wounds and traumatic effects of the job. Check out Operation Yellow Tape online to learn more about Kenny's journey and his current & continued service.
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Anthony Landry serves on the board of directors for the Massachusetts Peer Support Network & his efforts were instrumental in helping to create the first Peer Support and Crisis Intervention Team comprised of 911 emergency dispatchers in Ma. Tony shares with us about his family history in first response, why he wanted to become one himself, and why he chose 911 dispatch as his way to serve. He also discusses how the calls took a toll on his (and his co-workers) mental health over time, he talks about his experience during the marathon bombing, other critical incidents, and surviving suicide loss, and the importance of recognizing and including all first responders in the the aftermath of critical incidents.
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Christopher Scallon is a retired LEO who had a 24 year career with the Norfolk Va Police Department. He holds degrees in psychology, criminal justice, and is certified in critical incident stress management. He currently serves as a Veterans representative, he is the founder of Survival Mindset training and consulting, and co-founder of Trauma Behind the Badge. Chris is also the founder and director of the Norfolk Police Dept's CISM & Peer Support Unit, and the co-coordinator of the departments Crisis Intervention Team. Having been involved in multiple shooting incidents & active shooting mass casualty responses, Chris is intimately familiar with trauma - and the consequences of exposure.
Christopher shares with us openly about the many LE roles he had during his career, how trauma impacted him personally, what helped him begin to heal, and the good work he's doing today to assist other first responders with their own struggles.
- Se mer
