Mark joins us on the podcast & speaks openly about his own experiences with duty trauma, childhood abuse, suicide, faith, and healing.

Barb is the founder of the Center for Suicide Awareness, a 501 c3 non-profit where they create the kind of mental health support that doesn't wait for someone to hit rock bottom. No red tape, no judgment, just real, early intervention. Barb talks about working for the department of justice delivering death notifications, and how those duties led her to an awareness about the impacts of death by suicide, and first responder mental health, which propelled her into this journey. She shares with us the many ways her center approaches its mission, which includes a HOPELine offering suicide prevention, partnering with the video game industry to educate our youth about suicide prevention and intervention, creating a documentary, developing training programs and outreach with First Responders. 

Mike is now a mindfulness coach, his passionate belief in the benefits of mindfulness was evident as he explained how the process can increase resiliency, performance, and well-being in first responders. 

To learn more please visit: https://www.nemindfulnessandperformance.org/home

Sean has been a police officer for 26 years, he joins Linda and Jay to discuss his career - including his experience in an officer involved shooting. Sean shares how the job impacted his mental health, his family relationships, how stigma played a role in his life, how mindfulness and other recovery methods helped restore him to a state of well-being, and how he uses what he learned along the way to help others.

In this episode Dr Juzwin shares how she was drawn to work with the first responder culture, critical incident response, organizational wellness, officer buy in, and how long it took for her to gain the trust of officers within her organization, the importance of officers being able to reach out for help without incurring negative consequences, and how to structure departmental policy that ensures that.

Brian talks openly about the challenges he faced, the struggles he endured, how he had been coping, and how a new friendship that blossomed into a mentorship gave way to a new pathway of healing, of coming to understand his difficulties, what had caused them, and eventually giving back to the culture of service from which he came by helping those who still suffer from stress induced or psychological injuries. 

Brian currently is the President & Founder of Phoenix First Responder Recovery Coaching - helping First Responders & Veterans navigate daily life in active recovery through lived experience, working hand-in-hand through the recovery process, ensuring that they achieve successful outcomes for long term recovery. 

In this episode David shares how his experiences in law enforcement led him down a path of self discovery, and from there, into continued service to others. He speaks candidly about responding to the terror attacks of 9/11, the lack of resources available to first responders to help them understand the magnitude of what they had just been through, how they may be impacted by those events, or what to do about it if they had. He talks about the progress he has seen in the development and availability of peer & mental health resources available for first responders from that time to now, how he has contributed to those resources, and the benefits and utility of story telling & positive psychology when introduced and embraced by first response cultures.

They also share with us the many ways they can assist first responders towards achieving their financial goals, plan for long term stability, and discuss their Guardian loan program which can be obtained to support first responder families while they attend to mental or behavioral health challenges.

David talks about the importance of early introduction to mental health and wellness concepts for first responders, the importance of consistently revisiting these topics throughout a first responders career, why mental health interventions must be accusable, explains the significance of having a plan for retirement, the magnitude that purpose has in many first responders lives, and why new purpose is a significant component of a healthy and fulfilling retirement.

She talks about the initial shock and turmoil, she describes the weight of her grief and how she was impacted by it, and explains how she was able to heal, move forward from that loss, and how she now uses the experience to help others. 

In this episode Tracy shares what its like to be married to a firefighter as someone with a background in mental health, she talks about how their family manages difficult calls that are carried from an emergency scene into their home, how her journey into this work began, where her passion comes from, the effectiveness of this approach and the growth of First Responder Therapy Dogs in recent years. 

Dave talks about working in Law Enforcement for 28 years, how he expected to stay on the job for at least 35 years, and shares how stress, trauma, mental health challenges and suicidal ideation led him to an earlier retirement than he had planned for. 

His wife Christie shares how she devoted herself to saving Dave, along with their marriage, how she herself became lost along the way, and eventually considered suicide as an option as well. 

Together Dave and Christie share their raw, powerful story of struggle, suffering, commitment, resiliency, recovery, and healing. 

