Donn Bradley joins us from California , we discuss the work he does as a mental health clinician for first responders. He shares with us about his prior career in law enforcement and the mental health challenges he experienced as a result of duty trauma. Donn also shares with us his own reluctance to get help when he was struggling, how those types…

Send us a text Barry Zworestine, a combat veteran and psychologist, shares his story of growing up in Southern Rhodesia and fighting in the Rhodesian Bush War. He discusses the challenges of transitioning back to civilian life and the importance of understanding the veteran experience. Barry emphasizes the need for allied health professionals to be…

Bernice joins us and shares her story of becoming a police officer and how she came to pride herself on her ability to engage with and support the community. Bernice was passionate, and her first few years on the department were promising - but then something changed, and depression began to set in. Listen to this episode to hear how Bernice naviga…

Send us a text Discover how Todd Stewart, known as Chappie, transformed immense suffering into a beacon of hope. In this episode, we explore Todd's journey from a young firefighter to a chaplain, helping others navigate their darkest times. After witnessing a traumatic event early in his career, Todd was forced to suppress his emotions due to the "…

State Representative Steven Xiarhos joins us on the podcast and shares about his 40 years working in law enforcement. He also talks about his childhood, and discusses grief & loss - including the loss of his son Nicholas who was serving in Afghanistan & the LODD of Officer Sean Gannon. Rep X also shares about the importance of departmental leadersh…

Donn Bradley joins us from California , we discuss the work he does as a mental health clinician for first responders. He shares with us about his prior career in law enforcement and the mental health challenges he experienced as a result of duty trauma. Donn also shares with us his own reluctance to get help when he was struggling, how those types…

Send us a text #13 Mary Millsaps: From Trauma to Triumph Have you ever wondered how someone can rise from the depths of unimaginable hardship to become a beacon of hope and healing for others? Join us in this emotional and transformative episode as we sit down with Mary Millsaps, co-founder of Operation Angel Wing. Mary shares her incredible journe…

Send us a text What does it take to find purpose after serving in the military? Join us as we hear from Michael, a Navy veteran whose story is both inspiring and deeply human. Growing up in a Navy family, Michael's 15-year service journey took him from San Diego to Virginia Beach, where he worked with special operators. After leaving the uniform be…

Reverend Royce Raymond joins us & shares about his time as an Army Chaplin & as a prison Chaplin. We discuss life in the military, and in the prison system, along with duty, grief, friendship, mentorship, peer support, and chaplaincy. Reverend Royce discusses dealing with loss and grief in his own life, he talks about his upbringing, his family, hi…

Send us a text What if the toughest experiences of your life could transform into your greatest wisdom? Join us for an enlightening conversation with Scott Duncan, a retired Lieutenant Colonel from the United States Marine Corps, as he opens up about his journey from a tumultuous childhood to an illustrious military career. Scott shares the emotion…

Chief Matt Shobert has over 30 years of experience in the fire service, which includes working as a Chief in both California & Arizona. 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.…

Send us a text What happens when a retired Police Officer channels his experiences into a narrative of resilience and recovery? Join us for a compelling conversation with David Berez, who takes us through his remarkable transformation from a troubled childhood to a dedicated career in law enforcement. You'll hear about the moment that shifted his d…

Send us a text How does a young, uncertain mother transform into a pivotal member of one of the world's most renowned police forces? Janet Wiszowaty, our remarkable guest and retired Royal Canadian Mounted Police Dispatcher, takes us through her deeply personal journey. Janet describes the unexpected opportunity that led her into a demanding yet cr…

Autumn Clifford joins us on the podcast and shares about her lifelong journey with martial arts, her career in law enforcement, the pain and isolation she experienced after suffering a career ending back injury 6 years into that career, and how an intervention from her mom helped her rediscover herself and pick herself back up during her most diffi…

Send us a text Can you imagine facing a kidnapping, assassination attempt, and being seen as the enemy in your own community, all while striving to protect and serve? Richard Oakley, or Rich, a retired DEA senior special agent, joins us to tell his gripping story of resilience against unimaginable odds. From his early inspiration by local police of…

Heather Colangelo joins us on the podcast & shares her experience as a law enforcement officer, how she felt she had to prove herself in a predominantly male profession, and how her promising career was ended prematurely; the result of an on-duty injury. However, Heather continues to serve. Today, she has a private practice in Hanover called Crossw…

