
Sign up to save your podcasts
Or


Send a text
Stigma keeps too many first responders silent, and silence can cost careers, health, and lives. We sit down with a former deputy sheriff and burnout expert AK Dozanti to map clear, practical ways leaders and peers can replace fear with trust—without waiting for a crisis to force the issue. From the first honest check-in to a policy that actually protects time for care, we unpack what real support looks like on and off shift.
We talk about the gap between leadership and the line, and how to close it with routine, human conversations—quarterly coffee, or even better, side-by-side cruiser rides that make it easier to open up. You’ll hear why “the opposite of depression is expression,” how to speak up safely using unions and peer support, and why building a pre-crisis network is the strongest predictor of bouncing back after critical incidents. We also get candid about therapy: EAPs help, but cultural awareness matters. When clinicians understand shift work, critical incidents, and the code of the job, responders stop giving “safe” answers and start telling the truth.
We spotlight two resources built for the field. Beat the Burnout reverse-engineers burnout with stepwise guidance and constant actions you can use even when your brain is crispy. Responder Reset delivers 99 “read-this-when” tactics for moments like wired-but-tired or post-incident spikes—grounding, bilateral stimulation, breathing, and proprioceptive tools explained in plain language with tactical trade-offs. Leaders will learn why embedded clinicians accelerate trust, how annual wellness visits normalize care before it’s urgent, and how to frame mental health in practical, tactical terms that earn buy-in.
If you value practical tools over platitudes, this conversation is for you. Listen, share it with your shift, and tell us: what one change would make your department safer to speak up? Subscribe for more candid, field-tested strategies, and leave a review to help other first responders find this show.
Visit her website at: www.akdozanti.com
Support the show
YouTube Channel For The Podcast
By Steve Bisson5
2020 ratings
Send a text
Stigma keeps too many first responders silent, and silence can cost careers, health, and lives. We sit down with a former deputy sheriff and burnout expert AK Dozanti to map clear, practical ways leaders and peers can replace fear with trust—without waiting for a crisis to force the issue. From the first honest check-in to a policy that actually protects time for care, we unpack what real support looks like on and off shift.
We talk about the gap between leadership and the line, and how to close it with routine, human conversations—quarterly coffee, or even better, side-by-side cruiser rides that make it easier to open up. You’ll hear why “the opposite of depression is expression,” how to speak up safely using unions and peer support, and why building a pre-crisis network is the strongest predictor of bouncing back after critical incidents. We also get candid about therapy: EAPs help, but cultural awareness matters. When clinicians understand shift work, critical incidents, and the code of the job, responders stop giving “safe” answers and start telling the truth.
We spotlight two resources built for the field. Beat the Burnout reverse-engineers burnout with stepwise guidance and constant actions you can use even when your brain is crispy. Responder Reset delivers 99 “read-this-when” tactics for moments like wired-but-tired or post-incident spikes—grounding, bilateral stimulation, breathing, and proprioceptive tools explained in plain language with tactical trade-offs. Leaders will learn why embedded clinicians accelerate trust, how annual wellness visits normalize care before it’s urgent, and how to frame mental health in practical, tactical terms that earn buy-in.
If you value practical tools over platitudes, this conversation is for you. Listen, share it with your shift, and tell us: what one change would make your department safer to speak up? Subscribe for more candid, field-tested strategies, and leave a review to help other first responders find this show.
Visit her website at: www.akdozanti.com
Support the show
YouTube Channel For The Podcast