Tag: First responders

Paramedic/Dispatcher Michael Henderson, Take Charge of Your Own Recovery

All Network Episodes, The Firefighter Deconstructed

Taking Charge of Your Recovery. The Firefighter Deconstructed sits down with paramedic and dispatcher Michael Henderson. Michael was a paramedic in Oakland, CA and then became a dispatcher. He was a dispatcher on duty during the catastrophic Tubbs Fire in Santa Rosa and Napa that became the most destructive fire in California history. We talk about his journey through trauma and the resulting PTSI. Michael’s spiral down to the bottom of that dark hole almost cost him his life. His journey back is one of resilience and inspiration. We also talk about the Stellate Ganglion Block treatment for PTSI and Michael’s experience with it.
You can find Michael at:
www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100028203436078
Mj_henderson@hotmail.com

Fighting Through The Darkest Times in Law Enforcement: Michael Sugrue

Podcast 50: Positive Connections Radio
Fighting Through the Darkest Times in Law Enforcement
Retired U.S. Air Force Captain and Police Sergeant Michael Sugrue joins me again on Positive Connections Radio for my 50th episode.
Michael speaks up about smashing the stigma and going all in to get the help you need. How Command Staff (showing their true leadership abilities) can set the bar and open the doors for officers getting mental health assistance.
Trusting that it is ok to ask for help. Asking for help before it is too late to keep your job and perform your duties once honored and respected with the passion for helping others. How can we help others in these times of chaos when we refuse to admit that we need help ourselves.
www.MentalHealthNewsRadio.com
www.positiveconnectionsradio.com

A Grandmother’s Sorrow: The Murder of Little Christopher

All Network Episodes, Domino Effect of Murder

Imagine being a thousand miles away from your little grandson when you learn of his murder by a man he barely knew, then having to relay this to your son (his father) followed by an acquaintance asking why you didn’t stop it. Kristen allows us to accompany her on a grievous journey she never imagined taking – nor having the strength to endure – and how the State of Utah failed Christopher.

Rescue to Recovery: The Rebuttal

All Network Episodes, First Responder Mental Health Network, Mental Health News Radio

The onslaught of harassing, ignorant, hateful, and incorrect backlash that every podcaster received who had Tracey Brown on their shows was immense. People targeted our network, our podcasters, their families, our employee’s families with wild assumptions that had a questionable basis of truth. We did not know Tracey Brown before the interview but we certainly stand with her and against bullying and harassment of anyone. Today’s show is about what happened after we aired her episode and we speak for all the other incredible podcasters, radio hosts, booksellers, and anyone else that became a target of hate after interviewing her. This isn’t even about Tracey Brown. This is about vitriol, hate, harassment, and other illegal activities, as well as, pulling in our United States Coast Guard to a mess that maligns this incredible institution.

Tracey Brown is a United States Coast Guard Veteran 1983-1987 QM3. She wore many hats as most Coast Guard men and women did in those days. She would be a firefighter one day, a small boat crew swimmer another. The Quartermaster rating in the USCG specializes in navigation. Even before understanding the extent of how the characteristics of PTSD had affected her personal life, Tracey was educated as a Director of Physical Rehabilitation and has been working for over twenty-five years in the field. The last decade has been dedicated to specialized work in pain reduction via scar tissue therapy. This is where she began to realize the “lostness” and confusion PTSD can create. She hopes to help not only the helpers, heroes, and warriors get beyond the stigma of PTSD but for all that have endured stress after trauma and hopes to help further the conversation and understanding of Post-traumatic Stress.

http://www.rescuetorecovery.com/

Officer Sean Wyman – Broken to Unbreakable

All Network Episodes, The Firefighter Deconstructed

The Firefighter Deconstructed sits down with Sean Wyman and talks about getting out from being miserable. Sean Wyman is a18 Year Law Enforcement Officer and Trainer, Army Veteran, father of 3, and husband of 14 years. He is also trauma informed care speaker, trauma trainer, and bestselling author. Sean went through a horrific childhood that continued to direct his life and how he lived. Sean realized just how miserable he was and decided to do something about it. His journey is remarkable. Sean has now dedicated his life to helping others get unstuck.

Sean Wyman Links:
gbtcbook.com
gbtc911.com

Deconstructing the Mental Health of First Responders During Civil Unrest

All Network Episodes, First Responder Mental Health Network, Mental Health News Radio

Join Kristin and Christy as they talk about how civil unrest is impacting our first responders. Christy is the host of one of our network podcasts, Firefighter Deconstructed.

Christy Warren is a retired Fire Captain from the Berkeley (California) Fire Department. She has twenty-five years of service as a professional paramedic, with seventeen years as a professional firefighter. She was diagnosed with PTSD in 2014 and spent several years recovering. Since retiring from the fire service, she has completed a triathlon, the Escape From Alcatraz swim, and a bachelor’s degree in business from Washington State University. She is a volunteer at the West Coast Post Trauma Retreat and works as a substitute teacher at Juvenile Hall in Martinez. She lives in Pleasant Hill, California with her wife Lisa and her dog Harriet.

https://firefighterdeconstructed.com/

Convo with Juliet Ruiz, Thanatologist (Part Two)

All Network Episodes, Domino Effect of Murder

In this second half of the discussion, thanatologist Juliet Ruiz talks candidly about how working with the subject of death impacts her own views of mourning, how to approach the family member who is closed down, what it might mean when someone won’t stop talking about a death, something called “meaning making,” integrated grief, the special loss of a sibling, how grieving can be seen as a gift because it spares the one we lost from going through it, conflicted grief, her reaction to murder-as-entertainment and the importance of finding others with a common ground.

