Beneath The Helmet Show - Firefighter Wellness | Mental Health

From the Ashes: Justin Champion on Trauma, Recovery, and Mental Health in the Fire Service Overcoming PTSD: A Firefighter's Journey - Beneath the Helmet Season 3 What happens when a firefighter who’s always been the one saving others finds himself in need of rescue? In this compelling episode of Beneath the Helmet , retired Fire Chief Arjuna George speaks with Justin Champion—a veteran, firefi...

Harnessing AI: Revolutionizing Firefighter Wellness and Training. Wellness & Burnout Prevention with guest Justin Brunner. In this episode of Beneath the Helmet , retired Fire Chief Arjuna George sits down with firefighter, professor, and tech innovator Justin Brunner to explore how artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the fire service . Discover how AI tools are helping fire departmen...

From Great to Magnus: Dr. Terry Anderson on Unlocking Competency-Based Leadership for First Responders What does it take to move from being a good leader to becoming a truly Magnus leader, one who inspires lasting change? In this powerful episode of Beneath the Helmet , retired criminologist, author, and leadership coach Dr. Terry Anderson shares over five decades of experience in competency-based...

What happens when the Officer of the Year becomes the one in crisis? In this powerful episode of Beneath the Helmet , Arjuna George sits down with AK Dozanti, a former deputy sheriff turned burnout recovery coach and author of Beat the Burnout . AK opens up about her personal spiral into depression, Operational Stress Injury, adrenal fatigue, and how the pressure to perform led to a complete syste...

When firefighter Ricky Nuttall walked into the Grenfell Tower blaze, he had no idea itwould mark the beginning of a new life one forged through trauma, guilt,poetry, and purpose. In this unforgettable episode of Beneath the Helmet , Ricky shares his raw and deeply personal account ofresponding to one of the UK’s most catastrophic fires. But what unfolds is morethan a fireground stor,  it’s a journ...

Fire to Light: Transforming Challenges into Opportunities. From Brampton to Costa Rica: A Firefighter’s Journey to Healing and Purpose | Beneath the Helmet with Brandon Evans and Host Arjuna George What happens when a firefighter walks away from the job “too early”? In this raw and revealing episode of Beneath the Helmet, Retired Fire Chief Arjuna George sits down with Brandon Evans, former firefi...

What Is Character-Based Leadership? A New Era for the Fire Service. The Future of Fire Service Leadership Starts Here - Character-Based Leadership Roundtable. In this powerhouse episode of Beneath the Helmet, retired Fire Chief and fire services coach Arjuna George brings together an all-star panel to ignite a new conversation in the fire service, Character-Based Leadership. Featuring thought lead...

Mental Visualization and High Performance: Psychological Tools for First Responders. In this powerful episode of Beneath the Helmet, retired Fire Chief and resilience coach Arjuna George sits down with licensed psychologist Dr. Brendan Guarino, Director of Guardians for Guardians at Baker Street Behavioral Health. Together, they explore the cutting-edge mental performance tools used by athletes, m...

A Lifelong Journey Through Fire and Leadership with Rick Davis. Leading with Integrity: Fireground Wisdom and Life Lessons. What’s missing in today’s fire service leadership? Battalion Chief Rick Davis has a powerful answer — and it’s not another checklist or tactics course. It’s about integrity, moral courage, and the real work of building high-trust crews from the ground up. In this inspiring ep...

Vulnerability Is a Leadership Superpower: Lessons from Deputy Chief Scott Booth What if the strongest thing a fire service leader could do... was be vulnerable? In this rich and powerful episode of Beneath the Helmet, retired Fire Chief Arjuna George sits down with Deputy Chief Scott Booth to explore the misunderstood strength of vulnerability in fire service leadership. With over three decades of...

Meet the Connector and Curator: Alec Wons: Public Safety Perspectives and Stories. Welcome to Season 3 of Beneath the Helmet! In this episode, Retired Fire Chief Arjuna George is joined by Alec Wons, the podcast host of the Chief Exchange, a four-time author, and a fire service advocate. Alec shares insights from his career, including his work with Ready Rebound—a program to treat injured first re...

Firefighters' Health & Wellness: Nutrition Tips with Megan Lautz - Applesauce to Protein Bars: A Guide For First Responder Nutrition on Beneath the Helmet S3Ep77Welcome back to Season 3 of 'Beneath the Helmet'! In this episode, host Retired Fire Chief Arjuna George dives into the essential topic of firefighter health and wellness with Megan Lautz, the owner of Rescue RD and a renow...

