Mental Armor

In this episode Detective Dixon joins Dr. D to discuss the idea of strength. Moving beyond the obvious physical definitions, Dr. D and Dixon have a conversation about what it means to be mentally tough in law enforcement and why mental strength is just as important as the physical. 

Retired officer Ferris Simmons joins Dr. D for a second discussion on how mental wellness effects officer safety and signs for when safety is slipping. 

Dr. Duranceaux is joined by retired officer Ferris Simmons for a conversation on the relationship between officer safety and mental heath. 

Dr. Duranceaux chats with us about common stressors that come with the holidays and tips for how to cope with the extra pressure. 

Dr. Duranceaux and our producer Jenn have a chat about overexposure to the media and the media's impact on first responder mental health. 

Welcome Dr. Nicole Duranceaux to the Mental Armor podcast! We play a quick game of "Never Have I Ever" to learn a little bit more about our new podcast co-host and good friend, Dr. D. 

Rich Goerling is a retired police lieutenant who now provides mindfulness training, coaching, and consulting through an organization he founded called the Mindful Badge. Rich was a pioneer in  teaching mindfulness  to law enforcement, and is now an established expert. Today if you google "mindfulness and law enforcement" Rich's name is bound to come up. We were excited to sit down with Rich and pick his brain about all things mindfulness and law enforcement. 

This time the tables are turned as our project coordinator Jenn interviews us! In this episode we do a quick dive into Mindfulness, what it is and what it isn't, and why it can be a helpful practice for first responders. If you're interested in trying mindfulness or are just starting out see some of resource suggestions below. Insight Timer App: https://insighttimer.com Mindfulness Superpower Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6T02g5hnT4 Author Jon Kabat-Zinn: https://www.mindfulnesscds.comBuddhist Monk Thich Nhat Hanh: https://thichnhathanhfoundation.org/thich-nhat-hanh

Sean Zauhar is a police sergeant and PhD. He joins us on the podcast to talk about how his department incorporated jiu jitsu into law enforcement training, a move that resulted in few injuries and lower levels of force. Dr./Sgt. Zauhar also tells us what he really thinks about green chile.  

Dr. Peter Divasto has been a police psychologist for the last thirty years and has truly seen it all. We ask him how he weeds out bad cops, what personality traits make hero cops, and how to spot a sociopath. 

Rachael Hatfield is a clinical psychologist in West Virgina. Her husband Jeremy is a police officer. Together they join us on the podcast to discuss how they navigate working together, supporting each other, and advice for other first responder families. 

Part II of our conversation with Greg Jackson, an internationally recognized fight trainer who has coached many fighters to championships. He has been teaching defensive tactics and mindfulness to law enforcement for years. He will give a brief overview of his career, and how it has intersected with law enforcement.  He will give guidance and advice on wellness and resilience that can improve the lives of anyone in law enforcement or in any stressful job. 

Captain Rob Debuck talks about his struggles with anxiety, tragedy, and suicidal thinking. He shares how he's maintained his health and wellness despite tragic loss and adversity. He is one of the most highly respected police officers in New Mexico. 

Part one of our conversation with Greg Jackson, an internationally recognized fight trainer who has coached many fighters to championships. He has been teaching defensive tactics and mindfulness to law enforcement for years. He will give a brief overview of his career, and how it has intersected with law enforcement.  He will give guidance and advice on wellness and resilience that can improve the lives of anyone in law enforcement or in any stressful job. 

Marisa Maez was a morning news anchor for 20 years. She will give her perspective of how the media and police sometimes work well together and sometimes clash. Her insight will help people understand why there's tension and misunderstandings between the two, and how to approach the problem differently.