What happens when unimaginable loss becomes a mission to save lives?

When police officer Paul Buchanan died by suicide, he left behind a heartbreaking note explaining that he wanted help—but feared asking for it would cost him his badge, his gun, and his career. That fear cost him everything.

His son, Jared Buchanan, refused to let his father's story end there.

In this powerful episode of the First Responder Wellness Podcast, host Conrad Weaver sits down with Jared Buchanan—Marine Corps veteran, licensed psychotherapist, suicide prevention advocate, and ultramarathon runner—and filmmaker Daniel Herzog, director of the documentary Beautifully Broken.

Together they explore how grief can become purpose, why movement can be a powerful tool for healing trauma, and how one family's tragedy is helping first responders across the country begin conversations that save lives.

If you are a police officer, firefighter, EMT, dispatcher, corrections officer, veteran, family member, or leader responsible for first responder wellness, this is an episode you won't forget.

Why Officer Paul Buchanan believed asking for help would end his career

How Jared transformed grief into purpose by running ultramarathons—including a 304-mile race across Arizona

Why physical movement can play an important role in processing trauma

The connection between endurance sports, resilience, and post-traumatic growth

How filmmaker Daniel Herzog spent three years documenting this remarkable journey

The healing power of vulnerability, forgiveness, and honest conversations

The story behind Believe 208, the nonprofit honoring Officer Paul Buchanan's legacy

Why changing the culture around mental health in first responder organizations starts with leadership

✔ Mental health stigma continues to prevent many first responders from seeking help.

✔ Healing doesn't come from ignoring pain—it comes from moving through it with purpose.

✔ Physical activity can become a healthy outlet for processing grief and trauma.

✔ Storytelling has the power to save lives by opening conversations that otherwise never happen.

✔ Connection—not isolation—is one of the greatest protective factors against suicide.

Jared Buchanan is a Marine Corps veteran, licensed psychotherapist, suicide prevention advocate, motivational speaker, and ultramarathon runner. After losing his father, Officer Paul Buchanan, to suicide in 2013, Jared dedicated his life to helping first responders and others find healing through purpose, resilience, and meaningful connection.

Daniel Herzog is an award-winning filmmaker, creative director, and journalist whose work focuses on the first responder and veteran communities. He directed the feature documentary Beautifully Broken, chronicling Jared's extraordinary journey from tragedy to hope.

Beautifully Broken Documentary

Believe 208

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)

Viktor Frankl and Logotherapy

Carl Jung

Alfred Adler

PTSD911

First Responder Wellness Solutions

This episode is valuable for:

Police officers

Sheriff's deputies

Firefighters

EMS professionals

Dispatchers

Corrections officers

Military veterans

Chaplains

Mental health professionals

Agency leaders

First responder families

Anyone grieving the loss of a loved one

One conversation can change—or even save—a life.

If this episode encouraged you, please:

Subscribe to the First Responder Wellness Podcast

Leave a 5-star review

Share this episode with someone in your department

Start a conversation about mental health and resilience

If your agency, organization, college, or community would benefit from hosting a screening of Beautifully Broken or PTSD911, we'd love to help you begin the wellness conversation.

Beautifully Broken Documentary

Facebook: Beautifully Broken Documentary

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Need Help? We have a list of resources at www.firstresponderwellness.co/resources

Book a PTSD911 screening event: contact [email protected]

Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/first-responder-wellness-podcast/id1535675703

Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2wW72dLZOKkO1QYUPzL2ih

The First Responder Wellness Podcast is a production of First Responder Wellness Solutions, LLC

Copyright ©2026 First Responder Wellness Solutions, LLC - All rights Reserved.

141 - Shot in the line of Duty - with Hali Bradford

She arrived at the hospital with 30 seconds of life and a 99.99% chance of not surviving. Her surgeon was moments from calling her time of death. And then — without medical explanation — the bleeding stopped.



This week on the First Responder Wellness Podcast, host Conrad Weaver sits down with Hali Bradford, a Louisiana National Guard MP veteran and police officer who was shot and nearly killed in the line of duty on August 5, 2023. What followed was not only a fight for physical survival — it became a fight for her identity, her career, her mental health, and her will to live.

