Maine Responder | Leadership • Growth • Resilience

Officer Joshua Herman - Recovery, Purpose, and a Different Kind of Policing

New Hampshire Responder, Officer Joshua Herrmann, joins us for an incredible conversation about addiction, recovery, trauma, and the role connection can play in helping people move forward.

Joshua shares how his own recovery journey shaped his work in corrections and law enforcement. Now serving as a Prevention, Enforcement, and Treatment officer, he connects people with help for addiction, mental health needs, and homelessness. He also talks about earning a national certification in deflection and diversion, supporting first responders, and building trust through honest, meaningful conversations.

This episode reminds us that a person’s hardest experiences can become the catalyst to help someone else feel less alone and that recovery and service look different for everyone.

Topics include: long-term recovery, responder wellness, trauma, peer support, deflection and diversion, and connecting people with services.

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Support resources: If you or someone you know is struggling or in emotional distress, call or text 988 for free, confidential support, available 24/7. Visit 988lifeline.org to chat.
For help finding substance use or mental health treatment, call SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357) or visit FindTreatment.gov. If someone is in immediate danger, call 911.

Veterans Crisis Line: Veterans, Service members, and their loved ones can call 988 and press 1, text 838255, or chat at VeteransCrisisLine.net/Chat for free, confidential support 24/7. You don’t need to be enrolled in VA health care to reach out.

This conversation includes discussion of addiction, trauma, and suicide.

We spend a lot of time thinking about what’s next: the next shift, the next project, the next trip, the next time we’ll call somebody.

But what about what’s happening right now?

In this solo episode of Maine Responder, Elliott starts with the completely rational behavior of dog people when a dog goes missing and somehow ends up at memento mori: the old reminder that none of this lasts forever.

But this isn’t an episode about dying. It’s about the opposite.

Kids grow up. Friends get older. Dogs definitely don’t stay with us long enough. And sometimes the people we love end up getting whatever version of us is left at the end of the day.

Maybe the reminder isn’t that we’re running out of time.

It’s that we still have some.

Hug your kid. Pet the dog. Call your friend. Burn some PTO.

And apparently... we might be getting another dog.

After getting some constructive criticism about negative self-talk on a previous episode, Elliott and Billy dig into the difference between negativity, self-doubt, and simply being realistic. Can recognizing that something is going to be difficult actually help prepare you for it? And when does realistic self-talk cross the line into something that holds you back?

The conversation moves into law enforcement, where mindset, training, confidence, and the stories we tell ourselves can have real consequences. After a difficult call, first responders may have the facts—but the mind can keep digging, filling in unanswered questions and creating a story around what happened. Sometimes, having everything you need means allowing the facts to simply be the facts.

Elliott and Billy also discuss peer support after critical incidents and the role supervisors and command staff play in making it accessible. Instead of asking an officer, “Do you want peer support?” and putting the decision on them in the moment, maybe leadership should simply set it up, make it available, and then get out of the way.

And somehow, all of that leads exactly where you would expect a Maine Responder conversation to go: Tom Selleck, old-school cop mustaches, questionable modern mustaches, and the possibility of a Maine Responder mustache challenge.

In this episode:

• Negative self-talk vs. realistic self-assessment
• Confidence, self-doubt, and preparing for challenges
• How training builds genuine confidence
• The stories first responders can create around difficult calls
• Knowing when to stop searching for an answer that may not exist
• Peer support following critical incidents
• Why supervisors may need to simply set it up and step aside
• Building peer support into agency culture
• The return of the mustache
• Billy is going to grow one

Conversations about the work, the pressure, and the lives shaped by service.

Maine Responder Podcast

What happens when the career you dreamed about doesn't become what you thought it would?

In this episode of the Maine Responder Podcast, Elliott and Billy have an honest conversation about identity, purpose, expectations, and disappointment in first responder careers.