Send us a text What if the most challenging times in your life could become your most significant opportunities for growth? Join us as we sit down with Michael Pellegrino, a retired detective from the Ewing Police Department in New Jersey and the author of "Crisis Equals Opportunity: Finding Growth and Resilience in Challenging Times." Michael take…

Keith Hanks joins us on the podcast and shares openly about the purpose he found early on in his career in the fire service, the trauma(s) that shaped his life, & the impact that declining mental health had on his state of well-being. Keith discusses duty trauma, trauma in his personal life, substance abuse, loss, grief, suicidality, a diagnosis of…

Send us a text What drives a man from the path to priesthood to the heart of a war zone? Join us as we sit down with Floyd "Shad" Meshad, a remarkable figure whose journey defies all expectations. From his early days in a devout Catholic family in Birmingham, Alabama, to his transformative role as one of the first mental health officers in Vietnam,…

Kelsey Gunther joins us on the podcast this week. Kelsey shares her story of childhood trauma, how she has felt like a helper going all the back to when she was a child on the soccer field, what it was like to join the EMS community as a senior in high school & how some of the calls quickly began to effect her. Kelsey eventually became a dispatcher…

Foye Belyea shares his story of going from US Marine to a Man of Faith. Often, our journey into a deep faith starts from the darkest of moments. Foye's journey is no different, yet his ability to help others on their journey is truly unique. Kean is grateful to know Foye on a personal level and also considers him a mentor. Follow/connect with Foye …

Cindy Chesna - Widow of Weymouth Police Sgt Michael Chesna (EOW 7.15.2018) joins us on the podcast. 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 throu…

Carolyn Forde joins us on the podcast to share about her long career in EMS, which began right after high school. She openly discusses how over time the calls she was responding to began to add up and how that affected her. Carolyn also shares about using alcohol to cope with those duty traumas, how loosing a close friend and co-worker to suicide c…

Joe Kelley (author of "Badge, Bars, To Beyond") shares his raw and inspiring story of fulfilling his life long dream of becoming a Police Officer (K9), marrying his college sweetheart, to then developing an addiction, losing it all and ultimately serving 2 years in state prison next to the people he put there. Joe's story doesn't end there, it just…

Send us a text What happens when the weight of saving lives becomes too heavy to bear? Join us for a gripping conversation with Jim Lydon, a retired fire chief and one of the many voices in the upcoming book "Wounds to Wisdom Healing Through Veteran First Responder Narratives." Jim takes us from his childhood in Northern California, where he discov…

Send us a text What happens when a dedicated US Navy veteran and former US Marshal faces the ultimate test of resilience and integrity? This week, we're honored to welcome Robert "Bobby" Ledogar, who takes us through his compelling life journey from the streets of Queens, New York, to Desert Storm and the high-stakes world of the US Marshals. Bobby…

Send us a text What if your greatest pain could become your most profound source of wisdom? Join us for an intimate conversation with Holly Higgins, a contributing author of "Wounds to Wisdom: Healing Through Veteran and First Responder Narratives." Holly shares the impactful journey of her life with a World War II veteran father who battled addict…

Send us a text Join us in a heartfelt conversation with Melissa Hanks Ketchell, a dedicated veteran advocate and Gold Star sister of Lance Corporal Michael W. Hanks, as she shares memories and the profound journey that led to her brother’s military service. Melissa recounts Michael’s inspiration to join the Marines, their shared experiences through…

Send us a text Our guest, Chad Bruckner, a resilient Army veteran and law enforcement officer, recounts his inspiring journey from teenage turbulence to finding purpose and validation in the military at just 17. This episode unravels Chad's life story, highlighting the values of hard work and personal growth instilled during his time in the Army, a…

Chaplin J.D Hebert joins us to share about his career in first response, beginning with working for ski patrol & earning his EMT, followed by decades working various roles in EMS & the fire service. He also shares with us how he was called to serve through Chaplaincy, CISM, & how he provides compassionate care to first responders during their own t…

Doug & Karen Monda join us to talk about Survive First - Where there mission is to reduce first responder suicide through quality education, peer support, and mental health and wellness resources, while fostering a greater sense of community and awareness amongst first responders and their supporters. Doug - President, Founder, and Chairman at Surv…

Memorial Day 2024 special episode to Honor Our Fallen, specifically fallen US Navy SEALs. Kean shares what made Memorial Day weekend change for him and asks several former US Navy SEALs and those close to the NSW community to share a tribute to a specific fallen teammate and/or honor our fallen. Special thank you to Robert Sweetman, Bill Brown, Lar…

