Shawn is the founder of 1st Responder Conferences and a retired deputy from the King County Sheriff’s Office in Seattle, WA. Shawn retired in 2022 after 25 years of service as a Wellness and Resiliency Detective and a therapy K9 handler.  During her career, Shawn worked patrol, as an undercover detective, a detective in the warrant unit, transit patrol and as an explosive K9 handler. She was also on the peer support team for 16 years and was a team leader for several years

At their conferences, they are dedicated to promoting awareness surrounding the difficulties of the profession and inspiring conversations that minimize the stigma associated with the layered stressors our first responders experience. They provide education, mental health tools, and resources for agencies, first responders, and their families. Their mission is to improve the quality of life for all who dedicate themselves to protecting and serving others.

Follow them on Instagram at @1st_responder_conferences or visit their website here to see a calendar of their events.

If you’re looking for a little extra joy in your life, sign up for Tactical Tuesdays, a FREE weekly email where we bring you a few tactics, tips and strategies to help you succeed in the week ahead. It may be about a book I want to share, gear I’ve found useful, an inspiring quote, or anything else I think you’d like. To sign up for the Tactical Tuesdays email list, you can visit thesquadroom.net/tacticaltuesdays.

A special thanks to our sponsors for today’s episode.

TactiScan is a portable drug screening device designed to detect illicit narcotics onsite with no officer exposure. TactiScan is a reusable pocket-sized narcotics screening device designed to detect illicit narcotics onsite that connects by bluetooth and limits officer exposure to potentially dangerous substances. Learn more at tactiscan.com.

On April 10, 2012, United States Army Staff Sergeant Travis Mills of the 82nd Airborne was critically injured on his third tour of duty in Afghanistan by an IED (improvised explosive device) while on patrol, losing portions of both legs and both arms. He is one of only five quadruple amputees from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to survive his injuries. Travis describes himself as a recalibrated warrior and he’s also a motivational speaker, actor, author and an advocate for veterans and amputees. Travis is also the author of the New York Times bestselling memoir, Tough as They Come, and his new book Bounce Back: 12 Warrior Principles to Reclaim and Recalibrate Your Life.

In September 2013, Travis and his wife Kelsey founded the Travis Mills Foundation, a nonprofit organization, formed to benefit and assist post 9/11 veterans who have been injured in active duty or as a result of their service to our nation. The veteran and their families receive an all-inclusive, all-expenses paid, barrier-free vacation to Maine where they participate in adaptive activities, bond with other veteran families, and enjoy much-needed rest and relaxation in Maine’s great outdoors.

You can follow Travis on Instagram @ssgtravismills

If you’re looking for a little extra joy in your life, sign up for Tactical Tuesdays, a FREE weekly email where we bring you a few tactics, tips and strategies to help you succeed in the week ahead. It may be about a book I want to share, gear I’ve found useful, an inspiring quote, or anything else I think you’d like. To sign up for the Tactical Tuesdays email list, you can visit thesquadroom.net/tacticaltuesdays.

A special thanks to our sponsors for today’s episode.

TactiScan is a portable drug screening device designed to detect illicit narcotics onsite with no officer exposure. TactiScan is a reusable pocket-sized narcotics screening device designed to detect illicit narcotics onsite that connects by bluetooth and limits officer exposure to potentially dangerous substances. Learn more at tactiscan.com.

If you’re looking for challenge coins for your agency or specialty unit, check them out at SignatureCoins.com. You can create a coin in as little as 24 hours and they offer free graphic design, free next day shipping in the US, and industry-leading turnaround times. That’s signaturecoins.com

Travis Gribble is a 24-year law enforcement veteran and founder of My Arena. Travis spent 11 years at a Sheriff’s Office in Michigan before lateralling to a large agency in Arizona where he worked as a patrol officer, patrol sergeant, and as a SWAT assistant team leader and SWAT sergeant. 

In 2016, Travis experienced a call that would change his life forever. He shares the story of that call with us today. In 2021, Travis sought and was awarded a Post-Traumatic Stress Injury medical retirement. A short time later, he was asked to share about his experience and he hasn’t stopped sharing it since. 

