Guns and Mental Health by Walk the Talk America

Jared Buchanan shares his personal journey through grief, mental health advocacy, and ultra running, all inspired by his father's suicide. Discover insights on recognizing signs, the importance of connection, and how resilience and humor can aid healing. Send us Fan Mail Walk the Talk America would like to thank our partners who make these conversations possible and would like to highlight ou...

In this episode of Guns and Mental Health , Mike and Jake sit down with the Allegiance Project Foundation to discuss a different approach to school safety. The conversation explores how Allegiance Project Foundation hires and trains veterans for school security, helps schools build a security mindset, and supports veterans as they transition out of military service and into a renewed sense of purp...

In this deeply human episode of the WTTA Guns and Mental Health Podcast, Michael Sodini sits down with Nelba Márquez-Greene, mother of Ana Grace, who was murdered in the Sandy Hook shooting. This conversation is not about politics or taking sides. It is about listening. Nelba shares her story as a mother, wife, clinician, educator, and survivor of unimaginable loss. Together, she and Michael discu...

Michael Sodini recaps his experience last fall at Rutgers University, where he was invited to close out a summit hosted by the New Jersey Gun Violence Research Center.  In this conversation, Michael and Kevin break down what happened when Walk the Talk America brought a firearms industry perspective into a room full of researchers, social workers, and advocacy groups. They discuss the disconnect b...

Firearm storage is not just about what you buy, it’s about what you know . In this episode, Mike and Nicky Zabetian from Kinisium join Mike to break down Kini Safe Alert , a small, discreet motion/tamper notification device that texts (or app-notifies) you when something you care about is moved, opened, or accessed. They talk through the real stories that inspired the product, why “my kids know be...

In this conversation, Seth Hendricks shares his transformative journey from a decade-long career in law enforcement to becoming a financial advisor. He discusses the impact of mental health on police officers, the importance of self-reflection, and the challenges of balancing personal and professional life. The conversation delves into the unconscious behaviors shaped by trauma, the financial cons...

Red flag laws, also known as ERPOs, get talked about in the gun world like one sweeping “boogeyman”, but the reality is messier and state-specific. In this episode, Michael Sodini and Kevin Berry sit down with Dr. Chris Knoepke ( University of Colorado School of Medicine’s Firearm Injury Prevention Initiative ) to break down how Colorado’s ERPO process actually works , who can file, what due proce...

For the first time on the WTTA podcast, we’re joined by a researcher, and not just any researcher. Michael Sodini and Kevin Berry sit down with Kerri Raissian , Senior Research Scientist at the Yale School of Public Health’s Firearm Injury Prevention Initiative. Kerri shares her path from growing up on a cattle farm in Texas, to working in a district attorney’s office and running one of the larges...

In this episode of the Guns & Mental Health podcast, Michael Sodini and Kevin Berry sit down with Charles Anderson, CEO in the firearms media world behind Bleeker Street Publications , Athlon Outdoors , and its family of brands. What starts as a chance bar conversation at NASGW turns into a powerful, honest discussion about what it looks like to live with mental health struggles while building...

In this special episode, Kevin Berry sits down with Kerri Raissian, Senior Research Scientist at the Yale School of Public Health, Kenny Barlow from Regal Products, and WTTA founder Mike Sodini to recap a week that moved the conversation forward in meaningful ways. The National Research Conference for the Prevention of Firearm-Related Harms brought together researchers, public health leaders, indu...

In this episode of Walk the Talk America , Michael Sodini and Kevin Berry sit down with firearms instructor and Firearm Trainer Podcast host Rob Beckman to discuss his candidacy for the NRA Board of Directors and his vision for “NRA 2.0.”  Rob shares how the organization is changing under new leadership, how instructors can bridge the gap between gun ownership and mental health, and why collaborat...

Former infantry Marine and brand strategist Waco Hoover joins Michael to dig into the impact of lip service. We cover the American Legion ’s “ Be The One ” suicide-prevention effort, Columbia Protocol training, and VA Veterans Health Venture Studio work building real tools for care. Then we preview MCON , a celebration of military culture with range day, First Shots, and a timed secure-storage ret...

RG Stitt and Greg Harpster join us from the Scott Sippel Foundation —an organization born from tragedy that’s now raised nearly $600,000 for mental health and suicide prevention. We talk about honoring their friend Scott, why local boots-on-the-ground efforts matter, and how a community sporting clays event became a powerful engine for change. You’ll hear: How the Foundation identifies smaller, vo...

