This is not a story of a kids journey to the NHL, it's about the will to live. Fighter - defying the NHL odds, by Aaron Polvatti. A story of grief, terror, personal tragedy, uncertainty, and happiness, this story will inspire you to dig deep within yourself to find your own strength to walk into your darkest moments and come out of them with a determination and mindset to achieve your wildest dreams. Think of this story as a guide to find the fighter inside of you. A guide that will push you to fight for what you want and what you love in life. To purchase Aaron’s book go to: Fighter: Defying The NHL Odds: Volpatti, Aaron: 9781738700608: Books - Amazon.ca

When firefighters arrive to a scene, there is the adrenaline rush, the heat, the smoke, kicking in the door and then truly fighting the fire.  Isabel Ruediger talks about how fulfilling the job can be, and after putting 30 years in, she left as one of the most respected leaders on the job. Leading the departments CISM team and helping her fellow firefighters when they were struggling, Izzy decided she wanted to continue making a difference and is now am established and very busy Clinical Counsellor. What a career, what a human, what a story! 

Dr. Mark Vu sees trauma everyday, if not in the emergency or in surgery, then on the streets as the Medic Lead for a Regional Police Public Safety Unit. A leader when it comes to educating Police Officers and Firefighters on (TECC) Tactical Emergency Critical Care. Juggling work life / balance is really hard for everyone, Mark's unique outlook on life is super contagious, we should all be taking a page out of this mans recipe for happiness. This podcast was recorded in mid July before the Shelbourne bank incident, our thoughts and prayers go out to all the police officers and their families who were involved in that event. #gvertstrong

Christmas is a very tough time for so many, please know you are not alone and people do care.

Listen to the Fire Chief of Esquimalt being interviewed on Victoria's Rumble Room about struggling over the holidays.

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Merry Christmas, Stay Safe 

Dr. John Ogrodniczuk talks about anxiety over the holidays, breathing, sleep and visualizations can help you get through some of these stressful periods of your life, especially the holiday season. Heads Up Guys is an online resource created at the University of British Columbia and was created by Dr. John.  Men will often talk about feeling angry or irritable rather than sad or down. These myths can also feel like handcuffs for men, preventing them from reaching out to others for even a little support. This contributes to many men not seeking support until their depression is very severe, if at all. This can place men at an increased risk of taking their own lives HeadsUpGuys | Manage & Prevent Depression in Men

Breathing is one the most effective tools for Special Forces and Emergency Response Teams and now departments are realizing every first responder must understand how to control their breathing to be able to manage their fight-or-flight response. This training is being delivered across North America to reduce Post Traumatic Stress Injuries. Mindfulness is an effective and empowering solution for helping First Responders perform at their peak and more importantly recover after being exposed to trauma. Mindfulness is a tool used to enhance alertness, effectiveness and compassion and it has been used for thousands of years to relive stress and anxiety.

Kevin Briggs - known as the Guardian of the Golden Gate Bridge; a dedicated California Highway Patrol Officer who courageously helped people who were having their worst day. Kevin might look like just another Cop, but the truth is, he is something special.  He went above and beyond the call of duty every time he was called upon on when responding to someone in need on the bridge. Many of the people who climbed back to safety on the platform of the bridge will tell you that Kevin Briggs didn't just listen, in many cases he created a vision for them on how they were going to restart their lives, and why it was important for them to continue to live. Kevin shares the technique he used to gain trust, create conversation and then help people take the first step to starting a new life. Climbing back over the rail. 

Lindsay Faas have spent over a decade working in the field of trauma therapy, and many of those years working one-on-one with First Responders and Front Line Workers struggling with the weight of their work. Her specialty and focus is working with Police, Fire Fighters, Paramedics, Corrections, Dispatchers, Nurses, and Military. The guests on her podcast " Behind The Line" tell stories of tough calls, tough workplaces and organizational stress. The goal of her work is to keep the conversation going, break down the stigma and help someone out of a tough spot. Check out Behind The Line at Behind The Line Podcast for First Responders by Lindsay Faas (thrive-life.ca)

Many people wrongly assume that Post Traumatic Stress is inevitable for anyone exposed to trauma, this guest states that for him personally, it is clearly not the case. He speaks openly about how he has endured trauma both at home and on the front lines as a Firefighter but has never suffered from PTSI.  In fact he believes that the majority of firefighters are not affected by trauma and live mentally healthy lives. Working in one of the busiest fire departments will definitely affect you and perhaps your family, but this 31-year veteran believes that he has retired from his career completely unaffected. Steve and this guest have worked together for over 30 years, they have a very special relationship, only one struggled and the other did not.  Listen to them talk about their different perspectives on mental health in fire service.

A 24-year-old school teacher speaks about the experiences of his generation. From the understated effects of flipping through emotions on social media and the pressures involved in secondary and post-secondary education, to the importance of travel and athletics in mainting mental wellness and stability.