In this powerful and deeply personal conversation, Hali recounts the moment she found herself looking down the barrel of a rifle during a domestic disturbance call — and how her CrossFit-built physical strength allowed her to drag herself out of the house, paralyzed from the waist down, to reach the partner who helped save her life. She was shot with a .223 round that entered her side and exploded into her abdomen, leaving bullet fragments across her pelvis, a fractured hip, nerve damage, and a permanently paralyzed left foot.

But the physical injuries were only part of the story.



In this episode, Hali opens up about:
- The profound lack of support she received from her department after the shooting
- Being terminated and stripped of her badge — a badge she nearly died for
- Living with no medical insurance, no benefits, and no workers' comp settlement while legally barred from working
- Navigating PTSD, anxiety, depression, and dark intrusive thoughts in the aftermath
- The trial of the man who shot her, which forced her to relive every detail
- How faith, discovered one year after the shooting, gave her a foundation to stand on
- The healing power of first responder wellness retreats and the sisterhood she found there
- Mission trips to Costa Rica and Africa that have reconnected her to her lifelong calling to serve

.

This episode is for every first responder, veteran, and family member who has ever been left to navigate trauma alone. It is for anyone who has wondered whether help is really worth reaching for. And it is for anyone who needs to be reminded that survival — real survival — looks like choosing to get up one more time.



Hali Bradford chose to get up. And she is still getting up.



Connect with Hali on Instagram: @paralyzed_to_purpose

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Need Help? We have a list of resources at www.firstresponderwellness.co/resources

Book a PTSD911 screening event: contact [email protected]

Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/first-responder-wellness-podcast/id1535675703

Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2wW72dLZOKkO1QYUPzL2ih

The First Responder Wellness Podcast is a production of First Responder Wellness Solutions, LLC

Copyright ©2026 First Responder Wellness Solutions, LLC - All rights Reserved.

140 - How is Filing a Complaint a Mental Health Tool - with Bridget Truxillo

Most first responders think of complaints as paperwork, politics, or career-ending decisions—not something connected to wellness. But what if staying silent is actually what does the most damage?

In this episode, Conrad Weaver sits down with attorney and former law enforcement officer Bridget Truxillo to explore the hidden psychological cost of toxic leadership, workplace discrimination, and the fear of speaking up.

Early in her career, Bridget became the only female member of her agency's SWAT team and served in undercover narcotics. But years of discrimination and a hostile work environment eventually drove her from the profession she loved. She never filed a complaint. She simply resigned—and the agency lost a dedicated officer it had invested years training.

Today, Bridget is the founder of Lady Law Shield, a law firm dedicated exclusively to protecting first responders. Drawing from both her experience behind the badge and in the courtroom, she explains why unresolved workplace conflict doesn't just affect careers—it affects mental health, families, and entire agency cultures.

Conrad and Bridget discuss:

Whether you're a police officer, firefighter, dispatcher, corrections officer, EMS professional, or agency leader, this conversation offers practical legal insight while challenging the belief that speaking up is a sign of weakness.

Sometimes protecting your mental health isn't about walking away.

Sometimes it's about finding the courage to make your voice heard.

https://ladylawshield.com/

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Need Help? We have a list of resources at www.firstresponderwellness.co/resources

Book a PTSD911 screening event: contact [email protected]

Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/first-responder-wellness-podcast/id1535675703

Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2wW72dLZOKkO1QYUPzL2ih

The First Responder Wellness Podcast is a production of First Responder Wellness Solutions, LLC

Copyright ©2026 First Responder Wellness Solutions, LLC - All rights Reserved.

139 - What Happens After the Diagnosis? With Suzanne Stone

For many people, cancer is something that happens to someone else. Until suddenly it doesn't.

In this powerful conversation, Conrad sits down with Suzanne Stone, CEO of the Livestrong Foundation, to explore what happens after a cancer diagnosis turns life upside down. While most conversations focus on treatment, Suzanne shines a light on the challenges few people talk about: strained marriages, overwhelmed caregivers, financial uncertainty, fertility decisions, and the emotional toll carried by entire families.

