Sit Around the Fire

So many people believe they need to be fully healed before they can be in a relationship. But what if that belief is actually keeping us isolated? In this episode of  Sit Around the Fire , Ashlea Dillard explores why relationships are not just something we enter after healing — they are often one of the places healing actually happens. Drawing from psychodynamic theory, Jungian psychology, attachm...

What does it actually take to go from survival mode to a settled nervous system? In this episode, I sit down with Mark Blacknell — who grew up navigating a tough childhood in Philadelphia, served in the Marines, and found his way to meditation and a life built around balance. This conversation is for anyone who's ever thought meditation "isn't for them," or tried it once, white-knuckled through 30...

Once upon a time, there was a girl named Ashlea. She was good at everything, she was the one who kept everyone okay, and from the outside she looked like she had it all figured out. She was also exhausted all the time and had no idea who she actually was. In this solo episode, I'm telling that story — mine, and maybe yours too — and unpacking the two survival patterns that ran my life for a long t...

Most of us think the clock on trauma starts the first day on the job. Keven McNeill is here to tell you it started a long time before that. In this episode, Keven shares his journey through law enforcement, a defining 2016 incident, and the depression and PTSD that followed — and the long road back. What makes his story land isn't just the hard parts. It's the honesty about how trauma accumulates...

We pour money, time, and energy into everything outside of ourselves — our kids, our businesses, our homes, the people who depend on us — and then we wonder why we feel so depleted. In this episode, Ashlea makes the case that investing in yourself isn't the luxury you get to once everything else is handled. It's the foundation everything else is built on. Drawing on her background in emergency ser...

This episode hits hard. Packy Dempsey, a retired law enforcement officer, takes us deep into the moment that changed everything — and how he turned that crucible into a mission of healing, not just for himself, but for first responders and military alike. We don't skip past the hard parts. Packy walks us through the four seconds that nearly ended his life, the chaos on scene, and the aftermath tha...

Most women are waiting for permission to fully step into their power — but what if confidence isn't something you build? What if it's already inside you, ready to be claimed? In this special release episode of Sit Around the Fire, licensed professional counselor and clinical hypnotherapist Ashlea Dillard delivers a fiery, unfiltered message for every woman who's been playing small, waiting for the...

In this insightful conversation, Adrianne Lind shares her journey through trauma, healing, and the transformative power of mindfulness and yoga. Discover practical tools for managing PTSD, grief, and stress, and learn how to cultivate a resilient nervous system for a healthier, more balanced life. Topics Discussed: Trauma and PTSD recovery The role of yoga and mindfulness in healing Nervous system...

Have you ever known exactly what you should do — and still found yourself repeating the same patterns anyway? That frustration isn't a character flaw. It's neuroscience. In this episode, Ashlea Dillard breaks down why the subconscious mind holds onto emotional patterns — even painful ones — and how modern hypnotherapy gives us a direct pathway to change them. Drawing on the foundational clinical w...

Are you exhausted from trying to fix yourself? More supplements, better routines, stricter discipline—and still your body feels like it's working against you.   In this episode, I sit down with Mitch Webb to talk about something most healing conversations miss: the idea that your body isn't broken—it's actually doing exactly what it was designed to do. Your symptoms, your anxiety, your need to con...

What if everything you believe about yourself... isn't actually you? If you've ever felt stuck in the same patterns, overwhelmed by your own thoughts, or like healing is always just out of reach — this episode will change how you see your mind. In this powerful solo episode of  Sit Around the Fire , we go deep into  hypnosis, the subconscious mind, and emotional healing  — exploring how this ancie...

What happens when the mission ends — but the war inside doesn't? In this episode, Ashlea Dillard sits down with Anthony Dyer, a former Air Force combat missions aviator, to explore one of the most underrepresented conversations in military mental health: what it truly costs to serve, and what it takes to heal. Anthony opens up about his firsthand experience with trauma, survivor's guilt, and the i...