Marcus Da Silva has challenged himself his entire life, and he set his eyes on breaking the world record for most pull ups in 24 hours. To become the best in the world, you need to set micro-goals. Learn to focus on one thing at a time, and avoid all distractions. The best athletes on the planet achieve this by determining their overall objective, breaking it down into smaller pieces, and training until they get to minute-by-minute pieces. Marcus illustrates this through his tattoo, which is from the Huna teachings: "Expect the best, bless the present, trust yourself." Marcus is the only human on the planet who mentally and physically prepared himself to do over 7000 pull ups in 24 hours

Mental Health Judo breaks down the concepts of Mindfulness, Empathy, Self-compassion and the daily rituals we need to practice in order to stay healthy. Stress and suffering are actually part of the human experience, so you need to learn how to be kind to yourself and understand that things from your past or your daily thoughts don’t define you as a person and that you can build a healthy daily routine to manage those thoughts. Strong mental health is enhanced by understanding that mind, body, and spirit are the three components of our system that need to all be working together on a daily basis. Dr. Chuck Allen and Dr. Jim Keats guide us in improving our mindfulness and self-compassion by helping us understand how to manage our thoughts and get us into the now.

Bryson Hill is an accomplished Police Officer who joined the RCMP to make a difference and help people; he achieved that goal over his his 21 year career. Having compassion in law enforcement can be very tough, Police Officers face countless difficult situations that can negatively affect their ability to have a sense of compassion. Overwhelming research is showing that first responders are battling compassion fatigue, burnout, and post trauma stress, which will eventually cause a person to shut down mentally, physically, and emotionally, leading to apathy, cynicism, and social dysfunction. It is crucial that Police Officers are fully supported when they suffer a psychological injury, so that they don’t lose this ability to feel compassion. There should be no lines between membership and management when it comes to helping members struggling with a psychological injury, creating a culture of compassion in an agency starts with leadership. It is important that we all lead by example and create robust wellness programs and safe environments to discuss mental health challenges and help members struggling with compassion fatigue. Over time Officers may become emotionally detached or numb and many will then eventually completely break down if not supported. The momentum is just getting started because people like Bryson are out there and have the courage to tell their story. RCMP is made up of the greatest police officers on this planet, they do an amazing job of serving citizens on the 2nd largest countries in the world. We thank them for their service! Bryson’s story is about a career ending post-traumatic stress injury, incredible compassion, and an amazing journey of recovery.

"You must leave this area immediately," that is what is broadcasted when a wildfire is raging toward your community, people frantically rushing toward their homes, packing up their belongings and leaving your community in less than three hours.  The town of Logan Lake spent a decade in preparation, focusing on fire mitigation that definitely saved the community from a behemoth of a wildfire that threatened the community and everyone who lived there. This Podcast features one of the few who stayed behind to help support the firefighters coming in to take a stand on that wildfire. Krista Dick tells what it is like to live in a remote community, have family members who are firefighters, and then decide whether to stay or to go. Krista stayed, and was so helpful to those folks who came in and tried to help out this small town.

A true leader has the confidence to stand alone, the courage to make tough decisions, and the compassion to listen to the needs of others. He does not set out to be a leader, but becomes one by the equality of his actions and the integrity of his intent.

Our guest Keith Lidner speaks to his 35 years of experience in Policing. He has held almost every position from drug enforcement, Major Crimes Unit, to ERT. He is very well respected and is a leader who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.

Brady Leavold grew up in Greater Vancouver, playing AAA minor hockey kept him out of trouble; he was a really good hockey player and scouts  started to take notice.  Brady started experiencing anxiety and using drugs just as his Western Hockey League career started to take shape, it was all there for this young hockey player to make his way to the show; he eventually did sign with the Tampa Bay Lighting, but it was short lived.  His life started to spiral out of control and he ended up homeless, on the east side of Vancouver. His story could be a best seller in how hard he works to stay clean and how he helps others. He speaks opening about the mistakes he has made and tells his tragic story courageously in hopes to help others, and prevent kids from following the same path.

Joking and laughter in the workplace has been diminishing over the years, and it actually can be a very important part of a healthy workplace if practiced respectfully.  These old firefighters laugh it up telling some memorable stories about getting through tough days while working in one of the busiest fire departments in the country. With normal work stressors being compounded by death and destruction and all of its effects, creating fun moments and deep belly laughter in your day can be pure medicine.  A Chief, Assistant Chief, Battalion Chief and a Captain who were legendary when it came to the odd joke at the fire hall, talk about the importance of having fun at work. Listener discretion not advised, as this is the most edited podcast ever created.

Firefighters often suffer injuries in the line of duty. As “occupational athletes” Firefighters often face the risk of injury and must frequently cope with post traumatic stress injuries. Arron Fields has developed a program that tens of thousands of Firefighters have used to better prepare themselves when responding to fires, which is helping reduce the risk of being Injured physically and mentally.

Rising to the challenge when it comes to mental health, Steve Farina from the British Columbia Professional Firefighters Association talks about working together with the employer on how to reduce the stigma in the Fire Service.  In 2019, the Fire Chiefs' Association of BC (FCABC) and the BC Professional Fire Fighters’ Association (BCPFFA) held a two-day BC Fire Leadership Summit in Victoria. This was an opportunity for leaders to gain a greater understanding of our respective challenges, with a focus on successful labour relations, mental health. Membership and management working towards common goals, we are all in this together!

A snowy night in Winnipeg changed the lives of so many. Our guest has dedicated his life to training others and coaching them to be the best they can be, so that event never happens again. Lionel Crowther is one of the most courageous firefighters in the country, not because he was involved in a tragic event, but because he is willing to talk about it and help others. His words are powerful, his message is strong and he speaks openly about the support of his amazing wife Joanna, and the doctors, caregivers and all the fellow firefighters he has met along the way who helped him through the toughest time in his life.