Behind The Shield

Jonathan Mark intially entered NYPD as a recruit but it was his gift as a psychic medium that pulled him back into the world of law enforcement. He was called upon in the Gabby Petito case, the Long Island Serial Killer case and many more. We discussed discovering his gift as a child, bringing closure to those who have lost loved ones, the power of meditation and so much more.Jonathan is a highly respected psychic medium that is able to connect his clients with loved ones who have crossed over. His mission is to provide comfort to his clientele through compassionate personal readings that are compelling and touching. Jonathan received confirmation of his gift by another psychic medium when he was 20 years old. Since then he has developed his unique abilities of being able to communicate with loved ones who have crossed over. During the sessions clients have reported a sense of closure and healing by being able to connect with their loved ones. Through mediumship it is possible to provide confirmation that our

Diane Cotter is a firefighter spouse and the woman who revealed the PFAS manufacturers were using in firefighter turnout gear. We discuss her early life, the Cold Storage Fire in Worcester, her husband's cancer diagnosis, her forever chemicals discovery, the resistance she encountered from trusted corporations and organizations, what needs to change and so much more.Diane Cotter is a self-taught citizen activist whose upright, focused, and determined efforts in support of her husband, Fire Lieutenant Paul Cotter, during and after their battle against Paul’s occupational cancer served as the inspiration for the documentary “BURNED - Protecting The Protectors” by filmmaker Elijah Yetter Bowman and award-winning actor, Mark Ruffalo, Executive Producer. Diane is the ultimate standard bearer, a smart, outspoken, and fearless woman who continues to march at the head of her six-year campaign to remove PFAS “forever chemicals” from the gear worn by today’s firefighters. No less an authority that Ed Kelly, General Pre

.Monty Bynum is a Marine veteran, former LEO, DEA and GBI, and the founder of The Wealthy Servant. We discuss his journey into law enforcement, the war on drugs, leadership, entrepreneurship and so much more.

After eight years interviewing, Dustin's story still remains one of the most powerful I've ever heard. This has been a terrible week for the first responder community so it seems fitting that I repost this episode with the hope that it might reach someone who needs to hear it. Dustin Hawkins has been to hell and back both physically and mentally. We talk about his critical injuries, PTSD, near suicide and the future of mental wellness in first responders: Red Line Rescue.

Dr. Anders Hansen is a Swedish psychiatrist, speaker and international bestselling author with his own TV series exploring the human brain. Dr. Hansen’s books have sold millions of copies globally and topped bestseller lists around the world. He is the winner of the book of the year Big Health Award 2017 and 2019, and Sweden’s Mensa Prize in 2018.We discuss his childhood in Sweden, the importance of play, social media, ADHD, the brain and evolution, the pros and cons of pharmaceuticals, exercise as medicine, the pursuit of happiness and so much more.

Jay Dawes, PhD, CSCS, *D, NSCA-CPT, TSAC-F, FNSCA, is a professor of applied exercise science in the School of Kinesiology, Applied Health and Recreation at OSU. Dr. Dawes has worked as a university athletic performance coordinator, strength/performance coach, personal trainer and educator for over 20 years. His primary research interests is focused on improving the health, fitness and human performance for the tactical athletes and first responders. He is the co-founder and co-director of the OSU Tactical Fitness and Nutrition Lab and a member of the OSU Fire Council.

Michael McColgan is an Army Veteran, Firefighter, founding member of Dropkick Murphys and the lead vocalist of Street Dogs. We discuss his journey into music, the Invasion of Iraq, his powerful sobriety story, Celtic rock, entering the fire service, some notable calls, becoming part of the mental health solution in Boston and so much more.

Larry Doyle is a Vietnam veteran and one of the most respected journalists of his era. We discuss his journey into journalism, interviewing Nelson Mandela, his experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan, the devolution of American journalism, veteran mental health and so much more.

The moment CHP Officer Kevin Briggs responded to Kevin Berthia's suicide attempt became a picture that touched the world. I have interviewed both of these men independantly but in this episode they joined me together to discuss all things mental health. Kevin Briggs entered the US Army in 1981. In 1987, he became a correctional officer and worked at Soledad and San Quentin State Prisons. In 1990, he graduated from the California Highway Patrol Academy and worked predominantly on the Golden Gate Bridge. Kevin answered an average of four to six suicidal calls each month. In 1999, Kevin completed training at the CHP Motor School, and in 2008, was promoted to Sergeant. Having graduated from the FBI’s Crisis Negotiation Course, one of his duties was to train new CHP officers and Golden Gate Bridge staff on crisis interventions / negotiations.Kevin retired from the CHP in 2013 to promote Crisis Management, Leadership Skills, and Suicide Intervention / Prevention worldwide. He continues speaking and teaching at conf

Guy Miles was wrongly convicted of a robbery after eyewitnesses wrongly identified him. The three true perpetrators ultimately admitted to committing the crime and they exculpated Guy Miles in the process.On a day in June 1998, at a Fidelity Financial Institution in Fullerton, California, Trina Gomez and Max Patlan faced a horrifying incident. As they were closing up, two men, Jason Steward and Harold Bailey, knocked on the door, claiming to be there for a payment. Once inside, the situation turned dark – Harold pulled out a handgun, and Jason had a shotgun. They demanded money, taking $1,410 in cash and $4,138 in personal checks. Bernard Teamer acted as the getaway driver, and they left, leaving Trina and Max shaken.The police faced challenges as the initial descriptions of the robbers were generic. A gardening glove left behind became a piece of evidence. The driver of the getaway vehicle was later identified as Bernard, providing a crucial lead.However, during the investigation, a detective compiled photo

Siento was born from the personal experiences of its CEO, Andrew Douglas, who spent years on the front lines as a firefighter/paramedic and union leader. After confronting his own battles with PTSD and a suicide attempt, Andrew felt compelled to create the solution he wished he had during his darkest times.Understanding the intense pressures and unique challenges faced by those in high-stress professions, he was driven to create a tailored solution that effectively addresses the mental health needs often overlooked in such fields. Siento manifested as a stigma-free mental wellness and peer support management platform, dedicated to providing first responders and high-stress professionals with accessible, confidential, and culturally competent mental health support.Teams that use Siento ensure their members have the resources to thrive, not just survive.