Rick Markley, Volunteer Firefighters and Mental Health

All Network Episodes, The Firefighter Deconstructed

Rick Markley and I talk about the unique challenges that volunteer firefighters and their departments face in taking care of their wellness and mental health. There is so much more involved than just bad calls. You may think that an episode on volunteer firefighters has nothing to do with you, but with volunteers making up 67% of the fire service in the United States, this subject matters to everyone. Rick Markely has been a Volunteer fire fighter for almost 12 years.
He is also he former editor-in-chief of FireRescue1 and Fire Chief, a volunteer firefighter and fire investigator, and is a contributor to FirefighterCloseCalls. He serves on the board of directors and is actively involved with the International Fire Relief Mission, a humanitarian aid organization that delivers unused fire and EMS equipment to firefighters in developing countries. He holds a bachelor’s degree in communications and a master’s of fine arts. He has logged more than 15 years as an editor-in-chief and written numerous articles on firefighting.

https://volunteerfirefighterintl.com/
Firefighter Close Calls
http://www.firefighterclosecalls.com/
Book “Pass it on 3: Making Good Progress” (coupon code for 25% off: goodprogress)
https://fireengineeringbooks.com/pass-it-on-3-making-good-progress/
International Fire Relief Mission
https://sites.google.com/ifrm2007.com/ifrm2007-intl-fire-relief/home

IPSA International Public Safety Association: Dr. Stephen Odom: First Responder Wellness

Podcast 49: Positive Connections Radio
IPSA International Public Safety Association
Dr. Stephen Odom (First Responder Wellness)

Dr. Stephen Odom is a notable healthcare and addiction treatment professional with more than 30 years of expertise in the field. He is the founder and Chief Clinical Officer of First Responder Wellness by Simple Recovery.
He possesses an educational background in organizational behavior, clinical psychology and healthcare administration. This valuable combination allows him to integrate current research knowledge, clinical and administrative practice understanding, and practical, directly relevant experience. Stephen holds a bachelor’s degree in Organizational Behavior from Covenant College, a Master’s in Experimental Psychology (Univ. of Tennessee), a Master’s in Clinical Psychology (Palo Alto University), and a Doctorate (Ph.D.) with a focus in Healthcare Administration (Capella University). He is also a licensed marriage and family therapist in the state of California.
Stephen has served in multiple roles during his career, including CEO & Chief Clinical Officer of New Vista Behavioral Health, a Director’s post of Program Development for CRC Health and multiple Administrative and Clinical Director posts at various behavioral health and chemical dependency treatment centers and hospitals in California, including Hoag Hospital in Newport Beach and El Camino Hospital in the San Francisco Bay area. Moreover, Stephen served as a university adjunct faculty member in Psychology and Child Development and continues to work in private practice. Dr. Odom has been coined as a wellness and behavioral health expert with peer-reviewed articles published on mental health, substance abuse and technology; was presented the national Behavioral Health Champion award in 2018; has appeared on The Today Show; the 2016 documentary film California High, and multiple print, radio, and podcast media channels.
Dr. Odom’s focus on First Responder Wellness was born of his family’s career backgrounds with the military, healthcare, law enforcement and public safety, and was honed as he created and led specialty programs for physicians, nurses, first responders and their families. In his distinguished and extensive career in behavioral health and addiction treatment, Stephen’s empathetic and therapeutic approach has allowed him to connect not only with his clinical teams but each first responder who walks through the door.
www.MentalHealthNewsRadio.com
www.positiveconnectionsradio.com
www.Firstresponder-Wellness.com

Courtney, Daughter of Cop with PTSI. “When he was unavailable I felt like why bother being on this Earth”

All Network Episodes, The Firefighter Deconstructed

The Firefighter Deconstructed sits down with another amazing daughter of a long time police officer. 21 year old Courtney talks about growing up as the oldest kid in a family with a first responder dad that works long hours as a police officer…and ends up with PTSI. No one talked to Courtney to tell her what was going on with her dad. No one explained that her dad was isolating and unavailable because he was being haunted by years of being a police officer. Courtney assumed she should be doing more for her parents instead of her parents doing more for her. At one point Courtney ponders “why even be alive if my parents aren’t here for me.” She also points out that she knows her parents did the best they could. BUT all of this went on much longer than it needed to, if only policeman dad was able to identify what was going on and ask for help. Lack of education and stigma kept Courtney and her dad suffering much longer than needed, which ultimately led to long term issues Courtney is dealing with now. Dear first responder parents (and all parents), you bring your job home with you. You must talk to your kids and you must get help yourself no matter how paralyzing the stigma is. Just listen to Courtney and she’ll tell you all about it.

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