Your Oxygen Mask First

Since it was erected in 1937, more than 1700 people are estimated to have jumped off the Golden Gate Bridge, and just 25 are known to have survived, according to Robert Olson of The Centre for Suicide Prevention in Calgary, Canada.  But one man has talked over 200 people from making that leap into the abyss.

I am thrilled to be joined by Kevin Briggs; former CHP Trooper, Veteran and now author and speaker.  Kevin knows loss and trauma and uses his skills of empathy, understanding, and listening to help the hopeless take a step off the ledge and back to humanity.

Pivotal Points: 

There are many different ways to treat trauma floating around out there.   There is talk therapy, EMDR, exposure therapy, etc.  But did you know that storytelling is also an effective treatment for trauma and  PTS/PTSD?

I am honored for the opportunity to sit down with former Green Beret, author, leadership expert, public speaker, and now  playwright and actor Scott Mann to learn more about how he is using  storytelling as a way to get Veterans the relief they need through his  new play "LAST OUT: Elegy of a Green Beret". 

Scott Mann:

LAST OUT: Elegy of a Green Beret: 

The Heroes Journey: http://www.theheroesjourney.org/

The War of Art by Steven Pressfield: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007A4SDCG/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_w5w6CbPVS8202 

Motherhood is tough enough, but imagine trying to navigate motherhood AND addiction at the same time.   The shame, the guilt...sometimes it can be too much to bear.  Add to that the trials and tribulations of being a military spouse, and then you have the perfect storm of trauma.

Katie St. Pierre has experienced all of this.  And she has clawed her way out of addiction to teach others how to help themselves through telling her story.  In this episode, Katie tells us about the effect military life and addiction has on kids as well as the whole family and what it took to finally make sobriety "click" for her.  We love how she has overcome the shame and stigma to tell her story so bravely!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/strongisbeautiful619/

May is Mental Health Awareness month and today we are excited to talk about first responder mental health with Dr. Stephanie Conn.  Stephanie has done it all; as a law enforcement child, to dispatcher, then police officer, mental health clinician, and now an author!  In her book "Increasing Resilience in Police and Emergency Personnel", Stephanie looks at real-world issues first responders face and gives us practical solutions to apply in our every day lives.

Website: https://firstresponderpsychology.com/

Book: https://www.amazon.com/Increasing-Resilience-Police-Emergency-Personnel/dp/1138643688

Email: [email protected] 

Did you know there is over 120,000 homeless Veterans in America right now?  There are many organizations that are trying to help and get these military members the help they need, but we still have a long way to go.

This is why we are exited to sit down with the President and CEO of Veterans Village San Diego Kimberly Mitchell today. VVSD serves over 2000 veterans every year with supportive services, mental health treatment, substance abuse treatment, job training, case management and assistance into permanent housing.

Kimberly has an amazing story of how she became an orphan during the Vietnam War as an infant, and how being adopted by an American soldier led to her life of service and how she is helping Veterans every day.

Veterans Village San Diego: https://vvsd.net/

"Imagine listening...your worst day is my everyday."  Not only is this the reality of a 9-1-1 or emergency dispatcher, but it is also the theme of a project former 9-1-1 dispatcher and public safety advocate Ricardo Martinez dedicates his life to.  Ricardo is the father of the #IAM911 movement and helps dispatchers tell their stories through his podcast, "Within the Trenches."  Ricardo is using his podcast to help dispatchers heal from trauma and also educates the public about the reality of 9-1-1.

We are honored and excited to kick off National Public Safety Telecommunicator Week chatting with Ricardo about his podcast, the #IAM911 movement, as well as the effort to reclassify public safety dispatchers into a "protective" occupation called the #911SAVES act.

Within The Trenches: https://www.withinthetrenches.net/

APCO (Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials): http://www.apco.org/

9-1-1 SAVES Act: https://www.apcointl.org/government-relations/take-action/

NENA (National Emergency Number Association): https://www.nena.org/

IAED (International Academies of Emergency Dispatch): https://www.emergencydispatch.org/

Marriage can be challenging but imagine having to try to keep a marriage together when one partner is suffering from PTSD.  Today, we talk to the Mighty Oaks Foundation founders Chad and Kathy Robichaux about how they were one step away from divorce, Chad was one second away from death by suicide, and Kathy almost lost her faith.  In their raw and emotional interview, they tell us how they were able to save their marriage and forgive each other while building this amazing organization that now helps hundreds of Veterans, military spouses, and first responders heal and find themselves again.

Website: https://www.mightyoaksprograms.org/

The life of a 9-1-1 dispatcher is filled with the highest of highs...and the lowest of lows.  99% of the people a dispatcher deals with are not having the best day; maybe even having the worst day of their lives.  And yes, there are the times a dispatcher saves the day; but those accomplishments rarely take away the heartache and trauma they experience every day.  Throw shift work, poor eating habits, lack of exercise on top of all that, and you have a ticking timebomb.

That is why we are honored to sit down with John Marshall, author of "The Resilient 9-1-1 Professional", as well as one of his co-authors and EMDR expert Sara Gilman.  Together, they outline some tips and tricks from the book that 9-1-1 professionals can use to put their OWN oxygen mask on first! 

And don't forget April 14-20, 2019 is National Public Safety Telecommunicator Week (aka "Dispatch Week"), so make sure to show your gratitude to your local dispatchers and telecommunicators!  Coffee and chocolate are always good choices...

911 Training Institute

Website: https://www.911training.net/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/911traininginstitute/

The Resilient 911 Professional Book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1546435271/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_EWfMCbKTJPRWS 

Coherence Associates Inc.

Website: https://www.coherenceassociates.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SaraGGilmanMFT/

EMDR International Association (EMDRIA): https://www.emdria.org/

National Public Safety Telecommunicator Week: https://www.npstw.org/

No one ever pictures themselves becoming homeless, but that is a reality many Veterans are facing.  Help is out there but can be hard to get if you don't know where to look.  In this episode, we sit down with Michael Johnson, a U.S. Marine Corps Veteran who was homeless himself and is now using his experience to help others get off the streets and find meaningful employment.

Has Heart: https://hasheart.us/project/50states-california/#sandiego

What happens when Veterans transition from military life to civilian life with limited or no support, or access to resources?  They may find themselves in financial distress, experience family problems, and can even slip into depression...or worse, take their own lives.  In this episode, we sit down with CEO and Founder of Victor Tech Gregory Jumes to explore how his app Victor can help thousands of Veterans in the Chicago area live their best lives.

Victor Tech, Inc.: https://www.victorapp.io/