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Episode 120 With Scott L. Booth

What if the very thing you were taught to hide as a leader is the key to unlocking stronger teams and deeper trust?

In this episode, Cinnamon sits down with Scott L. Booth, Deputy Chief of Health and Safety and Peer Support Coordinator at Gig Harbor Fire and Medic One, to explore why vulnerability is not weakness—it’s a leadership superpower.

With over 35 years in the fire service, Scott shares his personal journey: from a childhood marked by trauma, to building a career devoted to public service, to championing emotional intelligence and peer support in his department. His story shows how authenticity, shared struggle, and presence can transform firehouse culture.

Together, Scott and Cinnamon talk about:

• Why vulnerability creates trust and resilience—even in high-stress environments.
• How childhood adversity shapes first responders more than most realize.
• The surprising role of shared struggle in building close, high-performing teams.
• Why “me too” might be the two most powerful words in the firehouse.
• The difference between being “fun to hang out with” and leading with true competence.

This isn’t about soft skills. It’s about survival, connection, and leadership that lasts.

If you’ve ever felt pressure to have all the answers, or wondered how to build trust in a profession that teaches silence, this episode is for you.

🎧 Tune in to learn how leaders like Scott Booth are proving that strength and softness are two sides of the same coin.

DISCLAIMER:
After the Tones Drop has been presented and sponsored by Whole House Counseling. After the Tones Drop is for informational purposes only and does not constitute for medical or psychological advice. It is not a substitute for professional health care advice diagnosis or treatment. Please contact a local mental health professional in your area if you are in need of assistance. You can also visit our shows resources page for an abundance of helpful information.

ATTD Music Credits (Music from #Uppbeat):

• https://uppbeat.io/t/vens-adams/adventure-is-calling License code: ANJCYVHRMULSNKQR
• https://uppbeat.io/t/vens-adams/rise-of-the-hero License code: H4WTAGJZIXZCM8DM
• https://uppbeat.io/t/yeti-music/homewardLicense code: KO7FZAIJBAEAJLKE
• https://uppbeat.io/t/sonda/the-heart-grows License code: KAID0ITO96GJZAPS
• https://uppbeat.io/t/philip-anderson/achievement License code: XZ4PMCKHW94GUR74
• https://uppbeat.io/t/tobias-voigt/nexus
  License code: MVMDRGHKHTJRABVR
• https://uppbeat.io/t/paul-yudin/breakthrough
  License code: FYPM3OJF0NQ4OGTE

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Episode 119: Adam Boyd – Rethinking Situational Awareness

We’re trained to protect others—sometimes so well that we forget to protect ourselves. 

In this conversation with Adam Boyd of Soleful Training, we talk about what it really takes to create resilient first responders—physically, mentally, and at home. 

Adam’s redefining “situational awareness” to include the one place we tend to ignore: our own lives. 

If you’ve been running on empty, putting your badge, your crew, and your community ahead of your own well-being, this one’s for you.

DISCLAIMER:
After the Tones Drop has been presented and sponsored by Whole House Counseling. After the Tones Drop is for informational purposes only and does not constitute for medical or psychological advice. It is not a substitute for professional health care advice diagnosis or treatment. Please contact a local mental health professional in your area if you are in need of assistance. You can also visit our shows resources page for an abundance of helpful information.

ATTD Music Credits (Music from #Uppbeat):

• https://uppbeat.io/t/vens-adams/adventure-is-calling License code: ANJCYVHRMULSNKQR
• https://uppbeat.io/t/vens-adams/rise-of-the-hero License code: H4WTAGJZIXZCM8DM
• https://uppbeat.io/t/yeti-music/homewardLicense code: KO7FZAIJBAEAJLKE
• https://uppbeat.io/t/sonda/the-heart-grows License code: KAID0ITO96GJZAPS
• https://uppbeat.io/t/philip-anderson/achievement License code: XZ4PMCKHW94GUR74
• https://uppbeat.io/t/tobias-voigt/nexus
  License code: MVMDRGHKHTJRABVR
• https://uppbeat.io/t/paul-yudin/breakthrough
  License code: FYPM3OJF0NQ4OGTE

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Faith doesn’t always survive the job.

 For a lot of first responders, it’s not that you don’t want to believe anymore—it’s that after what you’ve seen, you can’t reconcile the idea of a loving higher power with the chaos, pain, and loss you’ve witnessed.

In this solocast, I’m talking about what happens when the faith you were handed—Sunday school, stained glass, perfect attendance—stops working. And how sometimes, the only way forward is to build your own version from scratch.