Mike and Kevin sit down with Rob Pincus to unpack two hot buttons that get thrown around online but are rarely explored with nuance: the “firearms are the #1 cause of death in youth” stat, and ERPOs/red flag laws.  Rob shares what he sees inside a Tufts University led  group that puts gun-rights and gun-control advocates in the same room to hammer out policy ideas for red states. We dig into how s...

Michael Sodini and Kevin Berry sit down with Kami Kay Kirschbaum , founder & CEO of CIVILIAN , a bulletproof clothing brand built to blend in. From growing up with active-shooter drills to a literal dream that sparked the idea, Kami walks us through turning a wild concept into light, breathable, and stylish bulletproof apparel. We talk Sweden vs. U.S. safety culture, why most armor looks tacti...

Mike and J. Hood welcome Ryan and Nate from The King of Camo , the North Georgia custom shop and YouTube duo known for turning real counter moments into laugh-out-loud shorts that still teach safety. They share how a near-fatal motorcycle crash, a hard reset on alcohol, and honest conversations reshaped their lives, their business, and their channel. The crew digs into what “welcoming gun culture”...

Join hosts Michael Sodini and Kevin Berry as they welcome Keith Bombaugh of B.O.S. Lock to the show. What began as a family-driven need for safer firearm storage has grown into a groundbreaking product designed for speed, reliability, and peace of mind. From technical details and real-world testing to the bigger conversation about responsibility and mental health, this episode explores how innovat...

In this episode of Guns and Mental Health, hosts Jake Wiskerchen and Michael Sodini welcome Kelly Sutliff, a licensed professional counselor and domestic violence survivor. Kelly shares her harrowing story of surviving an abusive relationship, the night she escaped her ex-husband, and the subsequent legal battles she faced regarding gun ownership. Kelly's journey highlights the need for bette...

In this WTTA Guns and Mental Health podcast episode, hosts Michael Sodini and Kevin Berry engage with John Fahrner from Gun Owners of America (GOA). They discuss personal updates, John's journey in the firearms industry, the mission of GOA , and the importance of advocacy and community engagement. The conversation also covers legislative efforts, the 'Big Beautiful Bill' significanc...

What happens after the mission ends? In this episode, we sit down with Marine Corps veteran and founder of VMHA, Dwayne Edwards, for an honest conversation about life after service, the identity crisis many veterans face, and why our system still fails to meet their mental health needs. Dwayne shares his journey from growing up in Jamaica and navigating Brooklyn as a kid, to leading Marines in Ira...

In this unfiltered conversation, Aaron Stark returns to continue a story: how he went from the brink of committing a school shooting to becoming a national voice for prevention and mental health reform. Host Jake Wiskerchen digs into the raw truths that don’t get discussed enough, from the failings of our systems to the unrelenting weight of shame and what it means to truly reach a hurting kid. Aa...

Jake Wiskerchen and Michael Sodini sit down with Aaron Stark, a man who once nearly became a school shooter, to explore the roots of despair, the systemic failures that allow trauma to fester, and the moments of compassion that can save a life.  Aaron shares his deeply personal story of abuse, neglect, and hopelessness, and how two friends changed everything. From the dangerous effects of untreate...

Rob Bogue of Robust Futures and SuicideMyths.org joins Jake and Mike to challenge some of the most deeply ingrained beliefs in suicide prevention. From questioning the predictive power of warning signs and screening tools to highlighting the harmful consequences of forced hospitalization and red flag laws, this conversation peels back the layers of a flawed system. Rob shares the personal story th...

In this episode of the Walk the Talk America podcast, hosts Jake Wiskerchen and Michael Sodini are joined by Klint Macro and Matt Mallory from Meet the Pressers.  They discuss their journey in the firearms industry, the importance of mental health in relation to gun ownership, and the responsibilities that come with being a gun owner. The conversation delves into training for critical incidents, t...

Grant Magers, founder and CEO of American Rounds —an innovative company bringing ammunition vending machines (yes, really) to retailers nationwide. In this refreshingly light-hearted but deeply insightful episode, Grant breaks down the origin story of American Rounds and how the technology works, from ID verification to facial matching.  We also discuss some controversy, including fears about surv...