You can follow Travis on Instagram @my_.arena 

If you’re looking for a little extra joy in your life, sign up for Tactical Tuesdays, a FREE weekly email where we bring you a few tactics, tips and strategies to help you succeed in the week ahead. It may be about a book I want to share, gear I’ve found useful, an inspiring quote, or anything else I think you’d like. To sign up for the Tactical Tuesdays email list, you can visit thesquadroom.net/tacticaltuesdays.

A special thanks to our sponsors for today’s episode.

TactiScan is a portable drug screening device designed to detect illicit narcotics onsite with no officer exposure. TactiScan is a reusable pocket-sized narcotics screening device designed to detect illicit narcotics onsite that connects by bluetooth and limits officer exposure to potentially dangerous substances. Learn more at tactiscan.com.

If you’re looking for challenge coins for your agency or specialty unit, check them out at SignatureCoins.com. You can create a coin in as little as 24 hours and they offer free graphic design, free next day shipping in the US, and industry-leading turnaround times. That’s signaturecoins.com

Did you know that 15% of men say they have no close friends? None. 53% of women say they feel lonely at work. 17% of the general population say they routinely experience deep loneliness. What’s scary is loneliness is linked to our longevity and health. Going through life lonely is the equivalent of smoking nearly a pack a day. 

Now, that’s not specific to first responders. Add in rotating shifts, working weekends, the hypervigilance roller coaster, and our physiological reactions to job stress and I think it’s safe to say that many cops – whether they admit it or not – are very lonely. 

Dr. Jeremy Nobel, MD, MPH, is on the faculty of both the Harvard Medical School and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. His new book, “Project Unlonely: Healing Our Crisis of Disconnection” explores how loneliness takes root in our lives, how we as social creatures require deeper human connections than we’re currently getting, and what we can do to create more meaningful relationships. 

As creator of The Foundation for Art & Healing, Dr. Nobel has become a prominent advocate for creative engagement and how it improves our lives, integrating that work into traditional medical care, as a path to healing as he has revealed that an important component of the healing process is engaging in creativity. Dr. Nobel graduated magna cum laude from Princeton University within the Science and Human Affairs program. He received his medical education at the University of Pennsylvania and completed his internal medicine residency at the Beth Israel Hospital, Boston. Board-certified in both Preventive Medicine and Internal Medicine, Dr. Nobel also holds Master’s Degrees in Epidemiology and Health Policy from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. 

Loneliness seems to be an inevitable result of our modern world, and it is perhaps one of the harder things for us to admit we’re struggling with. 

If you’re looking for a little extra joy in your life, sign up for Tactical Tuesdays, a FREE weekly email where we bring you a few tactics, tips and strategies to help you succeed in the week ahead. It may be about a book I want to share, gear I’ve found useful, an inspiring quote, or anything else I think you’d like. To sign up for the Tactical Tuesdays email list, you can visit thesquadroom.net/tacticaltuesdays.

A special thanks to our sponsors for today’s episode.

Want to make it difficult for criminals to discover your home address? I use OfficerPrivacy and you should, too. Check out the special deal at OfficerPrivacy.com/thesquadroom where you’ll get two free months of monitoring and data removal plus a FREE Cell Phone Privacy Device when you sign up.

TactiScan is a portable drug screening device designed to detect illicit narcotics onsite with no officer exposure. TactiScan is a reusable pocket-sized narcotics screening device designed to detect illicit narcotics onsite that connects by bluetooth and limits officer exposure to potentially dangerous substances. Learn more at tactiscan.com.

 

Sabrina Reich is a 19-year police leader of a large university police department in California. She’s also a wife, and mom of two, focused on sharing leadership tips and lessons learned for a better life. Sabrina is building a movement of courageous leaders through enabling strong trust and partnerships because communities deserve to be safe.

In this episode, Sabrina shares her journey towards becoming anti-fragile by facing fear head on in her own personal development. It began when she was 10 years old and her home was broken into while the family slept. As the catalyst towards her career in law enforcement, it began a journey for Sabrina as she’s learned to use the stressors of the job to create a more resilient person for herself and her family. That’s being anti-fragile. 