Suzanne shares how Livestrong has spent nearly three decades helping people navigate not just cancer treatment, but survivorship. From helping young adults preserve their ability to have children someday to supporting caregivers who are quietly struggling in isolation, her work reveals the hidden realities many families face.

The conversation takes a critical turn toward first responders, who face significantly higher rates of cancer due to occupational exposure. Suzanne discusses the unique barriers firefighters, law enforcement officers, EMS professionals, and their families face when navigating a diagnosis while continuing to serve their communities.

Listeners will also hear about Livestrong's ambitious effort to honor the 25th anniversary of 9/11 through a 343-mile cycling event connecting Boston and New York City, bringing awareness to the thousands of first responders who have developed cancer and other illnesses since that tragic day.

This episode is about more than cancer. It's about resilience, caregiving, advocacy, family, and what it means to support people when life changes overnight.

Learn more about Livestrong

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Need Help? We have a list of resources at www.firstresponderwellness.co/resources

Book a screening event: contact [email protected]

Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/first-responder-wellness-podcast/id1535675703

Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2wW72dLZOKkO1QYUPzL2ih

The First Responder Wellness Podcast is a production of First Responder Wellness Solutions, LLC

Copyright ©2026 First Responder Wellness Solutions, LLC - All rights Reserved.

138 - Mental Warefare is Part of the Path - Doc Springer

What if some of the things we've been taught about trauma, resilience, and suicide prevention are actually making the problem worse?

In this powerful conversation, Conrad Weaver sits down with Dr. Shauna "Doc" Springer—psychologist, author, speaker, and one of the leading voices in military and first responder mental health—to explore the realities of what she calls "mental warfare."

Drawing from decades of experience working alongside military operators, veterans, law enforcement officers, firefighters, dispatchers, and peer support teams, Doc Springer challenges some of the most common assumptions surrounding trauma, healing, and wellness.

Together, Conrad and Doc discuss why peer support programs succeed or fail, what qualities make an effective peer supporter, and why command staff often carry invisible burdens with few safe places to turn. They also examine the growing need for innovative approaches to wellness and why leaders must move beyond simply checking boxes when it comes to supporting their people.

Doc shares insights from her new book, Fallout: 10 Common Beliefs That Are Killing Our Bravest and the Truth That Can Save Them, including why awareness alone isn't enough to reduce suicide risk and why post-traumatic stress should not automatically be viewed as a lifelong sentence.

The conversation also explores the role of treatments like the Stellate Ganglion Block (SGB), the importance of combining biological and psychological healing, and why recovery always requires more than a quick fix.

Perhaps most importantly, Doc introduces a concept that may reshape how first responders think about wellness: elasticity. Rather than simply "bouncing back," elasticity is the ability to adapt, recover, and move between life's challenges without losing yourself in the process.

If you're a first responder, leader, peer supporter, clinician, or family member, this episode offers practical wisdom, hope, and a fresh perspective on what it takes to thrive in a profession where the pressures are real and the stakes are high.

Because mental warfare isn't a sign of weakness.

It's part of the path.

Connect with Doc Springer: https://thinlineadvisory.com/

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Need Help? We have a list of resources at www.firstresponderwellness.co/resources

Book a screening event: contact [email protected]

Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/first-responder-wellness-podcast/id1535675703

Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2wW72dLZOKkO1QYUPzL2ih

The First Responder Wellness Podcast is a production of First Responder Wellness Solutions, LLC

Copyright ©2026 First Responder Wellness Solutions, LLC - All rights Reserved.

137 - Hiding in Plain Sight: When the Helper Needs Help with Paramedic Brad Lawson

Like many first responders, Brad learned to suppress emotions, push through pain, and wear the mask of strength. To everyone around him, he appeared to have it all together.

But beneath the surface, years of unresolved trauma, addiction, emotional exhaustion, and a lack of support were taking their toll.

