Chad is an Army veteran, firefighter and smoke diver.  We discuss how addiction cost him relationships, a dream career in special operations and almost his life.  Chad is now a year sober and courageously talks about this topic, which has been stigmatized for years.  Do not miss this one!

Chad - Episode 164

Bringing the greatest minds in mental and physical wellness to the men and women who serve our communities.

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Mental Health

Angela Lee Pucci held the One Championship Atom Weight title for six years. Whilst announcing her retirement, she revealed that she had tried to take her own life a few years prior. In 2022, Angela lost her sister Victoria to suicide. This lead her to create her non-profit Fight Story. In this powerful and important conversation we discuss her journey into the martial arts, the pressure put on youth athletes, her success in the cage, her powerful mental health story, the healing power of motherhood, weight cutting, Foundation Training and so much more.  Angela is breaking through barriers, entering a new space of one that is mental health & wellness with fight story Inc. Angela has been a professional mma fighter since 2015 and is a 6x mma world champion in one championship. While the world has only seen her in this light, she has been dedicated to the creation and development of this organization since losing her younger sister, Victoria to suicide in December 2022. Angela has been endlessly working in both her professional, and interpersonal life to ensure that narratives of mental health and illness are not left in the dark. She wishes to use her platform on social media and the world of mma to leave a positive impact on the world. For this reason, she has founded the mental health non-profit organization, fight story in honor of her younger sister, Victoria lee. Angela believes in the power of sharing personal stories and connecting through our lived experiences. She has since opened up and shared her own experiences with overcoming battles with mental health and illness. Angela understands the urgent need to talk more about mental health and is determined to help those battling in silence Though you may feel lonely in your battle with mental health, You are not alone. https://fightstory.org/

Angela Lee Pucci (MMA, Mental Health and Healing) - Episode 916

Scott Howell is a strength and conditioning coach, podcaster and the founder of Red Dot Fitness.   We discuss youth athletics, his journey into personal training, gym management, the entrepreneur's leap of faith, the pandemic's impact on gym owners, training the tactical athlete, weapons training and so much more.  Founder of Red Dot Fitness, Scott Howell is a dedicated certified health and fitness professional with over 2 decades of real world, practical, hands-on experience. Following his passion for helping people and living a healthy lifestyle, Scott began his professional career in 1996 as a personal trainer while pursuing a degree in business at Cal Poly State University in San Luis Obispo, California. He began working in small intimate fitness and training facilities then later took the plunge into the world of commercial & corporate fitness. As a National Director of Personal Training, he was a senior director/operator and personal training educator for one of the world’s largest fitness corporations nearly 400 clubs strong. After more than 10 years of commercial & corporate fitness, Scott made the life altering decision to stop traveling the country in 2010 and focus his skills locally to those clients who truly want to improve their health & fitness, performance, body image, and lifestyle. In April 2010 he launched Red Dot Fitness. Scott's dynamic and innovative approach to training incorporates both an art and science. He's achieved certifications through several industry organizations and authorites including the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) and USA Weightlifting (USAW). He has created and authored several training programs and manuals, and serves as a mentor to select health and fitness professionals. He has competed in a multitude of sports disciplines including bodybuilding, collegiate football, and multi-sport events from adventure racing to triathlon. Scott takes pride in his diverse training and client experience that spans multiple fitness services and market segments. He guarantees an intense and motivating training experience EVERY time.

Scott Howell (Coaching, Health and Marksmanship) - Episode 915

Tulsi Gabbard is a Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves, 4-term Congresswoman, 2020 Presidential candidate and author.  We discuss addressing the obesity epidemic, mental health and addiction, proactive healthcare, the prison system, the importance of diplomacy, how we can recruit trusted leaders, the military-industrial complex, the first responder professions, the Hawaii wildfires, kindness, community and so much more.  Tulsi Gabbard is a combat veteran with deployments to the Middle East and Africa. She currently serves as a Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves working as a Civil Affairs officer. She first served in elected office in the Hawaii State House of Representatives when she was 21 years old. Due to the attacks on 9/11, she enlisted in the Army National Guard.  In 2004, Tulsi gave up an easy re-election campaign and volunteered to deploy to Iraq with the 29th Brigade Combat Team where she served in a medical unit. After returning home in 2006, she worked in the U.S. Senate as a legislative aide to the late Senator Danny Akaka, who was Chairman of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee. She then volunteered for a second Middle East deployment as a Platoon Leader. Having experienced first-hand the true cost of war, and in memory of her brothers and sisters in uniform, she ran for Congress at 31 years old, vowing to honor their lives and sacrifice.  Tulsi prevailed in a difficult election and went on to serve for eight years in Congress as a member of the Armed Services, Homeland Security, and Foreign Affairs Committees, where she dealt with highly sensitive national security issues. She has always done her best to put country before party and approaches every issue, domestic and foreign, through the lens of what will best ensure the safety, security, and freedom of the American people.

Tulsi Gabbard (Leadership, Community and Health) - Episode 914

Rick Cheatham spent 24 years as an Anahiem firefighter and was a Special Operations Captain.  We discuss his early life, his journey into the fire service, his USAR deployments, sex addiction, mental health, the murder of his son, grief, spirituality, family, the freak accident that paralysed him and so much more. 

Rick Cheatham (Firefighting, Grief and Forgiveness) - Episode 913

Rian Ilett is a Royal Marine, author and cancer survivor.  We discuss his early life, attending a scared straight programme in Mexico, his journey into the military, his perspective on war, kindess on the battleground, the injury that revealed his brain tumor, his powerful recovery journey and so much more.  Former Royal Marine Commando Lance Corporal (LCpl) Rian Ilett, from Portsmouth in Hampshire, was diagnosed with a brain tumour after he was caught in an explosion while on operations in the Middle East in February 2019. An MRI scan identified the tumour and a biopsy later revealed it was a grade 4 glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), carrying with it a stark prognosis of just 12 to 15 months. The veteran underwent surgery to debulk the tumour, followed by intensive radiotherapy and chemotherapy. He finished treatment in December 2019 and his scans have remained stable ever since. Now nearly three years post-diagnosis, Rian, a 33-year-old dad-of-two, has written and self-published a book about his experiences. His hope is that ‘Every Day Is A Battle: Fighting demons, Jihadis and terminal cancer’ will inspire and motivate others suffering with physical and mental health problems caused by a life-changing diagnosis.

Chad - Episode 164

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