Dear Chiefs Podcast

Mental Health is a hot button topic in the world of emergency responders. We hear about PTS and the ultimate burnout that comes from seeing things day in and day out that no human should ever have to see. We even too often hear about suicide because the troubles get too big. What isn't being talked about enough, is the high divorce rate among responder relationships and how to guard our marriages against it.⁠

In this episode we sat down with Daniel Mills of @911buddycheck and talked about why he started the Buddy Check Project, what happens when first responders don't get help with their mental health, and how to avoid PTS leading to divorce. ⁠

Join us today as we unpack what Daniel describes as his "The Yet Factor" and how it impacts relationships in EMS. Fair warning, his story is intense, so make sure when you listen to this episode that you are in a comfortable and quiet and safe place.


The 911 Buddy Check Project is the mental health revolution.  They help providers climb and conquer the four mountains: mental, physical, emotional and spiritual.  Providing peer support and personal training.  More than just talk, but actual solutions and healing.

For more information about 911 Buddy Check Project visit www.https://www.911buddycheck.org/

Or find them on instagram: @911buddycheck

"Believe in something even it means sacrificing everything"
Join us for this short bonus episode as we pay tribute to our fallen heroes.
Where were you on 9/11/2001?

Does your baby or toddler have a hard time sleeping in general or when your first responder is away from home?⁠ You're in for a treat because in this week's episode we had a chance to sit down with Heidi Lovens a certified Baby + Toddler Sleep Coach specializing in gentle and holistic techniques to help support sleep for the ENTIRE family!

Heidi shares her best 5 tips of how to get your child on the path to a better night's sleep + shares a bit about her journey as a fire wife. And if that isn't enough, in this episode, we end with a little challenge for our listeners, so make sure you listen all the way to the end!

For more information on Heidi and her sleep coaching, please visit https://everydaylovens.com/

You can also find Heidi on Insta: @everydaylovens

$75 off Heidi's sleep training package for fire families! USE code: FIREFAMILY 

Join us as we talk to Dr. Kristy De Leon about how to support our first responders as they begin to return from the California Fires, nationwide BLM protests and other critical incidents that they encounter during their shifts.

Dr. Kristy De Leon, PsyD has 18 years in the mental health field, is first responder wife, mom to 2 boys (one with Autism and the other with ADHD). Dr. Kristy has a long history with grief & loss making it one of her areas of specialty. She is first generation Colombian and her upbringing included a constant grief towards relatives still in Colombia and cultural differences. In addition to working through the grief of losing loved ones, Dr. Kristy worked through and has researched the ambiguous loss/chronic sorrow experienced by parents of special needs children. Her journey as a first responder wife & special needs mother has been the source of inspiration for her passion towards helping women and couples restore their sense of self through acts of self love so that the quality of their marriage begins to improve within days.

Resources from Episode:

1. What is PTSD?

https://www.yourtango.com/experts/marshon-thomas/five-silent-signs-ptsd-less-noticeable-and-obvious

2. First Responders & PTSD:

https://firstresponderstressmanagement.com/how-to-understand-ptsd-for-first-responders-frontline-workers/?pp=1

3. Trauma vs PTSD.
First Responder's symptoms may be a natural response to trauma rather than PTSD.

https://mentalhealthathome.org/2018/11/02/what-is-trauma-vs-ptsd/amp/

4. PTSD checklist:

https://pin.it/69C4WmV

Coping with Anxiety:

1. Different Coping Mechanisms

https://www.thelawofattraction.com/tips-coping-stress/?utm_source=pinterest&utm_medium=pin&utm_campaign=pin-loa&utm_content=tips-coping-stress

2. How to be there for your spouse:

https://loveandbluesblog.com/ptsd-first-responders/

3. The Love Language Test- so important to know your spouse top two love languages so that you know exactly how to love them. 

https://www.5lovelanguages.com/

Mental Health Website resources:
https://www.mentalhealth.gov/

https://www.betterhelp.com/
https://www.talkspace.com/

Whether it is because mom or dad are away during a shift or COVID-19 has them distance learning, our kiddos need routines and schedules. We had a chance to sit down with Amanda Cearley fellow fire wife and Educational Specialist and talk about how to keep children grounded and get through some tough times. 

What happens when communication breaks down between you and your first responder? What if things are left unsaid? How can we best respond and relate to what our significant others are going through when they get home? Want answers to these questions and so many more? Well, you're in luck because in this episode, we break it down from the responder's perspective and give you tangible tips on how to begin to create a safe place for your hero to land.

Jeff Banman is the executive director of The Operational Mindset Foundation and Host of Mindset Radio Podcast. Every moment of every day is unscheduled, unknown and uncertain as to how far someone will have to go to protect lives, property or the security of our Nation. The mission of The Operational Mindset Foundation is to empower those who serve  to face the challenges of their respective roles by providing them the most relevant training, development and tools critical and necessary to success on the job AND AT HOME.

If you would like to connect with us and others in our community please join our facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/dearchiefspodcast/
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Follow along with Jeff:

Operational Mindset Foundation: https://www.opmindset.org/
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Join us as we check in with each other, talk a little about our journey through fire season, and explain the meaning behind the podcast name. 

Ashley Iverson lost her husband Cory a Fire Apparatus Engineer while he was battling the Thomas Fire in Ventura California in 2017. In the midst of her family's incredible loss, Ashley founded the Cory Iverson Foundation for Active Awareness (IFAA) to change the narrative surrounding mental health in the fire service. Too often our first responders are told that "if they are not strong enough mentally to take it, they don't belong ". IFAA aims to change the narrative within agencies in order to provide better mental support and resilience to our community.

Ashley shares her journey through grief and how IFAA is impacting Mental Health in the Fire Service.  

Get to know Val Selby of Wife Behind the Fire.  We get a little giggly in this one, but for those seasoned fire wives, you'll laugh right along with us! 

Listen in with us as we talk with Dr. Mynda Ohs about her journey as a firewife, mental health provider, an amazing resource for fire families, and author of Fully Involved: A Guide For Being In A Relationship With A Firefighter.