In this powerful episode of the First Responder Wellness Podcast, Brad shares his personal journey from darkness to healing. He opens up about the cultural pressures that keep first responders silent, the challenges of seeking help, and the lessons he learned through therapy, recovery, and rebuilding his support system.

Brad also discusses his book, Dancing With Darkness: A First Responder's Fight for Light, and the work he's doing through the Pierce Foundation to bring mental wellness resources, education, and hope to first responders across the country.

You'll hear an honest discussion about leadership, organizational culture, burnout, resilience, and what it truly means to prioritize wellness in high-stress professions.

Whether you're a first responder, leader, spouse, healthcare worker, or someone supporting those who serve others, this conversation offers practical insights and powerful encouragement.

If you've ever wondered whether you're carrying too much alone, this episode is for you.

Listen in and discover why healing begins when we stop pretending we're okay.

Connect with Brad:  piercefoundation.org

Book: Dancing with Darkness https://a.co/d/0eJKQyTb

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Need Help? We have a list of resources at www.firstresponderwellness.co/resources

Book a screening event: contact [email protected]

Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/first-responder-wellness-podcast/id1535675703

Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2wW72dLZOKkO1QYUPzL2ih

The First Responder Wellness Podcast is a production of First Responder Wellness Solutions, LLC

Copyright ©2026 First Responder Wellness Solutions, LLC - All rights Reserved.

136 - The Full Bucket: Hidden Trauma, Childhood Wounds and Healing for First Responders with Dr. Stacy Raymond

What if the trauma first responders carry didn’t start on the job?

In this powerful conversation, psychologist and trauma specialist Dr. Stacy Raymond explores the hidden roots of trauma in policing and public safety — and why some first responders struggle to seek help, even when their bucket is overflowing.

Drawing from her new book Dump the Bucket: Healing Trauma in Police with EMDR, Dr. Raymond shares groundbreaking insights into adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), attachment wounds, organizational stress, and the accumulated weight of bad calls, betrayal, and moral injury.

She explains why some officers become masters of compartmentalization… why “handling it alone” can become a survival strategy… and why those same adaptations can later fuel isolation, burnout, excessive force, addiction, or suicide risk.

You’ll also learn about EMDR therapy, how it helps traumatic memories finally get “filed away,” and why coping and healing are not the same thing.

This episode is honest, challenging, and deeply hopeful for first responders, leaders, clinicians, and anyone carrying more than they realize.

Connect with Dr. Raymond: https://www.drstacyraymond.com/

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Need Help? We have a list of resources at www.firstresponderwellness.co/resources

Book a screening event: contact [email protected]

Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/first-responder-wellness-podcast/id1535675703

Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2wW72dLZOKkO1QYUPzL2ih

The First Responder Wellness Podcast is a production of First Responder Wellness Solutions, LLC

Copyright ©2026 First Responder Wellness Solutions, LLC - All rights Reserved.

Great Leaders Empower the Team - with Steve Vincent

What does real leadership look like when lives, missions, and impossible decisions are on the line?

In this episode of the First Responder Wellness Podcast, Conrad Weaver sits down with former U.S. Navy commanding officer Steve Vincent for a powerful conversation about leadership, trust, culture, and command in high-risk environments.

Steve shares lessons learned leading sailors aboard Navy ships during deployments, crisis operations, and high-pressure missions — including a dramatic nighttime recovery operation in the Persian Gulf that tested everything he believed about leadership.

This conversation challenges the idea that leaders must always be the smartest person in the room. Instead, Steve explores the power of teamwork, humility, psychological safety, and creating cultures where people at every level are empowered to speak up.

Whether you're leading in law enforcement, fire, EMS, dispatch, the military, or business, this episode offers practical and hard-earned leadership wisdom that can strengthen your team and your culture.

✓ Why great leaders don’t need to know everything

“You don’t have to know how to fix the pump. Your job is to make sure your people have what they need to fix it.”

“When everything goes right, it’s WE. When things go wrong, it’s ME.”

“Leadership isn’t about controlling everything. It’s about creating a culture where people can speak up before mistakes become disasters.”