This isn’t about religion. It’s about finding something that can sit with you on the kitchen floor at 2 a.m., pass you a tissue, and say, “Yeah, this is awful. But you’re not alone.”

If your faith looks more like a patched-up Build-A-Bear than a bearded man in the sky, this episode is for you.

DISCLAIMER:
After the Tones Drop has been presented and sponsored by Whole House Counseling. After the Tones Drop is for informational purposes only and does not constitute for medical or psychological advice. It is not a substitute for professional health care advice diagnosis or treatment. Please contact a local mental health professional in your area if you are in need of assistance. You can also visit our shows resources page for an abundance of helpful information.

ATTD Music Credits (Music from #Uppbeat):

• https://uppbeat.io/t/vens-adams/adventure-is-calling License code: ANJCYVHRMULSNKQR
• https://uppbeat.io/t/vens-adams/rise-of-the-hero License code: H4WTAGJZIXZCM8DM
• https://uppbeat.io/t/yeti-music/homewardLicense code: KO7FZAIJBAEAJLKE
• https://uppbeat.io/t/sonda/the-heart-grows License code: KAID0ITO96GJZAPS
• https://uppbeat.io/t/philip-anderson/achievement License code: XZ4PMCKHW94GUR74
• https://uppbeat.io/t/tobias-voigt/nexus
  License code: MVMDRGHKHTJRABVR
• https://uppbeat.io/t/paul-yudin/breakthrough
  License code: FYPM3OJF0NQ4OGTE

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Episode 117 — Vickie Speed: 

When Cancer Comes for One of Our Own

Let’s stop pretending cancer is a retirement problem. It’s not. It’s a right-now problem—and it’s gutting the law enforcement community while too many departments still think a “pink patch” is enough.

In this raw, deeply human episode, Cinnamon sits down with Vickie Speed, widow of Detective Mitch Speed and founder of Blue Cancer Connect—the first national organization built to support officers and families navigating cancer.

Vickie’s story isn’t just one of loss. It’s one of clarity, purpose, and a blueprint for what real support should look like.

They talk about:

• Why early detection needs to be more than a suggestion
• What most families are missing when cancer hits
• How Blue Cancer Connect is giving departments an actual plan—not just “awareness”
• And why spouses and partners deserve to be seen and heard, too

This one will challenge you. And it’ll move you. Because it’s not just about cancer—it’s about what kind of community we want to be when things fall apart.

🎧 Listen now.
https://www.afterthetonesdrop.co/vickie-speed

DISCLAIMER:
After the Tones Drop has been presented and sponsored by Whole House Counseling. After the Tones Drop is for informational purposes only and does not constitute for medical or psychological advice. It is not a substitute for professional health care advice diagnosis or treatment. Please contact a local mental health professional in your area if you are in need of assistance. You can also visit our shows resources page for an abundance of helpful information.

ATTD Music Credits (Music from #Uppbeat):

• https://uppbeat.io/t/vens-adams/adventure-is-calling License code: ANJCYVHRMULSNKQR
• https://uppbeat.io/t/vens-adams/rise-of-the-hero License code: H4WTAGJZIXZCM8DM
• https://uppbeat.io/t/yeti-music/homewardLicense code: KO7FZAIJBAEAJLKE
• https://uppbeat.io/t/sonda/the-heart-grows License code: KAID0ITO96GJZAPS
• https://uppbeat.io/t/philip-anderson/achievement License code: XZ4PMCKHW94GUR74
• https://uppbeat.io/t/tobias-voigt/nexus
  License code: MVMDRGHKHTJRABVR
• https://uppbeat.io/t/paul-yudin/breakthrough
  License code: FYPM3OJF0NQ4OGTE

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Episode 116 – “Tones Dropped. So Did He.” The fall—and rise—of Matty Fiorenza

We Don’t Need Awareness. We Need a Damn Roadmap.
with Matty Fiorenza

Let’s stop pretending awareness is the goal. First responders don’t need another campaign... they need real help, real tools, and a system that doesn’t collapse the minute someone says, “I’m not okay.”

In this raw and honest conversation, Cinnamon sits down with retired Anaheim firefighter/paramedic Matty Fiorenza—founder of the First Responder Peace and Refuge Foundation and a man who knows what it means to rebuild a life from the inside out. From addiction and trauma to faith, brotherhood, and post-retirement purpose, Matty shares what actually helped, and what didn’t.

They dig into real-deal interventions like the Stellate Ganglion Block (SGB), EMDR, ART, neurofeedback, and the daily work it takes to keep showing up for yourself. This episode isn’t about breaking stigma. It’s about building systems that work.