If you’re looking for a little extra joy in your life, sign up for Tactical Tuesdays, a FREE weekly email where we bring you a few tactics, tips and strategies to help you succeed in the week ahead. It may be about a book I want to share, gear I’ve found useful, an inspiring quote, or anything else I think you’d like. To sign up for the Tactical Tuesdays email list, you can visit thesquadroom.net/tacticaltuesdays.

A special thanks to our sponsors for today’s episode.

Want to make it difficult for criminals to discover your home address? I use OfficerPrivacy and you should, too. Check out the special deal at OfficerPrivacy.com/thesquadroom where you’ll get two free months of monitoring and data removal plus a FREE Cell Phone Privacy Device when you sign up.

TactiScan is a portable drug screening device designed to detect illicit narcotics onsite with no officer exposure. TactiScan is a reusable pocket-sized narcotics screening device designed to detect illicit narcotics onsite that connects by bluetooth and limits officer exposure to potentially dangerous substances. Learn more at tactiscan.com.

On October 1, 2017, Sergeant Josh Bitsko found himself on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Hotel, about to confront the deadliest killer in U.S. history. Through a weird combination of fate and initiative, Josh found himself leading the assault team of only four officers against a heavily fortified and well-organized murderer. Only six weeks later, a suspect held a gun to his head during a fight. Soon after that, his wife told him she wanted a divorce, his brother committed suicide and he lost his dad to cancer. 

But Josh’s story isn’t a sob story. It isn’t a depressing story. It isn’t a trauma story. 

It’s a resilience story. 

On today’s episode, we’re fortunate enough to have Josh walk us through his early career up to that fateful night of the Route 91 Harvest Music Festival and the aftermath of personal tragedy that awaited him. Josh shares how he mismanaged the trauma and stress, and how he was able to dig himself out of the rubble of his personal life and use the lessons he’s learned to help other cops avoid making the same mistakes. 

If you’re looking for a little extra joy in your life, sign up for Tactical Tuesdays, a FREE weekly email where we bring you a few tactics, tips and strategies to help you succeed in the week ahead. It may be about a book I want to share, gear I’ve found useful, an inspiring quote, or anything else I think you’d like. To sign up for the Tactical Tuesdays email list, you can visit thesquadroom.net/tacticaltuesdays.

A special thanks to our sponsors for today’s episode.

TactiScan is a portable drug screening device designed to detect illicit narcotics onsite with no officer exposure. TactiScan is a reusable pocket-sized narcotics screening device designed to detect illicit narcotics onsite that connects by bluetooth and limits officer exposure to potentially dangerous substances. Learn more at tactiscan.com.

Want to make it difficult for criminals to discover your home address? I use OfficerPrivacy and you should, too. Check out the special deal at OfficerPrivacy.com/thesquadroom where you’ll get two free months of monitoring and data removal plus a FREE Cell Phone Privacy Device when you sign up.If you’re looking for a challenge coin to show your pride in a specialty unit, celebrate a retirement, or need something to give out to supporters, look no further than Signature Coins. Signature Coins has industry-leading turnaround times, free artwork design and free shipping inside the U.S. Visit signaturecoins.com and use the coupon code thesquadroom and you’ll get free sequential numbering on the coins in your order.

Zac Miller served a combined eight years as a firefighter/EMT, 911 dispatcher and a police officer. Zac is currently the Director of ManPower at UNcivilized Inc, a Certified UNcivilized Coach, and a Breathwork Facilitator. Zac is also a husband, and a dad to four kids.

Since leaving public service, Zac completed a certificate in Traumatic Stress Studies – from the Trauma Research Foundation, founded by Bessel van der Kolk – and is dedicated to mentoring others on their path of Post Traumatic Growth. Through his continued self-excavation and exploration, he has collected a metaphorical backpack full of tools to continue serving others.

Zac is also one of my co-facilitators for The Uncivilized Heroes Journey retreat we have coming up November 9 – 12th in the mountains outside Denver, Colorado. It’s a special four day men’s retreat for first responders and military personnel (active, former and retired). 

For four days 

✅ You’ll have time to prioritize your personal growth so you can dive deep into the work we’ll be doing which means you’ll be ready to tackle 2024 and beyond. 