Andy Puddicombe is the creator of the meditation app Headspace. We discuss his childhood trauma, becoming a monk in India, the many benefits of mindfulness and meditation, mental resilience and much more.Andy is a meditation and mindfulness expert. An accomplished presenter and writer, Andy is the voice of all things Headspace.In his early twenties, midway through a university degree in Sports Science, Andy made the unexpected decision to travel to the Himalayas to study meditation instead. It was the beginning of a ten year journey which took him around the world, culminating with ordination as a Tibetan Buddhist monk in Northern India.His transition back to lay life in 2004 was no less extraordinary. Training briefly at Moscow State Circus, he returned to London where he completed a degree in Circus Arts with the Conservatoire of Dance and Drama, whilst drawing up the early plans for what was later to become Headspace.

Danny Long is a US Army Veteran, 22 year veteran of the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, 8 year member of the US Marshals Fugitive Task Force and the Founder of the Oklahoma First Responder Division. We discuss his journey into the military, entering law enforcement, contracting, weapons training, his multiple officer involved shootings, his powerful mental health journey, creating a wellness solution in his state, the healing power of exercise, Beaverfit equipment and so much more. "After dedicating my life to my career, I found myself divorced and isolated from my kids and family. I was drinking myself to sleep every night, only to wake up hating myself more and more. I had been through multiple gunfights, a Helicopter crash, and multipleinjuries, which finally led to hitting rock bottom. After years of telling myself I can “fix this”, I finally broke.I picked up a rifle and walked to the back of my farm with the intention of killing myself. After struggling for hours and putting the rifle in my mouth, I cried out

Ian "Mongoose" Jones is a BJJ Black Belt, Muay Thai champion and World Catch Wrestling champion. We discuss his turbulent childhood, his journey into the combat sports, striking, head trauma, martial arts for law enforcement grappling, addressing the 'grey area' with catch wrestling and so much more.

Alex Othmer is a Merchant Marine, Navy SEAL veteran and the Chief Executive Officer of Guardian Revival, We discuss his unique journey into the SEAL teams, Somali piracy, his transition story, psychedelic therapy, canines, the healing power of music and so much more.Guardian Revival Website: https://www.guardianrevival.org/

Mike Taylor and Alex Roodhouse are Navy Riverine Veterans and co-founders of BeaverFit USA. We discuss their journeys into the military, standing up an elite unit from scratch, training for the unknown, equipping the tactical athlete, training under stress and so much more.

Joel Billings is a former Volunteer Firefighter, EMT and researcher. We discuss volunteerism, his published study on the 48/96 firefighter shift, the health and performance impact of sleep deprivation, shift start times, alerting systems and much more. Joel is an assistant professor at Embry‑Riddle Aeronautical University. He is the Program Chair for the undergraduate degree program in Emergency Services teaches courses in fire and emergency services.Dr. Billings’ research expertise focuses on firefighters’ sleep and health. Specifically, he studies firefighter sleep process and sleep-wake cycles, fire department shift schedules, and the cardiovascular and sleep impacts of firefighter alerting systems. His research is funded by NIH/NHLBI and DHS/FEMA. His goal is to improve health, safety, and performance of members in the fire and emergency services profession by bringing together research and practice. He has former experience as a volunteer firefighter and EMT-Basic in Michigan. Dr. Billings serves as a me

Brian McGinnis is a US Marine, veteran firefighter and humanitarian. We discuss his early life, his journey into the military, his 9/11 story, being part of the Iraq invasion, some notable fire service calls, stolen land he witnessed whilst in the West Bank, the forcible tactics Israeli settlers are using, what will cause a ceasefire in Gaza and so much more.

Donn Bradley is a former law enforcement officer and Licenced Marriage and Family Therapist. We discuss his early life, the crushing weight of grief, his journey into policing, his powerful mental health story, becoming a therapist, first responder marriages and so much more. "You'll find that I'm not your typical patches-on-the-sleeves, "tell me about your mother" style therapist. After a career as a first responder, I have come in contact with a great many mental health challenges. My clients will find I am very empathetic while at the same time no-nonsense and to the point. Together, we'll explore what your challenges have been historically and find new ways to approach the life (and ultimately, happiness) for which you're looking.Therapy is helpful to navigate an increasingly challenging world and you don’t have to do it alone. I am passionate about utilizing my varied and valuable experience, in order to help people of all ages, couples and families. I specialize in issues like trauma, depression, anxiet

Gavin Meenan is a personal trainer and the man behind the Modern Warrior Programme. We discuss growing up in Ireland, the car accident that changed his world, overcoming guilt, porn addiction, his powerful mental health story, the importance of fitness, empowering men and so much more. Gavin is a leading voice in the Irish health and fitnesscommunity and a former European Powerlifting Champion. He has personally helped hundreds of people achieve life changing results.Originally from Donegal, Gavin now resides in the town of Sligo in Ireland, where he has built his business from being a personal trainer in the local community, to helping people from all around the world via his new and exclusive online coaching platform.Having impacted over 20,000 people with his unique message, Gavin is now expanding his platform into the men's coaching space. His goal is to help men everywhere build stronger mind, bodies and lives. This has been his main inspiration for writing his first book.In his personal life, Gavin has