Darren joins us on the podcast to share about his career in the fire service, how decades of service and duty trauma impacted him shortly into his retirement, how he began on a hearty pursuit to understand his own mental health, trauma recovery, and how he's using what he learned to help others.Af Hope Beyond the Badge

Debbie joins us on the podcast to discuss her time in the military & career in law enforcement as a 911 dispatcher. She shares with us about responding to the LA riots, some of the more difficult calls she's had as a dispatcher & how those calls impacted her, including an incident where officers were ambushed & one of them was killed. Debbie also s…

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, resil…

Cassie Sexton joins us and shares her story of going from a grocery store into a life of law enforcement. She talks about working parking enforcement, in the city jail, as a dispatcher, and responding to a mass shooting incident early in her career. As the years went on Cassie would also have to deal with the loss of co-workers, including co-worker…

Wayne Hancock joins us and shares his experience as a call firefighter & his career in law enforcement. He talks about prison violence, suicide, and how he can still remember the sounds and the smells associated with some of those instances. Wayne shares how duty trauma impacted him, his journey to sobriety and trauma recovery, where he is at in hi…

Julie shares her depth of knowledge about horses, people, trauma, healing, & how she brings them all together at her Wild Hearts program to help first responders recover from trauma & reconnect with their loved ones.Af Hope Beyond the Badge

Reactions to trauma can impact the way a person experiences life. 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 with us about his career in law in law enforcement which began in 1992. He has worked for departments in Rhode Island & Florida. Dans experience includes working as a patrol officer, in detentions, street crimes, auto theft, domestic violence, homicide, sex crimes, burglary, and he currently works as a civilian background investigator. D…

Prior to joining Boulder Crest Foundation’s First Responder Initiative as the Director for New England, Robert spent 35 years as a Police Officer in Massachusetts. During his Law Enforcement career Robert was a key participant in the creation of the SEMLEC Peer Support / Critical Incident Stress Management Team. Robert served as the team’s Director…

Donna Brown began her career in Law Enforcement working the streets answering calls for service. She discovered a passion training new recruits and began teaching department wide, at the academy, and to community groups. Donna also worked in criminal investigations for 15 years, ten of those years were spent supervising the homicide unit. When she …

John Tamoosh is an Assistant Deputy Superintendent for the Plymouth County Sherriff's office, an agency he has served with since 1994. While working as a corrections officer John developed an interest in Crisis Negotiations & began serving as a negotiator in 2006. He was appointed as the commander of the METROLEC Crisis Negotiations Team & currentl…

Vance Row joins us on the podcast to discuss his over 20 year career in law enforcement & shares how duty trauma & injuries impacted his mental health & led to negative coping mechanisms. Eventually Vance began to calm his nervous system and reclaim his well-being when he found Yoga, which ultimately led to Yoga Rescue - where Vance wants to use Yo…

John Kelly joins us & shares about his 30 plus years in law enforcement. We discuss some of the lessons he learned over the course of his career, we talk about trauma, addiction, infidelity, and how they affected John and his family. Today - John uses the challenges & struggles of his past to help others, by speaking at conferences, seminars, & dep…

Jennifer Anderson is the founder and CEO of First Responder Coaching - where they help first responders identify challenges, positives, and create goals / structures for strong, healthy, lasting careers and relationships. Jennifer is also the spouse of a medically retired police officer. She shares with us the challenges that PTSD brought into all …

In this episode we have a conversation with retired Police Chief Russell Jenkins, retired Fire Chief Joe Davis, and retired Police Captain Joe Comperchio. This panel of retired first responders share about their early days on the job, duty trauma, some of the calls that stuck with them, how these careers effect our family members, loss, grief, reti…

Trease Smock's passion for mental wellness and suicide prevention came to light when she lost her father (LEO) by suicide in 2014. We discuss the loss of her father, how that event impacted her and her family, how she grieved, what helped her heal, and her passion to help others. Trease is a RN, BSN, CLNC, & Integrative Functional Medicine Practiti…

Father Sean is Parish Priest at Sacred Heart Church in Weymouth Ma, Boston Police Department Chaplain, and previously worked in law enforcement himself as a police officer with the Marshfield Police Department. Father Sean shares with us about his law enforcement family, his time and experience as a police officer, his move to the seminary, trainin…

Sgt Harrington joins Linda & Jay and shares about his career and experience in law enforcement. In addition to the work he does with his comfort dog Nola supporting his peers, he has also worked in public school and college environments. Kevin is a founding member of the South Eastern Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council (SEMLEC) CISM / Peer suppo…