If you’re serious about supporting first responders, this is the conversation.
And if you are one, then this might just be the permission slip you’ve been waiting for.

Looking for professional support that understands the job?

Email Cinnamon: [email protected]

Contact us: https://whole-house.com/contact

Contact Information for Matty Fiorenza

FRPR Website:  https://frprfoundation.com

Email Matty: [email protected]  

DISCLAIMER:
After the Tones Drop has been presented and sponsored by Whole House Counseling. After the Tones Drop is for informational purposes only and does not constitute for medical or psychological advice. It is not a substitute for professional health care advice diagnosis or treatment. Please contact a local mental health professional in your area if you are in need of assistance. You can also visit our shows resources page for an abundance of helpful information.

ATTD Music Credits (Music from #Uppbeat):

• https://uppbeat.io/t/vens-adams/adventure-is-calling License code: ANJCYVHRMULSNKQR
• https://uppbeat.io/t/vens-adams/rise-of-the-hero License code: H4WTAGJZIXZCM8DM
• https://uppbeat.io/t/yeti-music/homewardLicense code: KO7FZAIJBAEAJLKE
• https://uppbeat.io/t/sonda/the-heart-grows License code: KAID0ITO96GJZAPS
• https://uppbeat.io/t/philip-anderson/achievement License code: XZ4PMCKHW94GUR74
• https://uppbeat.io/t/tobias-voigt/nexus
  License code: MVMDRGHKHTJRABVR
• https://uppbeat.io/t/paul-yudin/breakthrough
  License code: FYPM3OJF0NQ4OGTE

Send us a text

What happens when a first responder doesn’t just hit rock bottom—but takes responsibility for the impact of the fall?

In this powerful and deeply honest episode, Cinnamon sits down with John Kelly, a retired deputy, author, and coach who has turned his personal reckoning into a mission to help others avoid the same crash. Together, they explore what accountability really looks like after the damage is done—and what it means to choose healing before you burn everything down.

John shares the moment a friend’s tough-love confrontation changed his life, the complicated reality of repairing relationships even while doing better, and the difference between compartmentalizing and suppressing the truth. They also talk about the emotional labor of leadership, the silent resentment of people-pleasing, and the trap of staying silent because "you’re supposed to be the strong one."

If you’ve ever thought, “I’ll deal with it later”—this is your reminder that later has a cost. And you’re the one who pays it.

🎧 Listen now to hear a story of grit, grace, and what it really takes to live for your family—not just be willing to die for them.

John Kelly

Email: [email protected] 

Website / Coaching Programs: Law Enforcement Life Coach – Sometimes Heroes Need Help https://www.lawenforcementlifecoach.com

Book by John Kelly:
Surviving Self‑Inflicted Wounds: A Deputy’s Life of Redemption

DISCLAIMER:
After the Tones Drop has been presented and sponsored by Whole House Counseling. After the Tones Drop is for informational purposes only and does not constitute for medical or psychological advice. It is not a substitute for professional health care advice diagnosis or treatment. Please contact a local mental health professional in your area if you are in need of assistance. You can also visit our shows resources page for an abundance of helpful information.

ATTD Music Credits (Music from #Uppbeat):

• https://uppbeat.io/t/vens-adams/adventure-is-calling License code: ANJCYVHRMULSNKQR
• https://uppbeat.io/t/vens-adams/rise-of-the-hero License code: H4WTAGJZIXZCM8DM
• https://uppbeat.io/t/yeti-music/homewardLicense code: KO7FZAIJBAEAJLKE
• https://uppbeat.io/t/sonda/the-heart-grows License code: KAID0ITO96GJZAPS
• https://uppbeat.io/t/philip-anderson/achievement License code: XZ4PMCKHW94GUR74
• https://uppbeat.io/t/tobias-voigt/nexus
  License code: MVMDRGHKHTJRABVR
• https://uppbeat.io/t/paul-yudin/breakthrough
  License code: FYPM3OJF0NQ4OGTE

Send us a text

If You’re Not First, You’re Last (And No, This Isn’t About NASCAR)

We’ve all heard the line “If you’re not first, you’re last.” It was meant to be a joke in a ridiculous movie, but what if there’s real truth buried inside the absurdity?

In this solo episode, Cinnamon unpacks what it means to quietly slide into last place in your own life—not because someone pushed you there, but because of a dozen tiny, well-intentioned “yeses.” From over-functioning to people-pleasing, Cinnamon explores how we slowly erase ourselves in the name of being helpful, capable, and dependable… until burnout becomes the background music.

