Continuing our series of interviews with first responders, Derik Mills chats with Erik Milosevich, a military veteran and retired police officer turned breathwork instructor. We met Erik through photographer, and fellow Glo podcast guest, Robert Sturman (episode #14), who photographed Erik and other military veterans who use yoga as a healing practice for PTSD and mental, emotional, and physical health. 

Erik was a US Army 82nd Airborne Division Recon/Sniper and an international competitor on the All Army Taekwondo Team. As a police officer with the Santa Monica Police Department, Erik served on a variety of assignments, including collateral SWAT, Field Training Officer, Narcotics Investigator, and Neighborhood Resource Officer. He was also a Krav Maga Law Enforcement Instructor and taught classes on implicit and gender bias as well as defensive tactics.

Erik has spent the last 25 years designing programs and training police officers in yoga, meditation and breathwork, and ​​is a certified Wim Hof Method Instructor. In today’s episode, he shares his career of service, how he discovered yoga and breathwork, and the powerful benefits they have had while training law enforcement. 

TRIGGER WARNING: We discuss PTSD and suicide in this episode. 

Photo Credit: Robert Sturman

Links:

Robert Sturman’s website

Erik on Robert’s Instagram

Erik on Instagram

GLO classes:

Pranayama, An Introductory Practice

Balance Your Heart and Mind - Breathwork

Recenter Yourself - Breathwork 

Grounding Breathwork

Bathed in Breath Flow

Manage Anxiety - Flow

Shining Skull Breath - Breathwork 

Self-care Flow