First Responder Wellness Podcast with Conrad Weaver

Mental Toughness Isn't Enough: A Navy SEAL's Journey to Mental Fitness Guest: Chris Irwin | First Responder Wellness Podcast with Conrad Weaver What happens when the mental toughness that helped you survive some of life's most demanding challenges is no longer enough? Former Navy SEAL Chris Irwin knows what it means to push through adversity. A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, Chris completed t...

Content advisory: This episode includes discussion of suicide, substance use, and traumatic experiences. If you or someone you know is in crisis in the United States, call or text 988 for support.   156 - The Undercover Cop with a Death Wish: Trauma, PTSD, and the Road Back What happens when a police officer stops caring whether he lives or dies? Todd Maguire spent 27 years with the Queensland Pol...

Episode 155: Burned Out - The Hidden Cost of Being a First Responder with Iris Waichler   Guest: Iris Waichler, MSW | Author of Burned Out What happens when first responders leave the emergency behind—but the emotional weight follows them home? First responders spend their careers helping people through some of life's most difficult moments. But the cumulative impact of trauma, stress, and emotion...

First Responders Need Help. Congress Is Listening. Guest: Congressman Suhas Subramanyam | First Responder Wellness Podcast What happens when a first responder finally reaches out for help — only to discover there's nobody available? For many firefighters, law enforcement officers, EMS professionals, and 9-1-1 dispatchers, access to appropriate mental health resources remains a serious challenge. A...

Register HERE for the Leadership & Wellness Summit in Frederick, MD, Nov. 19!   154 - Stop Waiting until they Break - Matt Newlands What if we trained first responders for the mental and emotional demands of the job with the same intentionality we use to train them for firearms, tactics, investigations, or emergency response? That’s the question at the center of this conversation with Matt New...

153 - When your Job Becomes your Identity - Rachael Stark What happens when you're performing well at work—but you're not actually doing well? Rachael Stark knows that tension firsthand. Rachael is a captain in the Army National Guard, a reserve police officer, works in policy and accreditation for a police department, and previously served as a forensic death investigator. On paper, she was succe...

PAPPA HELPLINES Active NYPD Officers: 1-888-COPS-COP (1-888-267-7267) NYPD Retirees: 1-800-599-1085 If you're struggling, don't wait until things become a crisis. Reach out.   Episode 152 - POPPA: Peer Support at the NYPD Police officers are trained to respond when everyone else is having the worst day of their lives. But where does the officer go when the person struggling is the one behind the b...

141 Days: Zero Contact — When the System Fails You What happens when you’ve given decades of your life to law enforcement—and suddenly the system you trusted goes silent? Deputy Chief Rusty Myers spent 31 years in law enforcement, serving as a patrol officer, supervisor, training commander, internal affairs investigator, and leader. He understood accountability. He understood investigations. In fa...

150 - The Heroism and Resiliency of 9/11 - with Director, Michael Gier   Twenty-five years after September 11, 2001, we remember the nearly 3,000 lives lost, the first responders who ran toward danger, and the countless people whose lives were forever changed. But what happened after the tragedy? In this episode of the First Responder Wellness Podcast, Conrad Weaver sits down with filmmaker Michae...

149 - Leadership Is Wellness: Four Conversations Every First Responder Should Hear Leadership and wellness are not separate conversations. In this special edition of the First Responder Wellness Podcast, Conrad Weaver shares highlights from the first four episodes of the brand-new First Responder Leadership Podcast—featuring conversations with Chris Cowan, Jason Yerkovich, Kristen Ziman, and Max G...

A New Chapter: Leadership, Wellness & What’s Next - Conrad Weaver Something new is coming — and it’s been in the works for quite some time. In this special edition of the First Responder Wellness Podcast, host Conrad Weaver steps away from the normal interview format to share two major announcements about the future of First Responder Wellness Solutions — and why leadership has become such an...

SPECIAL EDITION: AXON AID - How a Tech Innovator is Fighting for First Responder Mental Health   What does a technology company best known for TASER energy weapons and body cameras have to do with first responder mental health and wellness? More than you might expect. In this special edition of the First Responder Wellness Podcast, host Conrad Weaver sits down with Bella Giannini, Head of Marketin...

147 - The Loneliness Epidemic Is Killing First Responders - with Dr. Jody Carrington In this episode of the First Responder Wellness Podcast, Conrad Weaver sits down with Dr. Jody Carrington — psychologist, bestselling author, and former civilian member of Canada’s national police force, the RCMP — for an important conversation about first responder mental health, PTSD, burnout, loneliness, trauma...