Barb is the founder of the Center for Suicide Awareness, a 501 c3 non-profit where they create the kind of mental health support that doesn't wait for someone to hit rock bottom. No red tape, no judgment, just real, early intervention. Barb talks about working for the department of justice delivering death notifications, and how those duties led her to an awareness about the impacts of death by suicide, and first responder mental health, which propelled her into this journey. She shares with us the many ways her center approaches its mission, which includes a HOPELine offering suicide prevention, partnering with the video game industry to educate our youth about suicide prevention and intervention, creating a documentary, developing training programs and outreach with First Responders. 

To learn more about Barb and the Center for Suicide Awareness click here: https://www.centerforsuicideawareness.org/

In this episode Madison shares with us her own journey thru life and into this work, she explains how she gravitated into specializing in trauma and working with First Responders and Veterans. She talks about first responders, families and relationships, the importance of communication, accountability, and outlines the 9 steps to recognizing or delivering an authentic apology. 

For more information about Madison you can check her out at - https://www.madisoneliecounseling.com/

Before Fran was a trauma specialist, before she was an expert in peer support, and before she was an international crisis response leader, Fran was a cop, she began to struggle, she didn't have the help, the support, or the resources she needed, and she lost her career as a result. 

In this episode Fran talks about her path to becoming the resource she needed herself during that time but didn't have, she explains the difference between post traumatic stress and PTSD, the importance of peer support, the importance of leaders being educated on these topics, organizational wellness programs, and so much more. 

The reason for that is because SGT Alex G. Kokoros died by suicide on October 29th 2018. Today marks the 7th anniversary of his loss.

So this episode is in memory of Alex - with his family in mind.

This episode is also a tribute to Alex's friends & fellow officers that were left behind - Those that struggled after his loss. We hope you are all doing well, and understand that does not mean that you don't still miss him. 

This episode is also in recognition of all first responders around the nation who are getting help today, and a call to those who need it. 
If you do - we hope this peer discussion will prompt you to reach out for the support that you deserve - the support you have earned.

Police officers Justin Simmons, Ryan Doherty, Thomas Lesage, Tom Delaney, and Tony Gentile are Alex's friends and coworkers on the Abington Police Department.  It was a privilege to hear the stories of how Alex lived, and an honor to listen as these gentlemen shared their own experiences as suicide loss survivors. 

In this episode Jeff shares with us that suicide remains the greatest threat to the lives of first responders, some of the reasons why, and what steps can be taken by organizations to combat that unfortunate reality. If you listen to this episode, you will hear Jeff talking about how to change the culture to improve first responder behavioral health, he talks about regularly working with departments and EAP's to help them implement effective programs to do just that. 

Matty and Liz are husband and wife, they are both strong advocates for first responder and family mental health and well-being. 

Matty is a retired firefighter paramedic with 22 years of service. His journey into the realm of mental health advocacy began a decade into his career when he began facing personal battles with anxiety, stress, and depression, which ultimately led to a diagnosis of PTSD. These experiences fueled his passion to help others in the first responder community. Matty speaks publicly and works with first responders directly to help address critical issues including PTSD recovery, addiction, mental health, and the importance of support within the first responder community. .

Liz is a dedicated professional with a deep commitment to supporting first responders and their families. Particularly spouses, who face the unique challenges associated with this high stress profession. As a mother, and the spouse of a retired first responder, Liz brings a personal understanding to her work, along with a passion to help others navigate the challenges of life in a first responder family. Liz currently serves as the office manager for the Anaheim firefighters association where she oversees day to day operations and organizes fundraising efforts that directly benefit the associations initiatives and support programs. 

Matty and Liz share their story with raw, open, honesty. They talk about real issues like addiction and suicide, they discuss the pain they have experienced as individuals, together as a couple, how they overcame the challenges they faced, how they came back together as a couple, and the work they are doing to help other first responder families navigate their own challenges. 

Chief Gang is a nationally recognized Law Enforcement Leader with over 36 years of service, he has a reputation for innovative leadership, transformational change, and a deep commitment to organizational wellness.

Chief Gang discusses his career in law enforcement, he openly shares about losing a friend and fellow officer early on in his career to suicide. In the wake of that loss, he pledged to one day improve the conditions for police officers reporting and seeking help for stress related injuries. Years later as the Chief of Pinole Police Department in California, Neil created the Asher model, a 7 point approach to creating a culture of wellness. 