We come into police work—and many first responder professions—with an idea of what we're joining. Brotherhood. Sisterhood. Camaraderie. Purpose. Lifelong friendships. A calling.

But what happens when reality doesn't match the version of the job we built in our heads?

Maybe the profession didn't fail us. Maybe some of our disappointment comes from asking the job to be something it never promised to be.

Elliott and Billy talk about the difference between finding purpose in the work and allowing the work to become your identity, why disappointment can hit first responders so hard, and why the academy and traditional Field Training Officer (FTO) programs may prepare officers to do the job without necessarily preparing them for what a career will do to them.

That leads to a bigger idea: what if we prepared new officers for the emotional side of a career with the same intentionality we use to teach tactics, policy, and procedure?

They also get into personal accountability, bad supervisors, missed promotions, mistakes, organizational disappointment, and the uncomfortable question that runs underneath the entire conversation:

How much of ourselves are we asking the job to hold?

Love the job. Take pride in it. Give a shit about what you do.

Just don't forget who you are without it.

Identity vs. purpose • First responder culture • Police officer wellness • Career disappointment • Law enforcement leadership • FTO and officer development • Emotional intelligence • Personal accountability • Brotherhood and camaraderie • Life beyond the badge

Some conversations last five minutes and somehow leave you exhausted.

You were fine before they walked into the room. Now you’re irritated, tense, anxious, or replaying the conversation in your head.

So how much of what you’re carrying is actually yours?

In this episode of the Maine Responder Podcast, Elliott talks about paying attention to what we absorb from the people around us—especially as first responders and leaders. We don’t get to avoid every difficult conversation, and sometimes the uncomfortable conversations are the ones we need to have.

But we can become more aware of what we carry away from them.

And there’s another side to it: if other people can change the energy we bring into a room, what are we bringing into theirs?

Because eventually the shift ends. You get in the car. You drive home. And the people waiting for you didn’t step in whatever you stepped in that day.

Check your shoes.

You might have stepped in some sh*t today. That’s life.

Just don’t drag it through the house.

Last week, I went to a Benson Boone concert expecting nothing more than a fun night with my family. I left thinking about something completely different.

Somewhere in the middle of the show, I realized I wasn't listening to the music anymore—I was watching the performer.

What looked effortless on stage wasn't just talent. It was preparation. Discipline. Thousands of ordinary decisions nobody ever gets to see.

That led me to ask a question I've been thinking about ever since:

How much of my life is intentional...and how much of it is simply reactive?

In this solo episode of Maine Responder, I reflect on leadership, personal growth, intentional living, and the mindset that first responders develop after years of reacting to whatever comes next. We explore why "busy" has become our default answer, how discipline often looks like talent from the outside, and why the life we want is built through small, consistent decisions.

Whether you're a first responder, leader, or someone looking to be more intentional with your time, this conversation is about designing your life instead of simply reacting to it.

• A family trip to a Benson Boone concert
• Why talent is really preparation in disguise
• The first responder mindset outside of work
• Busy vs. intentional living
• Designing your life instead of reacting
• Leadership, discipline, and ordinary daily decisions

Can a simple gratitude exercise actually change the way you think?

For 30 days, I committed to answering five questions every night—not because I expected a dramatic transformation, but because I wanted to honestly see if it made a difference.

In this episode, I share the five biggest takeaways from that experience. We talk about why we often give one negative moment more weight than an entire day of positive experiences, how our minds can convince us of stories that aren't completely true, why recognizing your own strengths can be surprisingly difficult, and how small daily reflections can expose patterns that are easy to overlook.

This isn't an episode about pretending life is perfect. It's a conversation about attention, perspective, and becoming more aware of the stories we tell ourselves.

Whether you're a first responder, leader, or simply someone interested in personal growth, I hope this episode gives you something to think about.