Join the First Responder Leadership Mastermind: firstresponderwellness.co/mastermind   146 - From Felonies to the Front Lines: One Woman's Journey Through Addiction and Recovery Work What does it really take to go from a stolen car, a drug addiction, and a revolving-door relationship with jail — to 14 years of sobriety and a career saving other people's lives?

 In this episode of the First Respon...

Ready to become the leader your people deserve? Applications for Cohort #2 of the First Responder Leadership Mastermind are now open. Space is limited. Learn more: https://firstresponderwellness.co/mastermind 145 - From Skeptic to Believer - with Chief Rob Reardon Episode Description What happens when a fire chief faces the kind of call no department ever wants to receive? In this episode of the F...

If you or someone you know is struggling, please reach out to the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988. You are not alone, and help is available. You can also find first responder-specific resources at www.firstresponderwellness.co/resources   "I had to save myself because if I stayed where I was, I literally was going to die. It wouldn't have been a proverbial die. It would b...

Click here for a Coaching Strategy Call with Conrad Weaver: https://firstresponderwellness.co/schedule/   143 - Ego Kills Careers, and How to Lead Differently with Dr. Ron Camacho   "There is a pre-therapy Camacho and a post-therapy Camacho. They are two totally different people."
— Chief Ron Camacho What does it take to go from being the most feared officer in the building to the most trusted chi...

142 - Beautifully Broken: How One Officer's Suicide Sparked a Movement of Hope | Jared Buchanan & Daniel Herzog What happens when unimaginable loss becomes a mission to save lives? When police officer Paul Buchanan died by suicide, he left behind a heartbreaking note explaining that he wanted help—but feared asking for it would cost him his badge, his gun, and his career. That fear cost him ev...

141 - Shot in the line of Duty - with Hali Bradford   She arrived at the hospital with 30 seconds of life and a 99.99% chance of not surviving. Her surgeon was moments from calling her time of death. And then — without medical explanation — the bleeding stopped.

 This week on the First Responder Wellness Podcast, host Conrad Weaver sits down with Hali Bradford, a Louisiana National Guard MP veter...

140 - How is Filing a Complaint a Mental Health Tool - with Bridget Truxillo Most first responders think of complaints as paperwork, politics, or career-ending decisions—not something connected to wellness. But what if staying silent is actually what does the most damage? In this episode, Conrad Weaver sits down with attorney and former law enforcement officer Bridget Truxillo to explore the hidde...

139 - What Happens After the Diagnosis? With Suzanne Stone Executive Episode Summary For many people, cancer is something that happens to someone else. Until suddenly it doesn't. In this powerful conversation, Conrad sits down with Suzanne Stone, CEO of the Livestrong Foundation, to explore what happens after a cancer diagnosis turns life upside down. While most conversations focus on treatment, S...

138 - Mental Warefare is Part of the Path - Doc Springer Episode Description What if some of the things we've been taught about trauma, resilience, and suicide prevention are actually making the problem worse? In this powerful conversation, Conrad Weaver sits down with Dr. Shauna "Doc" Springer—psychologist, author, speaker, and one of the leading voices in military and first responder mental heal...

137 - Hiding in Plain Sight: When the Helper Needs Help with Paramedic Brad Lawson For nearly 27 years, Brad Lawson served his community as a paramedic, responding to tragedies, accidents, overdoses, and some of life's darkest moments. Like many first responders, Brad learned to suppress emotions, push through pain, and wear the mask of strength. To everyone around him, he appeared to have it all...

136 - The Full Bucket: Hidden Trauma, Childhood Wounds and Healing for First Responders with Dr. Stacy Raymond   EPISODE SUMMARY What if the trauma first responders carry didn’t start on the job? In this powerful conversation, psychologist and trauma specialist Dr. Stacy Raymond explores the hidden roots of trauma in policing and public safety — and why some first responders struggle to seek help,...

Need Help?  Check out our resource page at https://firstresponderwellness.co/resources/   Great Leaders Empower the Team - with Steve Vincent What does real leadership look like when lives, missions, and impossible decisions are on the line? In this episode of the First Responder Wellness Podcast, Conrad Weaver sits down with former U.S. Navy commanding officer Steve Vincent for a powerful convers...