Chief Gang speaks to the benefits of improved wellness within a first response organization. He speaks to the conditions as they were when his friend Asher Rosinsky died by suicide. He speaks to the importance of first responders being able to request help and access services confidentially, He speaks to leaders, encouraging them to facilitate change within their own organizations.

Carrie is a police officer from from the Chicago Police Department, and comes from a family of service in law enforcement. Mental health has always been a focus of Carries. However, when her father - a retired officer himself - died by suicide, Carrie became an outspoken advocate for mental health in first response, and has become known for bringing attention to "the other side of suicide". 

In this episode Carrie shares what it was like growing up in a law enforcement family, the pride, the challenges, and the influence her father had on her life. She talks about the experience of becoming a cop herself, her career with Chicago PD, and the devastating impact that losing her father had on Carrie and her family. She shares about her grief, the complexity of those emotions, how she moved forward, and converted her pain into purpose by advocating for first responder mental wellness. 

Katie is the director of wellness initiatives and peer support team coordinator for the Marion County Sheriffs office in Indianapolis Indiana. She also serves as an instructor at multiple law enforcement academies where she teaches meditation, yoga, breath work, and crisis intervention strategies to public safety professionals, with a focus on nervous system regulation and trauma recovery. 

Katie shares with us about her background as the departments Public Information Officer prior to assuming her current role, and the work she did in the political arena prior to that. Katie also shares openly about her own trauma's, challenges she has faced, struggles she has endured, how she overcame those experiences, and how she has incorporated what she learned along the way into the delivery of wellness to her organization. 

Donna lost her son Mitchell - a police officer, to suicide. After Mitchell's loss, and based on one of the last text messages he had sent, Donna felt a sense of duty to keep his name alive, and his memory served, so she founded the non profit "Gotcha Covered Blankets". 

While she has always been involved with church and community, Donna now focuses on this foundation to keep her sons name alive, and hopefully, to make a difference in the community, the culture, and the lives of police officers. 

Donna speaks openly about being a mother, having her son become a police officer, what she knew about his job, what she didn't, and her experience as a suicide loss survivor.

https://gotchacoveredblankets.com/

Mike transitioned from working as an accountant to a 30 year career of service in law enforcement. In this episode Mike reflected on those years, he spoke about his love for the job, shares with us about some of the difficult calls he responded to, including the incident that was most impactful for him. He shares his experience of coming to recognize that he had been affected by trauma, the steps he took to recover and heal, how he discovered his purpose to help other first responders during a psychedelic retreat, and how he carries out that purpose today.

To learn more about Mike, check out his podcast - The Resilient Warrior Nation.

Chris also shared about some of the non-profit organizations he is involved with, if after listening to this episode you would like more information about Gotcha Covered Blankets or Creed of Ink, follow the links below.

https://www.thecreedofink.org/

https://gotchacoveredblankets.com/

Liz worked as a police records clerk in Batavia Illinois  where she met Joe Bartholomew, a paid on-call firefighter, they married in 1980.  Joe was hired as a full time Firefighter in 1986.  While their daughters were young Liz was able to be a stay at home mom.  Later she drove a school bus part-time in Naperville, Illinois, became Band Booster President and was on the coaching staff at East Aurora High School.    In 2005 Joe was diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder from a response call, he later retired on a duty disability pension after 33 years as a firefighter.  Seeing the reaction in the workplace to his PTSD diagnosis and watching him learn to live with PTSD she came up with the concept of Responders Retreat as a place to open a conversation and know that you are not alone. 

For more information check out : https://www.firstrespondersretreat.org/home

Keven Regan was a devoted husband and father who was passionate about serving his community.  Regan founded the Keven Regan Family Foundation in October of 2022 following the tragic loss of her husband.

The Keven Regan Family Foundation is a non profit organization committed to helping families of fallen first responders, specifically those who have died by suicide, and those who struggle with mental illness.  

The foundation provides not only financial relief, but also the mental health resources needed to support struggling frontline fighters and their loved ones.  

The Kevin Regan foundation is dedicated to Suicide prevention, and treatment by improving mental health awareness and education throughout the first responder community.

For mor information, visit:

https://kevinreganfamilyfoundation.com/

Erin is an ICF trained integration coach who specializes in supporting First Responders, their partners, and departments. Erin has nearly a decade of experience, with almost half that time focused on trauma exposed populations. Erin is the creator of the Pressure System - A whole human framework for navigating high stress environments, and The Connection Code - A self guided program that helps responder couples strengthen communication on their own time. Erin also hosts the Flashpoint podcast - where high performance meets human healing. 