✅ You’ll be invited to challenge yourself, your current beliefs and your habitual patterns so you can gain clarity about what’s holding you back, which means you’ll finally be able to make the progress you want but can’t seem to get. 

✅ You’ll learn deep – even hidden – truths about how the job has affected your life so you can stop wondering if you’re the only one which means you can finally begin to make sense of it all. 

✅ There won’t be any “civilians” attending so you can feel welcomed and amongst true brothers, safe from special interests and anti-cop attitudes which means you can relax and have fun while doing the work. 

✅ You’ll learn strategies to reclaim your life outside of public service so you can reconnect with the people who are the most important to you. 

✅ You’ll leave with new friends who are committed to their personal growth like you are. Men who are in your corner to cheer you on which means you’re not alone. 

If you have any questions, please let me know. I’m happy to jump on a call or simply answer questions by email. Just reply to this. 

You can learn more at manuncivilized.com/heroesjourney

If you’re looking for a little extra joy in your life, sign up for Tactical Tuesdays, a FREE weekly email where we bring you a few tactics, tips and strategies to help you succeed in the week ahead. It may be about a book I want to share, gear I’ve found useful, an inspiring quote, or anything else I think you’d like. To sign up for the Tactical Tuesdays email list, you can visit thesquadroom.net/tacticaltuesdays.

A special thanks to our sponsors for today’s episode.

Signature Coins makes high-quality challenge coins with lightning fast turnaround times, free shipping in the USA and free artwork design. For our listeners, they’re offering free sequential numbering on all orders when you use the coupon code “thesquadroom”

TactiScan is a portable drug screening device designed to detect illicit narcotics onsite with no officer exposure. TactiScan is a reusable pocket-sized narcotics screening device designed to detect illicit narcotics onsite that connects by bluetooth and limits officer exposure to potentially dangerous substances. Learn more at tactiscan.com.

Oftentimes, it’s the minor things that can set us off and send us spiraling out of control, handing over our sovereignty to anxiety and anger. Getting cut off in traffic, waiting in long lines…

A bad haircut can be one of those things. 

In this episode I share the story of how a hair stylist (that’s being generous) took to my head as if storming the beaches of Normandy, and how it gave me the opportunity to practice the BADGES model of self-awareness to keep me calm, centered, and here laughing about it. 

Are you struggling with losing control over something as simple as a haircut? Have you been surprised by your emotional reactions to seemingly simple things in your life? Do you find that you’re struggling with feelings of being overwhelmed by daily life? 

Join us in the mountains outside Denver, Colorado November 9 – 12th for a special four day men’s retreat for first responders and veterans. Any current, former, or retired cop, firefighter, dispatcher, or custody professional can join us along with any current or former military personnel. 

For four days 

✅ You’ll have time to prioritize your personal growth so you can dive deep into the work we’ll be doing which means you’ll be ready to tackle 2024 and beyond. 

✅ You’ll be invited to challenge yourself, your current beliefs and your habitual patterns so you can gain clarity about what’s holding you back, which means you’ll finally be able to make the progress you want but can’t seem to get. 

✅ You’ll learn deep – even hidden – truths about how the job has affected your life so you can stop wondering if you’re the only one which means you can finally begin to make sense of it all. 

✅ There won’t be any “civilians” attending so you can feel welcomed and amongst true brothers, safe from special interests and anti-cop attitudes which means you can relax and have fun while doing the work. 

✅ You’ll learn strategies to reclaim your life outside of public service so you can reconnect with the people who are the most important to you. 

✅ You’ll leave with new friends who are committed to their personal growth like you are. Men who are in your corner to cheer you on which means you’re not alone. 

If you have any questions, please let me know. I’m happy to jump on a call or simply answer questions by email. Just reply to this. 

You can learn more at manuncivilized.com/heroesjourney

If you’re looking for a little extra joy in your life, sign up for Tactical Tuesdays, a FREE weekly email where we bring you a few tactics, tips and strategies to help you succeed in the week ahead. It may be about a book I want to share, gear I’ve found useful, an inspiring quote, or anything else I think you’d like. To sign up for the Tactical Tuesdays email list, you can visit thesquadroom.net/tacticaltuesdays.