In this episode:

• Why I decided to try a 30-day gratitude challenge
• The five questions I answered every night
• Why one bad moment can outweigh an entire good day
• What I learned about isolation and the stories we tell ourselves
• The surprisingly difficult question: "What do you like about yourself?"
• How repeated journaling exposed patterns I couldn't ignore
• Why this exercise became more about attention than gratitude

• 00:00 – Why I Tried a Gratitude Challenge
• 02:10 – The Five Daily Questions
• 04:05 – When It Started Feeling Like Homework
• 05:20 – Takeaway #1: We Give the Bad Too Much Weight
• 08:45 – Takeaway #2: The Story We Tell Ourselves
• 11:40 – Takeaway #3: The Hardest Question
• 14:40 – Takeaway #4: Patterns Don't Lie
• 17:00 – Takeaway #5: It Was Never About Gratitude
• 20:00 – Final Thoughts: More Good Than You Think

🌐 Website: https://maineresponder.com

If you enjoyed this episode, please consider following the podcast and leaving a review. It helps more people discover these conversations.

Become More Capable.

Can a beef jerky actually earn a permanent spot in a patrol bag?

In this episode of Maine Responder, Billy and I put First2Respond Jerky to the test. We talk flavor, texture, ingredients, and whether we'd actually recommend it to fellow first responders.

What makes this company stand out isn't just the jerky—it's their mission to support the first responder community.

If you're looking for an honest, unscripted review with a few laughs along the way, this episode is for you.

🥩 Support First2Respond Jerky:
https://www.first2respondjerky.com

Use code MAINERESPONDER to save 25% on your order.

If you enjoy conversations about first responder culture, leadership, wellness, and the gear and products that support the profession, subscribe and join us for future episodes.

#MaineResponder #BeefJerky #FirstResponder #PolicePodcast #LawEnforcement #ProductReview

What started as a simple yoga class turned into an unexpected lesson in stress, tension, and self-awareness.

In this episode of Maine Responder, Elliott shares his experience attending a Yoga for First Responders session at the York County Regional Training Center. Co-host Billy asks the questions many first responders might have themselves: What's the point? Is it actually useful? And what can you realistically take away from it?

As the conversation unfolds, Elliott discusses the hesitation he felt before attending, the importance of breathing, an unexpected moment during a yoga pose called "thread the needle," and a realization that many first responders may relate to—carrying tension without even knowing it.

Topics include:

• Yoga for First Responders
• First responder wellness and resilience
• Stress, tension, and recovery
• Breathing and nervous system regulation
• Physical and mental health in public safety
• Building healthier habits and self-awareness
• Community and connection among first responders

Sometimes the biggest lessons come from stepping outside your comfort zone.

Be Well. Stay Safe.

https://www.yogaforfirstresponders.org/

What happens when you stop dismissing ideas and actually give them a real chance?

In this solo episode, Elliott reflects on growth, lifelong learning, and the danger of believing we've learned everything there is to know. Inspired by graduation season, learning new podcast equipment, and a return to running, this conversation explores why curiosity matters and how small decisions can create meaningful change over time.

Elliott also shares the start of a personal 30-day gratitude challenge after conversations with Dr. Karen Harmon and Abi Brown. Rather than debating whether gratitude works, the goal is simple: commit to the process, stay open-minded, and report back honestly.

Topics include:

• Why growth requires intention

• The danger of stopping your education after formal schooling

• Learning new skills later in life

• Why experience alone doesn't make us better

• Returning to running and building momentum

• The power of small daily decisions

• A 30-day gratitude challenge

• Staying curious and open to new ideas

Chapters:

00:00 Why Growth Matters

01:45 Learning New Podcast Skills

04:15 Experience vs. Learning

06:45 Returning to Running

08:45 Small Decisions Create Big Change

10:15 The 30-Day Gratitude Challenge

11:45 How Do I Know It Works If I Never Commit To It?

12:45 Final Thoughts

Follow Maine Responder Podcast for conversations on leadership, wellness, resilience, and life behind the uniform.