This isn’t a call to be selfish. It’s a call to be strategic.
Because putting yourself first doesn’t mean you matter more—it means you remember that you matter too.

🎧 Listen in for a short, honest wake-up call that might just help you reclaim your time, your peace, and your place at the top of your own priority list.

Ready to stop living in last place? 🎙️ Tune into this special Solocast of After the Tones Drop, Episode #114, now.

📩 For therapy or trauma-informed coaching with Cinnamon, visit https://whole-house.com/therapy

DISCLAIMER:
After the Tones Drop has been presented and sponsored by Whole House Counseling. After the Tones Drop is for informational purposes only and does not constitute for medical or psychological advice. It is not a substitute for professional health care advice diagnosis or treatment. Please contact a local mental health professional in your area if you are in need of assistance. You can also visit our shows resources page for an abundance of helpful information.

ATTD Music Credits (Music from #Uppbeat):

• https://uppbeat.io/t/vens-adams/adventure-is-calling License code: ANJCYVHRMULSNKQR
• https://uppbeat.io/t/vens-adams/rise-of-the-hero License code: H4WTAGJZIXZCM8DM
• https://uppbeat.io/t/yeti-music/homewardLicense code: KO7FZAIJBAEAJLKE
• https://uppbeat.io/t/sonda/the-heart-grows License code: KAID0ITO96GJZAPS
• https://uppbeat.io/t/philip-anderson/achievement License code: XZ4PMCKHW94GUR74
• https://uppbeat.io/t/tobias-voigt/nexus
  License code: MVMDRGHKHTJRABVR
• https://uppbeat.io/t/paul-yudin/breakthrough
  License code: FYPM3OJF0NQ4OGTE

Send us a text

Episode 113 – Cindy “Ci” Rodriguez: Unpacking the Armor: Childhood Trauma, Leadership, and Life After Law Enforcement

How a Retired Lieutenant Turned Trauma Into Peer Advocacy and Personal Power

What happens when a career in law enforcement collides with a lifetime of unprocessed trauma?

In this episode of After the Tones Drop, retired Las Vegas Police Lieutenant Cindy “Ci” Rodriguez gets honest about the cost of carrying pain you never named—and the power of finally facing it.

From her early years in one of the country’s most intense sex crimes units to her healing journey after retirement, Ci shares a raw, no-BS look at what it takes to move from survival mode to conscious living. She opens up about discovering her ACEs (Adverse Childhood Experiences), what that revealed about her leadership style, and how unresolved energy and trauma show up in the body whether we want to admit it or not.

This is part life story, part leadership clinic, and part soul-check.

You’ll hear:
 ✔️ How childhood adversity shaped her career in law enforcement
 ✔️ The moment she realized healing had to come from the inside out
 ✔️ Why she shifted from command leadership to coaching and peer advocacy
 ✔️ What "slow living" really looks like after decades of nonstop service

Ci’s not here to sugarcoat anything. She’s here to offer truth, tools, and a new lens for every first responder stuck between burnout and breakthrough.

Listen now if you're ready to lead and live with more intention, less suppression, and a hell of a lot more self-respect.

Contact Cindy at [email protected]. 

DISCLAIMER:
After the Tones Drop has been presented and sponsored by Whole House Counseling. After the Tones Drop is for informational purposes only and does not constitute for medical or psychological advice. It is not a substitute for professional health care advice diagnosis or treatment. Please contact a local mental health professional in your area if you are in need of assistance. You can also visit our shows resources page for an abundance of helpful information.

ATTD Music Credits (Music from #Uppbeat):

• https://uppbeat.io/t/vens-adams/adventure-is-calling License code: ANJCYVHRMULSNKQR
• https://uppbeat.io/t/vens-adams/rise-of-the-hero License code: H4WTAGJZIXZCM8DM
• https://uppbeat.io/t/yeti-music/homewardLicense code: KO7FZAIJBAEAJLKE
• https://uppbeat.io/t/sonda/the-heart-grows License code: KAID0ITO96GJZAPS
• https://uppbeat.io/t/philip-anderson/achievement License code: XZ4PMCKHW94GUR74
• https://uppbeat.io/t/tobias-voigt/nexus
  License code: MVMDRGHKHTJRABVR
• https://uppbeat.io/t/paul-yudin/breakthrough
  License code: FYPM3OJF0NQ4OGTE

Send us a text

Let’s get honest. In a profession where courage is worn like a badge and burnout is considered a side effect of the job, nutrition usually ends up on the back burner—or worse, dictated by Instagram gurus and protein powder ads.