In this episode, I share the story of how I realized something was really wrong with me and how the job was changing me in all the wrong ways. Plus, I share details on our men’s retreat for current, former, and retired first responders and military veterans. 

Join us in the mountains outside Denver, Colorado November 9 – 12th for a special four days men’s retreat for first responders and veterans. Any current, former, or retired cop, firefighter, dispatcher, or custody professional can join us along with any current or former military personnel. 

Use the coupon code SQUADROOM to get $200 OFF your package for the event. 

You can learn more at manuncivilized.com/heroesjourney

Why are retreats so powerful? 

When I surveyed my audience a while ago, one of the biggest requests I got was for a retreat. I was surprised:

• People were lacking purpose in their job and they wanted to reclaim it.
• Some were wondering if this was truly the calling they still wanted and if not, what was next for them? 
• Men were feeling disconnected from their families and they wanted to reestablish connection. 
• The mandatory overtime and staffing shortages put their health and wellness on the back-burner and suddenly, they found themselves burned out without a plan. 
• They were so busy with just getting-by that they were missing out on enjoying life.
• Retirement was a tough transition and suddenly their friendships disappeared. 
• …and much more. 

Here are my observations and experiences. 

• Retreats give you dedicated time to focus. In our daily lives, we try to get a few minutes here or there to read, journal, plan or set goals but we need days and hours, not minutes to get clear on what we need. 
• Distractions get taken away. Being away from the daily routine is a powerful provocation for insights as your body and brain have time to settle down. 
• You connect with other people doing the same work. There’s an inherent loneliness in adulthood, especially for those wanting to improve. A retreat is like getting your own support system that stays with you after the weekend is over.
• Because you’re surrounded by others doing the work, you’ve got support when difficult emotions or past experiences come up.  

Join us for this powerful experience. We’d love to have you. 

Don’t forget the coupon code SQUADROOM is worth $200 off tuition. 

Grab your spot before it sells out.

Dave Boyd is the President of UNcivilized Inc, a men’s coach, a workshop facilitator, a husband, a father, a veteran of the United States Marine Corps, an ex-MMA fighter, a CrossFit coach, and a former first responder who served as a firefighter, a 911 telecommunicator, and lastly as a local law enforcement officer with nearly 20 years of combined service.

In this episode, we cover a wide variety of topics and you’ll learn:

• The crazy call that eventually caused him to hang up the gun belt.

• How we became friends years ago as a result of this podcast

• How Dave managed the stress of multiple challenging careers and what he’d do differently.

… and much more.

Including details of our first cohosted retreat!

Join us in the mountains outside Denver, Colorado November 9 – 12th for a special four day men’s retreat for first responders and veterans. Any current, former, or retired cop, firefighter, dispatcher, or custody professional can join us along with any current or former military personnel. Use the coupon code SQUADROOM to get $200 OFF your package for the event. You can learn more at manuncivilized.com/heroesjourney

You can find him on Instagram @uncivilized_dave.

If you’re looking for a little extra joy in your life, sign up for Tactical Tuesdays, a FREE weekly email where we bring you a few tactics, tips and strategies to help you succeed in the week ahead. It may be about a book I want to share, gear I’ve found useful, an inspiring quote, or anything else I think you’d like. To sign up for the Tactical Tuesdays email list, you can visit thesquadroom.net/tacticaltuesdays.

A special thanks to our sponsors for today’s episode.

Want to make it difficult for criminals to discover your home address? I use OfficerPrivacy and you should, too. Check out the special deal at OfficerPrivacy.com/thesquadroom where you’ll get two free months of monitoring and data removal plus a FREE Cell Phone Privacy Device when you sign up.

inTime is the leading schedule management system for public safety agencies. Their cloud-based system and app gives your agency control over overtime budgets, subpoena compliance, vacation requests and much more. Learn more at intime.com/thesquadroom.

 

In this short episode I share the story of my chance to meet Eddie Van Halen…and how I screwed it up. But that screw up led to one of my favorite conversations ever – with a Rock God no less. If you’re looking for a little extra joy in your life, sign up for Tactical […]