Responder Resilience

Videos

Sept. 13, 2022

Mental Fitness for First Responders and Military | S2 E37

Can we exercise the mind to build mental fitness? Yes, says performance expert Erik Leslie from Modern Mindfulness. Erik has trained professionals in the world’s toughest careers (first responders, Special Forces and Apache Pilots) with simple ways to become present in high-stress situations. Erik talks about what modern mindfulness is,…

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Sept. 7, 2022

Pete & Scott: Crisis Intervention Team | S2 E36

As a CIT Coordinator, Officer Peter Elste works closely with Crisis Intervention Clinician Scott Alvord on the Danbury Police Crisis Intervention Team. Together, they respond to calls involving mental and behavioral issues to help connect people to available services. In this episode Pete and Scott speak about Community Response and…

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Aug. 31, 2022

Trooper Turned Therapist - Tackling Trauma with Timely Tools | S2 E35

Sonny Provetto is a former state trooper, EMDR clinician and a trauma consultant for police departments and emergency responders nationwide. He runs the Vermont Center for Responder Wellness, a comprehensive treatment center for first responders, which uses a multi-disciplinary approach to healing traumatic stress. Sonny talks about a tool he…

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Aug. 23, 2022

Last Responder: Matters of Life And Death | S2 E34

Katharine Pope is a renowned Forensic Investigator and Crime Scene Specialist, whose resilient career and path through PTSD and Alcohol Use Disorder is remarkable. Death investigation is a challenging field that requires a unique personality, work/life balance and a wide range of skills to be successful. In this episode, we…

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Aug. 18, 2022

The Reality of PTSD When Children Die | S2 E33

Throughout his 46 year career as a Fire Captain and Investigator, Patrick Wills had seen more than his share of trauma and death, but it wasn’t until he responded to a tragic fire that claimed the lives of three young sisters that he unknowingly descended into total PTSD. David and…

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Aug. 10, 2022

Addiction Crisis: Truth, Justice and The Road to Recovery | S2 E32

Retired L.E.O. and FBI agent Michael Van Meter is a well respected Law Enforcement Leader and an Addiction Recovery Expert. In this episode, he talks about the devastating effects of addiction on the public, himself, and his profession. Pulling from personal and professional experience, Michael shares thoughts on this complex,…

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Aug. 3, 2022

Paramedics Don't Sleep....They Wait | S2 E31

Award-winning paramedic and educator Nick Paproski talks with David about a vital and elusive commodity: SLEEP.

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July 28, 2022

Peer Support Network — Opening the Doors to Firefighter Mental Health | S2 E30

Peer support is an essential element of any emergency response team. This episode features an interview with Doug O'Rourke, a Lieutenant with the Hamden Fire Department, who also serves as the Director of the Connecticut Firefighter Peer Support Network. In this video, Doug talks about the organization and its mission.…

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July 18, 2022

Resiliency in Action, A Leader’s Journey | S2 E29

Pete Elste is a Danbury Police Officer who has become a leader in peer support and crisis intervention. In this episode Pete shares his story of addiction, restructuring his path to recovery, and staying grounded. Pete is a resilient leader who has proven that you can achieve anything you put…

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July 12, 2022

Firefighters—Get Fit, Stay Fit! | S2 E28

In this episode, Bonnie and David interview Sara Beckert, National Fire Academy Instructor and founder of First Response Health and Wellness.

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July 8, 2022

Responder Resilience Podcast Trailer 2022

The Responder Resilience show is dedicated to improving the mental, spiritual and physical well-being of police, fire, EMS, and dispatch personnel. Hosted by Lt. David Dachinger (Ret.), Dr. Stacy Raymond, Psy.D., and Bonnie C. Rumilly, LCSW/EMT-B, these broadcasts feature expert guests sharing vital information about wellness topics for first responders.…

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July 5, 2022

How EMDR Works: What You Should Know | S2 E27

We discuss first responder EMDR therapy, which is a powerfully effective way to take the charge out of stressful memories and reprocess them. First Responder therapists Dr. Stacy Raymond and Bonnie Rumilly, LCSW will be talking about what to expect from the EMDR process, how it can help responders.