Erin's mission is personal, shaped by the loss of her Firefighter boyfriend to substance misuse in 2011.

Erin details her journey into the work she is currently engaged in, shares openly about her loss, and her commitment to helping first responders heal, develop healthy coping mechanisms, recover from or avoid the pitfalls of addiction, and helps couples connect more deeply. 

Contact Erin for more information @ ErinMaccabee@Gmail.com

Allan Garcia is a retired police officer from the Middletown Rhode Island Police Dept. He joins us on the podcast and shares his story of growing up in a seaside community, being raised in a first responder family, his time in the military, and how he became a police officer.

Allans career included service as a DARE officer, Uniformed Patrol, Field Training Officer, School Resource Officer, SWAT Team Member, Firearms Instructor, Academy Instructor, Active Shooter Response Instructor, Patrol Sargent, and Detective/Inspector. 

Allan talks openly about his transition into policing, some of the mistakes he made early on in his career, the lessons he learned, and the calls he responded to. 

Allan describes the challenges he faced balancing family and the job, the duty he felt to serve his community and the pride he experienced fathering his children, one of which he was raising with special needs.

Allan Garcia is a retired police officer from the Middletown Rhode Island Police Dept. He joins us on the podcast and shares his story of growing up in a seaside community, being raised in a first responder family, his time in the military, and how he became a police officer.

Allans career included service as a DARE officer, Uniformed Patrol, Field Training Officer, School Resource Officer, SWAT Team Member, Firearms Instructor, Academy Instructor, Active Shooter Response Instructor, Patrol Sargent, and Detective/Inspector. 

Allan talks openly about his transition into policing, some of the mistakes he made early on in his career, the lessons he learned, and the calls he responded to. 

Allan describes the challenges he faced balancing family and the job, the duty he felt to serve his community and the pride he experienced fathering his children, one of which he was raising with special needs.

Meg is a dedicated police officer with over 21 years of

law enforcement experience, and the proud wife of Eric - a firefighter/paramedic and retired combat veteran who lives with severe post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). 

Eric’s military career spanned two decades, split between the

Marine Corps and the Air Force. He served in elite units including Marine Recon, Force Recon, and as a Combat Controller with the Air Force Special Operations Command. He later deployed with premier teams under the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC), completing multiple contingency operations and three combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. In 2002, during a close-quarters firefight, Eric sustained invisible wounds that led to a decade of undiagnosed PTSD—one of many traumatic experiences throughout his service. 

In 2017, their world was shaken when Eric went missing and nearly died by suicide. That night marked a turning point in their lives. With Meg’s unwavering support, Eric began his long journey toward healing—trying various therapies, attending veteran programs, and finding support through his service dog, Denny. 

While Eric’s mental health began to stabilize in 2019, Meg soon found herself struggling. The trauma of nearly losing her husband, and the toll of always being “the strong one,” led to her own diagnosis of PTSD. In 2020, she sought help for herself.

Both Meg and Eric continue to walk their healing

journeys—stronger together and as individuals. Meg is now

focused on raising awareness around the often-overlooked

mental health needs of spouses and significant others of veterans and first responders. These Silent Warriors endure their own battles, often in silence, as they support their loved ones through trauma and recovery.

In 2018, amid their personal struggles, Meg and Eric founded

Making Everything Good (MEG), a nonprofit dedicated to

supporting first responders, military members, veterans, their families, and survivors of sexual and domestic violence.

Their journey is one of resilience, advocacy, and love—and they remain committed to helping others find hope, healing, and Strength.

Meg is a dedicated police officer with over 21 years of

law enforcement experience, and the proud wife of Eric - a firefighter/paramedic and retired combat veteran who lives with severe post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).  
Eric’s military career spanned two decades, split between the Marine Corps and the Air Force. He served in elite units including Marine Recon, Force Recon, and as a Combat Controller with the Air Force Special Operations Command. He later deployed with premier teams under the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC), completing multiple contingency operations and three combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. In 2002, during a close-quarters firefight, Eric sustained invisible wounds that led to a decade of undiagnosed PTSD—one of many traumatic experiences throughout his service. 