The Tactical Athlete: Achieving Health and Wellness as a Firefighter In this episode of Beneath the Helmet, host Retired Fire Chief Arjuna George welcomes Battalion Chief Ryan Provencher of Bellingham Fire Rescue and founder of Firefighter Peak Performance. They delve into the crucial aspects of firefighter fitness and wellness, discussing the concept of firefighters as tactical athletes. Ryan sha...

Unlocking Resilience: TRE for First Responders with Rob Cefoli(Ep 75) In this powerful episode, retired FDNY Captain Rob Cefoli shares his transformative journey with Tension and Trauma Release Exercises (TRE). Rob discusses how TRE helped him overcome physical pain, emotional trauma, and career stress, leading to improved well-being and a new purpose post-retirement. He explains the science behin...

Unpacking Firefighter Wellness. Why Are Firefighters Afraid to Talk About Mental Health? Keith Hanks' Journey from Firefighter to Mental Health Advocate. In this episode of Beneath the Helmet, host Arjuna George sits down with Keith Hanks, a former firefighter turned passionate mental health advocate. Keith shares his powerful journey through multiple suicide attempts and how he became a voice...

Unpacking Firefighter Wellness with Aaron Zamzow. In this exciting episode of Beneath the Helmet, host Jah George sits down with Aaron Zamzow, a prominent figure in firefighter wellness. Aaron, head of the First Responder Center of Excellence and founder of FireRescue Fitness, shares his wealth of knowledge from working with NFL, NBA teams, and more. They dive into Aaron’s innovative '5 for 50...

Firefighter Leadership & Wellness with Retired FDNY Chief Frank Leeb | Beneath the Helmet Welcome to the first episode of Season 3 of Beneath the Helmet! Hosted by retired fire chief Arjuna George, this episode features a captivating conversation with fire service legend and former FDNY Chief Frank Leeb. Frank, now the First Responder Center for Excellence Director, shares his extensive knowle...

FDNY Stories: A Life of Service, Survival, and Cuisine With Joseph Bonanno In the final episode of Season 2 of 'Beneath the Helmet,' host Arjuna sits down with Joseph Bonanno, a retired FDNY firefighter, author of 'American Firehouse Cuisine,' and winner of America's Greatest Firehouse Chef. They discuss Joseph's journey through the fire service, his experiences with mental health, and his passion...

Unlocking Firefighter Mental Fitness with NLP Join host Retired Fire Chief Arjuna George on another riveting episode of 'Beneath the Helmet,' where we dive deep into firefighter health and wellness. In this episode, Arjuna chats with Jess Ward, CEO of Ithinka and former firefighter/EMT, about her passion for mental fitness and her journey with Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP). Jess discusses her...

Team Building SECRETS for Fire Service Success with Dr. Johnny Torgerson In this episode of Beneath the Helmet, host Arjuna George chats with Assistant Chief Dr. Johnny Torgerson about his book, 'Forging Your Team.' They delve into the importance of team-building within firefighting units, discussing practical strategies and the change management process needed to create cohesive and high-performi...

Firefighter Fitness with Dr. Jason Won: Strength, Wellness, and Holistic Health. 🎧 Join the Conversation! Subscribe Today! 🎧 Don't miss an episode of Beneath the Helmet! Dive deeper into the world of firefighter wellness, resilience, and leadership by subscribing to the podcast and our YouTube channel: 🔗 Follow the Podcast: www.beneaththehelmet.ca/follow 📺 Subscribe on YouTube: Beneath the Hel...

Journaling Through Burnout: Insights with Lynda Monk. Beneath the Helmet. In this episode of Beneath the Helmet, host Arjuna George welcomes Linda Monk, a social worker, coach, author, and keynote speaker. Linda is also the director of the International Association for Journal Writing. The conversation dives deep into burnout among elite firefighters and first responders, exploring how journaling...

The Epic Season 1 Reunion Of Voices From Beneath The Helmet. In this special reunion episode of 'Beneath the Helmet,' host Arjuna George celebrates the podcast's second season finale and his third anniversary of retiring from the fire service. Each guest shares updates on their personal and professional journeys, from writing books and launching coaching businesses to profound advice for new and r...

Mindfulness Mastery: An Inspiring Conversation With Josh Grandinetti Join host Arjuna George on 'Beneath the Helmet' as he sits down with Josh Grandinetti to discuss the transformative power of mindfulness for first responders. Josh shares his journey from a stressed firefighter to a certified mindfulness instructor, offering practical insights on starting a mindfulness practice, the benefits for...

Unlocking the Secrets of Fascia Health with Deanna Hansen. In this episode of Beneath the Helmet, host retired Fire Chief Arjuna George sits down with Deanna Hansen, founder of Block Therapy and Fluid Isometrics. They discuss the revolutionary technique of fascia decompression using a particular wooden block, addressing issues like scar tissue, adhesions, and diaphragmatic breathing. Deanna shares...