Welcome back to your Mental Firepower Monday check-in...because your brain deserves backup too.

This week, Erin reflects on last Thursday’s episode with retired LEO and Marine Corps vet Brian Gillespie, whose story made one thing crystal clear: getting sober was just step one. The real transformation began when he finally said the thing he swore he’d never say out loud.

This episode is your reminder that trauma recovery, post-traumatic growth, and even burnout prevention all start with one thing. Honesty.

MENTAL FIREPOWER:

Journal one thing you haven’t said out loud.
 It doesn’t need to be pretty. You don’t need to keep it. You just need to say it somewhere.

Whether you’re managing first responder stress, invisible wounds, or just too many shifts in a row, this simple tool can help get the weight out of your head and onto the page.

If the truth feels too sharp to face, start with a mind dump:
Just write the first thoughts that come. No order. No filters.
Your emotional resilience doesn’t have to begin with therapy. It begins with honesty.

LAST WEEK’S TOOL:

• Write down the one thing you’ve never told anyone.
• Burn it if you need to. But give it air.

WHO THIS IS FOR:

• First responders carrying unspoken trauma
• Veterans working through PTSD or MST
• Spouses trying to support without losing themselves
• Anyone finally tired of hiding behind “fine”

QUICK ANNOUNCEMENTS:

• Erin Maccabee Coaching is officially live, supporting responders and their partners. Learn more at https://erinmaccabee.com/
• New episode drops Thursday: Death by a Thousand Shifts
• Rate, review, and share this show with a friend, your crew, or your spouse

FOLLOW FOR WEEKLY MENTAL RESETS

New episodes every Monday + Thursday on all major platforms, including YouTube.

Because survival’s not the goal anymore. Growth is.

Music from #Uppbeat

https://uppbeat.io/t/needmospace/chill-power

License code: QUUZB4TP7STKMLJN