In 2017, their world was shaken when Eric went missing and nearly died by suicide. That night marked a turning point in their lives. With Meg’s unwavering support, Eric began his long journey toward healing—trying various therapies, attending veteran programs, and finding support through his service dog, Denny. 

While Eric’s mental health began to stabilize in 2019, Meg soon found herself struggling. The trauma of nearly losing her husband, and the toll of always being “the strong one,” led to her own diagnosis of PTSD. In 2020, she sought help and began herself.

Both Meg and Eric continue to walk their healing journeys—stronger together and as individuals. Meg is now focused on raising awareness around the often-overlooked mental health needs of spouses and significant others of veterans and first responders. These Silent Warriors endure their own battles, often in silence, as they support their loved ones through trauma and recovery.

In 2018, amid their personal struggles, Meg and Eric founded Making Everything Good (MEG), a nonprofit dedicated to

supporting first responders, military members, veterans, their families, and survivors of sexual and domestic violence.

Their journey is one of resilience, advocacy, and love—and they remain committed to helping others find hope, healing, and Strength.

Rich opens up about his childhood, his pathway into law enforcement, his career as an officer, and all the trauma's he had collected along the way. He also shares with us how those trauma's impacted his life, how his suffering impacted his family and relationships, and how he overcame those struggles, reconnected with his family, and began to heal. 

 Matt is a Weymouth Native who takes us on a journey from growing up in Weymouth, traveling to Florida to pursue a career in Law Enforcement, his early career including an officer involved shooting and how that impacted him, his rise to leadership, and his experience developing, implementing, and participating in officer wellness programs.

Deputy Commissioner Walsh is the FDLE Executive Director leading public safety services, which includes  Officer Wellness.  His career began 28 years ago at the Lee County Sheriff’s office where his assignments included road patrol, auto theft detective, homicide detective, and SWAT operator.     

In 2003 Matt accepted a position with FDLE, since then he has worked and held leadership positions in Sebring, Ft Myers, Jacksonville, and Tallahassee Florida.  In 2020 he was appointed as interim Sheriff for the Clay County Sheriff’s office by Governor DeSantis.  

Matt has lectured and trained law enforcement members in the areas of death and homicide, stress management, and mental health and resiliency.  He is the founder of the FDLE CISM / Peer Support team and has lead interventions following the pulse night club attack, Broward airport shooting, Parkland school shooting, Sebring mass shooting, Pensacola NAS, and other critical incidents. 

Matt Earned a Master of Social Work Degree from Florida State University and has provided psychotherapy to the veteran and law enforcement population.  He has attended several leadership schools, to include the Naval Post Graduate School, Center for Homeland Defense and Security Executive Leaders Program, he has been recognized for his service to the citizens of Florida, to include commendations for the Combat Cross, 3 unit citations, Gallantry Star, Grand Cordon, 2 U.S Attorney Officer of the year awards, and the Commissioners Medal. 

In this episode Meghann and Kelly take us on a journey that involves trauma, struggle, insight, growth, and service. Together - Meghann and Kelly have developed programs to teach, train, and educate first responders and their families about the signs and symptoms of duty trauma, how to remain operationally durable to the impacts of trauma, and what to do if they recognize that they are struggling. 

Chief Fredrickson talks about coming from a LEO family, how he entered a life of service, the first call that had an impact on him, what it was like to lead his department through the tragic line of duty death of Sgt. Sean Gannon, and what a valuable asset the peer support network was to his organization in the aftermath of that tragedy. He also shares with us some of his experiences working in sex crimes, goes into detail about one investigation that led to the arrest and prosecution of of a serial rapist, and how that same investigation led Frank to his future wife. 

Tara discusses duty trauma, the impact(s) of her son's diagnosis & battle with cancer, faith, family, & how difficult times helped her grow into a more compassionate Police Officer. 

Joe also discusses how he was able to pick the pieces back up following the loss of his husband, the work he does with Survivors of Blue Suicide, and how sharing his & Joe's story to help others is a therapeutic process for Greg.

 https://www.survivorsofbluesuicide.org/

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. 

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/

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/

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

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

To learn more about Lynn check out her website: 

 https://www.destinedtothrivegriefcoaching.com/

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.