The most important conversation you'll ever have is the one happening in your own mind. And chances are, you're not paying attention to it. In this solo episode, Ashlea Dillard breaks down how the language you use every day — the phrases you repeat on autopilot, the words you say under your breath when things get hard — is literally shaping your brain. Your subconscious doesn't filter truth from r...

What does it take to survive the unsurvivable — and come out the other side with purpose? In this episode of  Sit Around the Fire , host Ashlea Dillard sits down with Ty Gipson — motivational speaker, organ transplant recipient, and living proof that adversity doesn't get the last word. Ty was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes at just 11 years old. For over a decade, life felt normal. Then, without...

Do you feel constantly tired—even when you’re getting enough sleep, eating well, and doing “all the right things”? You’re not alone. And the truth is… your exhaustion might not be physical. In this solo episode of  Sit Around the Fire , therapist and hypnotherapist Ashlea Dillard explores the deeper reasons behind  chronic fatigue, emotional exhaustion, and burnout —and why so many high performers...

What if the biggest barrier to intimacy in your relationship isn’t your partner—but your relationship with yourself? In this powerful episode of  Sit Around the Fire , host Ashlea Dillard sits down with Pauline Ryeland to explore the deeper psychology of relationships, intimacy, and connection. Together, they unpack how  self-worth, communication patterns, trauma, and life transitions  directly im...

Are you the one everyone relies on… but secretly feel exhausted, disconnected, or overwhelmed? In this solo episode of  Sit Around the Fire , therapist and hypnotherapist Ashlea Dillard explores the  hidden cost of always being the strong one —and why this role, while admirable, can lead to  emotional exhaustion, nervous system dysregulation, and deep disconnection from yourself and others . If yo...

In this powerful episode of  Sit Around the Fire , host Ashlea Dillard sits down with Sarah Joy Prieur and TJ to explore the  real-life challenges of first responder families —and what it actually takes to move from survival mode into true, sustainable thriving. Together, they unpack the  mental health impact of first responder life , including chronic stress, emotional suppression, and the often...

Suicide prevention starts with a conversation. In this powerful episode,  Frank King—comedian and suicide prevention speaker—shares his deeply personal journey through depression, chronic suicidal ideation, and the unexpected role humor has played in his mental health advocacy. Through storytelling, vulnerability, and moments of laughter, Frank explains why  anyone—not just clinicians—can help sav...

What does the  future of law enforcement  look like? And how do we build  trust, accountability, and mental health support  within policing? In this episode of  Sit Around the Fire , I sit down with  Jeff Wenninger , who shares insights from his  33-year career in law enforcement  and his perspective on the evolving conversation around  police reform, police culture, diversity in policing, and com...

In this episode, Ashlea Dillard speaks with Jess Flores, a former law enforcement officer, about her journey of identity loss after leaving the police force. They discuss the challenges of navigating relationships, the importance of communication, and the need for self-awareness and personal responsibility in the law enforcement community. Jess shares her insights on mental health, the impact of l...

In this episode,  Ashlea Dillard  dives into five powerful strategies to help you get the most out of therapy and accelerate your personal growth. If you're committed to improving your mental health, emotional well-being, and self-awareness, this conversation will reshape how you approach the therapeutic process. Too often, people enter therapy without fully understanding how to engage in it. True...

In this episode of Sit Around the Fire, Ashlea Dillard sits down with Brian Sachetta to discuss mental health, focusing on anxiety and depression. Brian shares his personal journey with anxiety, the importance of understanding the root causes, and the body's physiological responses to stress. They explore the significance of safety and security in mental well-being, the power of surrendering in th...

In this episode, Ashlea Dillard delves into the concept of parts work, a therapeutic approach that explores the various aspects of our minds, akin to the characters in the movie 'Inside Out.' She explains how different parts of ourselves, such as the inner critic, inner child, and inner adult, can often be in conflict, leading to emotional turmoil and hindering personal growth. By understanding th...

The conversation with Chris Tiller delves into the generational gap in the fire service and the impact of technology on communication and community within the service. It explores recruitment challenges, leadership's role in mental health support, and the evolving identity and community dynamics in the fire service. The conversation delves into the impact of call volume and the types of calls on f...