In this episode of After the Tones Drop, Cinnamon sits down with Megan Lautz—a registered dietitian who doesn’t do fluff, fad diets, or fear-based wellness. She serves up real talk on what first responders actually need to fuel their bodies, manage stress, and lower their long-term health risks.

We bust the myth about artificial sweeteners (spoiler: aspartame isn't the villain), call out the hypocrisy at “wellness” events pouring free beer, and put the spotlight where it belongs—on actionable nutrition strategies that fit a chaotic, shift-based lifestyle.

Megan’s not here to preach. She's here to equip. Because when your job is to save lives, yours shouldn’t be sacrificed in the process.

🎧 Listen now to get:

• The truth about aspartame, alcohol, and actual cancer risk
• Tactical food tips that work in 24-hour shifts
• Why cultural competence in nutrition could save careers—and lives

This isn’t a pep talk. It’s a wake-up call. And it might just be the most important conversation you’ve had all week.

DISCLAIMER:
After the Tones Drop has been presented and sponsored by Whole House Counseling. After the Tones Drop is for informational purposes only and does not constitute for medical or psychological advice. It is not a substitute for professional health care advice diagnosis or treatment. Please contact a local mental health professional in your area if you are in need of assistance. You can also visit our shows resources page for an abundance of helpful information.

ATTD Music Credits (Music from #Uppbeat):

• https://uppbeat.io/t/vens-adams/adventure-is-calling License code: ANJCYVHRMULSNKQR
• https://uppbeat.io/t/vens-adams/rise-of-the-hero License code: H4WTAGJZIXZCM8DM
• https://uppbeat.io/t/yeti-music/homewardLicense code: KO7FZAIJBAEAJLKE
• https://uppbeat.io/t/sonda/the-heart-grows License code: KAID0ITO96GJZAPS
• https://uppbeat.io/t/philip-anderson/achievement License code: XZ4PMCKHW94GUR74
• https://uppbeat.io/t/tobias-voigt/nexus
  License code: MVMDRGHKHTJRABVR
• https://uppbeat.io/t/paul-yudin/breakthrough
  License code: FYPM3OJF0NQ4OGTE

Send us a text

In this episode of After the Tones Drop, Cinnamon sits down with Matt Griffin—U.S. Navy veteran, former undercover cop, and member of the Attorney General’s Drug Task Force—to talk about the unspoken weight of service and what it takes to come out the other side. From high-adrenaline training as a SAR swimmer to the slow burn of emotional fallout, Matt opens up about the identity crisis that can hit when the uniform comes off—and the long road to healing that follows.

We dig into how early experiences shaped his worldview, including the culture shock of leaving the inner-city public school system to enter an elite private prep school, the disappointment that came at the end of his Naval career, and—most devastating of all—the catastrophic loss of a fellow brother’s young son, a tragedy for which Matt still carries a deep sense of responsibility. Through it all, he speaks to the miracles found in friendship and faith that ultimately saved him. Matt shares why vulnerability—not stoicism—may be the bravest move of all.

He also offers insights from his book, The Journey to Midnight, where he chronicles the raw, redemptive process of rediscovering who you are when everything else falls away.

If you’ve ever wondered what happens behind the scenes of recovery—or what it takes to face your darkness and live to tell the story—this one’s for you.

DISCLAIMER:
After the Tones Drop has been presented and sponsored by Whole House Counseling. After the Tones Drop is for informational purposes only and does not constitute for medical or psychological advice. It is not a substitute for professional health care advice diagnosis or treatment. Please contact a local mental health professional in your area if you are in need of assistance. You can also visit our shows resources page for an abundance of helpful information.

ATTD Music Credits (Music from #Uppbeat):

• https://uppbeat.io/t/vens-adams/adventure-is-calling License code: ANJCYVHRMULSNKQR
• https://uppbeat.io/t/vens-adams/rise-of-the-hero License code: H4WTAGJZIXZCM8DM
• https://uppbeat.io/t/yeti-music/homewardLicense code: KO7FZAIJBAEAJLKE
• https://uppbeat.io/t/sonda/the-heart-grows License code: KAID0ITO96GJZAPS
• https://uppbeat.io/t/philip-anderson/achievement License code: XZ4PMCKHW94GUR74
• https://uppbeat.io/t/tobias-voigt/nexus
  License code: MVMDRGHKHTJRABVR
• https://uppbeat.io/t/paul-yudin/breakthrough
  License code: FYPM3OJF0NQ4OGTE