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. 

The LOSS Team Plymouth County was founded in 2021 - and after 2 years of preparation, launched in January of 2023. They are a volunteer group that works with police departments across Plymouth County to bring Hope and support to suicide loss survivors in the immediate wake of devastating loss. Charlette & Lauren are team coordinators for the LOSS Team, they are also suicide loss survivors. Both woman share openly about why they are passionate about this work, and we discuss the value that LOSS teams bring to a community, to the first responders who serve on those calls and in those communities, & the hope they can provide families who have experienced a loss by suicide.

They do offer a first responder discount - check out Stretch N Motion in Braintree @ https://stretchnmotion.squarespace.com/

Chief Michael Ryan (EMS), Adam Lauzon (Carver FD), and Joshua Mcdermott (Carver PD), have partnered together to develop a multi agency First Responder Wellness Program within their community, improving access to resources and making it easier for first responders to reach out when they need help. 

All three share from their own experiences why developing this program has become a priority for them, how it will benefit first responders, their families, their emergency response force as a whole, and the community they serve.

Check out Selina's first Novel - First on Scene Howling Sirens @ Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

Adam also shares with us how he quickly became desensitized to dead bodies, how the job began to change him slowly, until one day while on duty Adams life was changed forever. After an officer involved shooting Adams personality began to change. He discusses those changes openly, how he coped, and how he suffered. He also expresses compassion for everyone involved that day, and shares with us that getting honest with himself and making his well-being a priority was how he began to heal. 

Today Adam still works in law enforcement while advocating for for first responder mental health and helping others through Stop the Threat Stop the Stigma.

Check out Bernice's unique line of casual /chic apparel for woman who support law enforcement @ https://www.bfcapparel.com/

Rep X also shares about the importance of departmental leadership fostering a culture that supports first responders and encourages wellness. 

Reverend Royce discusses dealing with loss and grief in his own life, he talks about his upbringing, his family, his inspiration to join the military, the trauma he has witnessed in the prison system, being called to service, & the work he is doing to improve the mental health climate in corrections.

Chief Shobert shares with us about his upbringing, a family history of substance abuse, how he wanted better for himself, and how living a life of service to others as a firefighter changed his life for the better.

Matt & Tami also discuss the bad calls he had during his career, how he coped with those calls, how they managed those times as a couple, how his career ended when he suffered a near fatal injury on duty, the Post traumatic stress that surfaced while he was recovering from his physical injuries, the unwavering support he received from his wife Tami, and how they got through it all together.

If you would like to know more about Matt & Tami's journey, check out their book "A Little Help Here"

Since then, Autumn has built a professional coaching practice, coaching hundreds of woman to find their authentic selves, tap into their own unique gifts and abilities, and work with those gifts resulting in major breakthroughs. She continues to reach out to others through her podcast "She's an Asset" as well as her in person seminars.

However, Heather continues to serve.

Today, she has a private practice in Hanover called Crosswinds Counseling, where she works with first responders and other front line workers, including military personnel. She is a culturally competent clinician who truly understands the specific exposures to trauma experienced by first responders & the ways in which duty trauma can effect a first response family.

Keith discusses duty trauma, trauma in his personal life, substance abuse, loss, grief, suicidality, a diagnosis of complex PTSD, & how through it all he was able to find hope & begin to heal.

Today, Keith advocates for first responder mental health, substance use recovery, and suicide awareness.

Cindy shares with us who Mike was in life, what it was like for her to lose the love of her life, to grieve that loss publicly, while guiding and mothering her children through the loss of their father. 

Cindy also shares how she was able to get through that time, how she was able to begin healing, and how she has begun using her experience to help other law enforcement widows find their own pathway to healing. 

Cindy's story is not just one of loss, it is one of grit, of courage, of love, strength, recovery, and service. 

 Currently, Chaplain Hebert is an Advanced Emergency Medical Technician at the Becket Ambulance Department and a Firefighter/AEMT in the Town of Dalton. He provides advanced pre-hospital care and transportation to the injured or sick. He continues to deliver exceptional medical services in emergency situations, whether working alone or as part of a team.

Doug - President, Founder, and Chairman at Survive First - discusses his time as a professional athlete, shares with us about his career in law enforcement as a SWAT Sniper, and talks openly about how his experiences impacted his mental health and family dynamics.