Steve Vincent is a former U.S. Navy commanding officer with decades of leadership experience in military operations, organizational leadership, wellness, and high-performance team environments. Drawing from years of command at sea, Steve brings practical insight into trust, culture, leadership development, and human performance in high-stakes professions.

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Join the First Responder Leadership Mastermind - Sessions begin June 3. 

Order the PTSD911 Film and Educational Toolkit here: https://ptsd911movie.com/toolkit/

Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/first-responder-wellness-podcast/id1535675703

Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2wW72dLZOKkO1QYUPzL2ih

The First Responder Wellness Podcast is a production of First Responder Wellness Solutions, LLC

Copyright ©2026 First Responder Wellness Solutions, LLC - All rights Reserved.

What does it really mean to save a life?

In this powerful episode of the First Responder Wellness Podcast, Conrad Weaver sits down with veteran firefighter-paramedic, EMS educator, entrepreneur, and author Brad Newbury for a deeply human conversation about mental health, resilience, leadership, and the long-lasting impact of first responder work.

With more than 40 years in fire and EMS, Brad has seen the best and worst days imaginable. He shares stories from the street, lessons from decades of leadership, and honest reflections on the emotional realities of being the helper when everyone else is falling apart.

Together, Conrad and Brad unpack the old “suck it up” culture of first response, how mental health support has evolved, the challenges leaders face when trying to get their people help, and why staying connected to your “why” matters more than ever.

Brad also shares the inspiring story behind his upcoming book, The Saved Effect, exploring how one call, one intervention, and one act of care can change generations.

This episode is a reminder that first responders don’t just answer calls — they become part of people’s stories forever.

Connect with Brad: https://bradnewbury.com/

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Join the First Responder Leadership Mastermind - Sessions begin June 3. 

FIRST RESPONDER WELLNESS PODCAST

Order the PTSD911 Film and Educational Toolkit here: https://ptsd911movie.com/toolkit/

Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/first-responder-wellness-podcast/id1535675703

Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2wW72dLZOKkO1QYUPzL2ih

Purchase the PTSD911 film for your public safety agency or organization:

The First Responder Wellness Podcast is a production of First Responder Wellness Solutions, LLC

Copyright ©2026 First Responder Wellness Solutions, LLC - All rights Reserved.

Donate to Marchelle's Fundraiser for Copline

https://www.copline.org/

Walking Through Grief: Healing After First Responder Suicide.

In this deeply emotional episode of the First Responder Wellness Podcast, host Conrad Weaver sits down with Marchelle Farmer, widow of retired police sergeant Scott Farmer, to talk about love, trauma, loss, and healing after first responder suicide.

Scott was a highly respected law enforcement officer — a SWAT operator, K9 handler, field training officer, and mentor to many younger officers. But behind the badge, he quietly carried the cumulative weight of trauma, sleeplessness, alcohol struggles, and emotional pain that eventually led to tragedy.

Marchelle courageously shares the story of the night she lost Scott, the challenges of navigating grief in the public eye, and the difficult questions that follow suicide loss. She also opens up about her own darkest moments — including a life-changing call to CopLine, a confidential peer-support hotline staffed by retired officers that became a lifeline when she felt completely alone.

Now, nearly one year after Scott’s death, Marchelle is walking nearly 500 miles across Spain on the Camino de Santiago to honor his memory, raise awareness about first responder mental health, and support CopLine through a special fundraiser.

This conversation is raw, honest, heartbreaking, and hopeful — a reminder that healing is possible and no one has to suffer in silence.

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FIRST RESPONDER WELLNESS PODCAST

Order the PTSD911 Film and Educational Toolkit here: https://ptsd911movie.com/toolkit/

Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/first-responder-wellness-podcast/id1535675703

Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2wW72dLZOKkO1QYUPzL2ih

Purchase the PTSD911 film for your public safety agency or organization:

The First Responder Wellness Podcast is a production of First Responder Wellness Solutions, LLC

Copyright ©2026 First Responder Wellness Solutions, LLC - All rights Reserved.