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June 28, 2022

Relentless Courage: Winning the Battle Against Frontline Trauma | S2 E26

Michael Sugrue has been on the front lines of the battle against duty induced trauma since he responded to a fatal officer involved shooting that instantly changed his whole world. Hear Michael's story, and learn about his book RELENTLESS COURAGE: Winning the Battle Against Frontline Trauma.

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June 22, 2022

FrontlineCT: Breaking the Mental Health Stigma | S2 E25

We’ll be speaking with Steven Wilcox Director of Education for FrontlineCT about their first responder peer support program and the stigma around first responder mental health. Mental health issues are still infrequently discussed in the first responder community. The paramedic profession has a high rate of suicide and mental health-related…

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June 15, 2022

Post-Traumatic Transformation: Using Negative Experiences to Help Others | S2 E24

Norm Wielsch was a police officer for 26 years, during which time he saw a lot, made some bad decisions, suffered and overcame opioid addiction and spent time in prison. Norm talks about how he emerged stronger from his suffering and became a positive force to help others.

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June 8, 2022

“Living Blue”-Writing The LEO’s Guide to Resilience and Mental Health | S2 E23

In this episode, we discuss Police Wellness and Resilience, and the soon to be released book "Living Blue" being written by Barbara Rubel and Jason M. Palamara.

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May 31, 2022

Never Forget: Lessons Learned at NY Telephone Fire | S2 E22 | Dan Noonan - Chief Frank Leeb (FDNY)

Never Forget: Lessons Learned at the NY Telephone Fire | S2 E22 | With Dan Noonan (FDNY Ret.) and Chief Frank Leeb (FDNY) In 1975, a fire erupted at a telephone relay company in lower Manhattan. Many of the 699 firefighters developed cancer and other illnesses from exposure to carcinogens…

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May 25, 2022

Energy Healing: Alternative Stress Relief for First Responders | S2 E21

What is Reiki and Shamanic Healing, and how can it benefit first responders? This episode features an interview with energy practitioners Akilah Barr and Deana Pacqua speaking about Reiki, Shamanic Healing and other Alternative Healing Modalities for First Responders.

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May 17, 2022

​​Functional Medicine: A Natural Path for Responders | S2 E 20

​​Functional Medicine: A Natural Path for Responders This episode features an interview with first responder Dr Ken Hoffman, a functional medicine doctor in practice for 20 years. He is Medical Director of SOPHIA Natural Health Center in Brookfield CT which delivers the most comprehensive scientific, holistic evaluation and treatment that…

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May 11, 2022

CISD: Helping Responders Cope with Traumatic Events | S2 E19

On this episode, Stacy, Bonnie and David speak with Deputy Chief Bernie Meehan, a veteran of over 400 first responder critical incident debriefings. Our topic: Critical Incident Stress Management and Debriefings, and how a CISD/CISM debrief can kick start the healing process.

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May 5, 2022

Bulletproof Spirit—Protecting and Healing Mind and Heart | S2 E18

We speak with Dan Willis, a retired police Captain who is an expert on the proven benefits of serving with your heart and acting with compassion in the face of job-related trauma and stress. Dan is a highly regarded expert on the subject of emotional survival and improving spiritual wellness…

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April 28, 2022

Yoga for Responders: Powerful Tools for Stress Relief | S2 E17

Yoga for Responders: Powerful Tools for Stress Relief In this episode, we speak with yoga instructors Wendy Boscia and Steve Zagami. Wendy comes from a family of responders, including her dad and brothers, and Steve is a retired U.S.M.C. Sgt., and FDNY Firefighter. Wendy and Steve will explain the benefits…

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April 21, 2022

First Responder Addiction Treatment: New Approaches | S2 E16

Premieres Wed, 7pm ET — ⫸ Watch replays anytime thereafter First Responder Addiction Treatment: New Approaches On this episode, Bonnie and David speak with Michele Giorgianni, First Responder Liaison at Aware Recovery Care @awarerecoverycare, and Jason Palamara, Director of Veteran & First Responder Engagement at Forge VFR @forgehealth Our topic:…

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April 13, 2022

The Spiritual Side of First Responders and Military | S2 E15

In this mini-documentary episode hosted by Dr. Stacy Raymond, we will take a closer look at first responder and military spirituality. Everyone has their own concept of what it means and that's what makes this topic so interesting.

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