Karen - Executive Director at Survive First - shares from the perspective of a first responder's spouse, and how she began to educate herself about the ways that trauma can effect first responders to better understand and support Doug. 

Together, their message is one of a family who found a way to heal together, and how they've dedicated their efforts to helping other first responder families find their own healing.

When a person suffers from PTSD – Their loved ones share in that experience.

A person can move through trauma to growth & develop a more meaningful appreciation for life.

When a person moves through trauma to growth – Their loved ones share in that experience.

Dan shares openly with us about those difficult calls that have stuck with him, the past and present state of first responder mental health, & the loss of his brother to suicide. 

In his search for the best programs to help Police Officers during times of struggle he attended the Boulder Crest Foundations Warrior PATHH program. After attending, not only did he begin to refer numerous officers to the program, but he began to work on his on growth as well with what he had learned. Robert then began to volunteer with Boulder Crest in various regions throughout the country introducing Posttraumatic Growth and the Struggle Well training to Law Enforcement Officers. Robert also worked with State Legislators in the creation and implementation of statewide peer support confidentiality laws, mandatory training requirements and funding for Police Peer Support Teams statewide.

In 2021 Robert was appointed to and still sits on the National Fraternal Order of Police Wellness Committee.

Throughout his career law enforcement career Robert had both directly and indirectly been involved in countless critical incidents and is personally familiar with the impacts of trauma, struggle and the lifestyle law enforcement has had on himself as well as other officers and family members.

For more information visit: https://bouldercrest.org

Donna also authored the book series Behind and Beyond the Badge which can be purchased by following this link: https://www.amazon.com/BEHIND-BEYOND-BADGE-FIREFIGHTERS-DISPATCHERS/dp/194310641X/ref=asc_df_194310641X/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312763424639&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=7737855657682448360&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9002022&hvtargid=pla-605099054300&psc=1&mcid=58acd88ab8b63f08b6ee940a4396567c&gclid=Cj0KCQjw2PSvBhDjARIsAKc2cgOxaSr7w4kSVSEBCGe-wGOK8ZlINLHMt8FRcjL3S9iRsL0OsESEWw4aAjToEALw_wcB 

He was appointed as the commander of the METROLEC Crisis Negotiations Team & currently serves as a negotiator for the SEMLEC Crisis Negotiations Team.

John regularly trains police officers, cadets, & fellow negotiators in the areas of critical incidents & conflict resolution.

He is also a military veteran who served in the Army for 7 years.

Today - John uses the challenges & struggles of his past to help others, by speaking at conferences, seminars, & departments. He is the author of the book "Self Inflicted Wounds", founder of Law Enforcement Life Coaching, & host of a great podcast called Sometimes Hero's Need Help. 

Jennifer is also the spouse of a medically retired police officer. She shares with us the challenges that PTSD brought into all aspects of her families life, and how she began to use coaching to help move them through their daily struggles. 

Trease is a RN, BSN, CLNC, & Integrative Functional Medicine Practitioner for Protecting the Guardian. She has over 22 years in healthcare practice focusing on cardiology, critical care, health coaching and lifestyle wellness.  Caring for patients, she incorporated a holistic “whole body” wellness to their plan of care realizing the reduction of prescriptive medications, weight loss, & improved home relationships are directly related to physical and mental wellness.

Father Sean shares with us about his law enforcement family, his time and experience as a police officer, his move to the seminary, training and experience in counseling, CISM, crisis response, responding to victim survivors, work with first responders, and his role as BPD Chaplain. We talk about trauma, PTSD, suicide, loss, grief, and healing.

Kevin is a founding member of the South Eastern Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council (SEMLEC) CISM / Peer support unit and recently became co-director.

This is a department that supports the mental wellness of its officers.

 The Quell Foundation strives to reduce the number of suicides, overdoses and the incarceration of people with mental health illness. They work to accomplish this by encouraging people to share their stories, increasing access to mental health services, providing a pipeline of future mental health care professionals with scholarships, and training first responders to recognize mental health crisis warning signs amongst their own.

Mike is now a mindfulness coach, his passionate belief in the benefits of mindfulness was evident as he explained how the process can increase resiliency, performance, and well-being in first responders. 

To learn more please visit: https://www.nemindfulnessandperformance.org/home

Chris shares openly about his mindset as a new recruit & how that changed over time. He describes the impact of loosing co-workers, provides a vivid description of the of the Oklahoma city bombing scene, talks about the impact those incidents and many others had on his mental health, and the steps he took to rediscover wellness. 

Sean has been a police officer for 26 years, he joins Linda and Jay to discuss his career - including his experience in an officer involved shooting. Sean shares how the job impacted his mental health, his family relationships, how stigma played a role in his life, and how mindfulness and other recovery methods helped restore him to a state of well-being.

Walter openly discusses trauma's that he has faced in his own life, including the loss of his father at a young age. Walter's dad was a police officer who died in the line of duty. He also discusses duty trauma, the changes he's witnessed in how mental health is approached in first response, and his passionate hope to see further change lead to future progress.

Joe shares with us and our audience his thoughts about struggle, resiliency, first responder mental health, and his passion to educate others.

Chief Glynn talks openly about the impact that critical incidents can have on first responders, some of his earliest calls that he still carries with him today, & how focusing on his own mental health produced positive results in both his personal & professional lives.

They join us on the podcast to discuss their career's in law enforcement, the current state of mental health in first response, what it used to look like, and the progress they've seen in the field.

Shay has combined her military and counseling experience with her love and appreciation for the benefits of Yoga, to create Yoga Fit for warriors.

Yoga Fit for warriors focuses on alleviating symptoms associated with PTSD & TBI in the first response and military/veteran communities.

Police officers Justin Simmons, Ryan Doherty, Thomas Lesage, Tom Delaney, and Tony Gentile are Alex's friends and were fellow officers at the Abington Police Department.

It was a privilege to hear the stories of how Alex lived, and an honor to listen as these gentlemen shared their own experiences as suicide loss survivors. 

To learn more about Raul or the work that he does to advocate, educate, & promote awareness around the mental health issues that our first response & veteran communities face - check out survivefirst.us 

Give2those.org represents the hope those lost will never be forgotten, that those still serving, our veterans & first responders will be supported, & to bring America united in our hearts for the greater good.

Give2those.org represents the hope those lost will never be forgotten, that those still serving, our veterans, & first responders will be supported, & to bring America united in our hearts for the greater good.

Christopher talks openly about the realities of duty trauma & the challenges he faced when he embarked on his first fundraising venture; A Trans America Bike Ride. 

Please consider checking out Christophers facebook group "A penny for their thoughts" to learn more about his past rides & to see what he's up to next.

(We did experience some minor audio issues while recording this interview but chose to release the episode as is because we felt the emotional content could not be recaptured)

Rob speaks openly with us about experiencing the loss of his son Aiden to suicide & the community of support that got his family through the initial shock. We also talk about substance abuse education in the school system, some of the impacts that Covid-19 had on a generation of students, & the benefits of talking to young people about Mental Wellness. 

Mark joins us on the podcast & speaks openly about his own experiences with duty trauma, childhood abuse, suicide, faith, and healing.

Jonathon found himself contemplating suicide before turning to faith, finding Hope, and recovering his life & sense of well-being. 

Jonathon wrote the award winning book "Break Every Chain" detailing his true story of trial & redemption which was then turned into a movie.

When a person suffers from PTSD – Their loved ones share in that experience.

 
A person can move through trauma to growth & develop a more meaningful appreciation for life.

When a person moves through trauma to growth – Their loved ones share in that experience.

 
John is a Fire Captain & Military Veteran.

John & his wife Jackie speak openly about their shared experiences with Service, PTSD, Family, and Growth.

Tara discusses duty trauma, the impact(s) of her son's diagnosis & battle with cancer, faith, family, & how difficult times helped her grow into a more compassionate Police Officer. 

Heather discusses her work as a Paramedic, her passion for baking, and how that passion helped her recover from duty trauma & heal from depression.

Jennie & Paul share valuable information about suicide prevention, reduction, awareness, the education they provide through their coalition, & what led them to to do the work that they do.

(Coming Soon)

A Podcast that brings Awareness, Inspiration, & Conversation together 

For First Responders, Families, & Others interested in Mental Well-Being in First Response.

New episodes weekly with your hosts Jay Bailey & Linda Kokoros.