Mental Health Episodes

What happens when the Officer of the Year becomes the one in crisis? In this powerful episode of Beneath the Helmet, Arjuna George sits down with AK Dozanti, a former deputy sheriff turned burnout recovery coach and author of Beat the Burnout. AK opens up about her personal spiral into depression, Operational Stress Injury, adrenal fatigue, and how the pressure to perform led to a complete system collapse. They explore why burnout is more than just exhaustion; it’s a whole-body experience ...

Fire to Light: Transforming Challenges into Opportunities. From Brampton to Costa Rica: A Firefighter’s Journey to Healing and Purpose | Beneath the Helmet with Brandon Evans and Host Arjuna George What happens when a firefighter walks away from the job “too early”? In this raw and revealing episode of Beneath the Helmet, Retired Fire Chief Arjuna George sits down with Brandon Evans, former firefighter turned wellness entrepreneur and founder of Fire to Light, to talk about leaving the fire serv...

What Is Character-Based Leadership? A New Era for the Fire Service. The Future of Fire Service Leadership Starts Here - Character-Based Leadership Roundtable. In this powerhouse episode of Beneath the Helmet, retired Fire Chief and fire services coach Arjuna George brings together an all-star panel to ignite a new conversation in the fire service, Character-Based Leadership.Featuring thought leaders and fire service veterans:James RychardRobert AvsecAnthony CorreiaScott WilkinsonThis isn’t your ...

Mental Visualization and High Performance: Psychological Tools for First Responders. In this powerful episode of Beneath the Helmet, retired Fire Chief and resilience coach Arjuna George sits down with licensed psychologist Dr. Brendan Guarino, Director of Guardians for Guardians at Baker Street Behavioral Health. Together, they explore the cutting-edge mental performance tools used by athletes, military professionals, and now first responders.Dr. Guarino reveals how mental visualization, biofee...

In this powerful episode of Beneath the Helmet, retired Fire Chief Arjuna George sits down with Deputy Chief Scott Booth to explore how vulnerability transforms leadership. Scott shares his personal journey through trauma, resilience, and leadership evolution, highlighting why emotional courage builds stronger teams, deeper trust, and healthier fire service cultures. A must-listen for anyone ready to lead with authenticity and heart.

In this episode of Beneath the Helmet, retired Fire Chief Arjuna George speaks with Alec Wons—host of The Chief Exchange podcast, author of Resilience Beyond Duty, and a rising leader in public safety wellness. Alec shares his journey from college athlete to first responder advocate, detailing how his work with Ready Rebound is reshaping injury recovery by treating first responders like professional athletes. Together, they explore leadership lessons from over 70 fire and police chiefs, highlighting themes of mental health, operational readiness, discipline, and trauma-informed leadership. Tune in to hear practical insights that support long-term performance, resilience, and wellness in the fire service and beyond.

Unlocking Resilience: TRE for First Responders with Rob Cefoli As a certified TRE provider myself, this topic is deeply personal and central to the work I do with first responders, high performers, and anyone navigating stress, burnout, and resilience. Having experienced firsthand the profound impact of TRE on the nervous system, I’ve made it a core part of my coaching and wellness approach. I believe every firefighter, paramedic, and frontline worker deserves access to tools that help them not ...

Episode 74: Courageous Conversations with Keith Hanks – Healing, Resilience & Advocacy 🎙️🔥 In this powerful episode of Beneath the Helmet, I sit down with Keith Hanks, a former firefighter turned mental health advocate, to have a raw and honest conversation about trauma, healing, and resilience in the fire service. Keith opens up about his personal struggles with PTSD, multiple suicide attempts, and the journey to reclaiming his life. We discuss the importance of speaking openly about mental health in the fire service, the impact of his new book Allen, and how we can shift the culture to better support our firefighters. 🚨 Key Takeaways: ✅ The dangers of silence around firefighter mental health ✅ The power of suicide prevention awareness and peer support ✅ How Keith’s book Allen sheds light on the hidden struggles behind the uniform ✅ Why self-leadership and self-care are crucial for longevity in the fire service This episode is a must-listen for firefighters, first respo…

Unpacking Firefighter Wellness with Aaron Zamzow. In this exciting episode of Beneath the Helmet, host Jah George sits down with Aaron Zamzow, a prominent figure in firefighter wellness. Aaron, head of the First Responder Center of Excellence and founder of FireRescue Fitness, shares his wealth of knowledge from working with NFL, NBA teams, and more. They dive into Aaron’s innovative '5 for 50' challenge, promoting healthy habits like low sugar intake and daily meditation. Tune in to uncover ...

Firefighter Leadership & Wellness with Retired FDNY Chief Frank Leeb | Beneath the Helmet Welcome to the first episode of Season 3 of Beneath the Helmet! Hosted by retired fire chief Arjuna George, this episode features a captivating conversation with fire service legend and former FDNY Chief Frank Leeb. Frank, now the First Responder Center for Excellence Director, shares his extensive knowledge on various topics, including firefighter mental health, leadership, diversity, inclusion, and pro...

FDNY Stories: A Life of Service, Survival, and Cuisine With Joseph Bonanno In the final episode of Season 2 of 'Beneath the Helmet,' host Arjuna sits down with Joseph Bonanno, a retired FDNY firefighter, author of 'American Firehouse Cuisine,' and winner of America's Greatest Firehouse Chef. They discuss Joseph's journey through the fire service, his experiences with mental health, and his passion for nutrition and cooking. The conversation delves into the importance of mental wellness, confront...

Unlocking Firefighter Mental Fitness with NLP Join host Retired Fire Chief Arjuna George on another riveting episode of 'Beneath the Helmet,' where we dive deep into firefighter health and wellness. In this episode, Arjuna chats with Jess Ward, CEO of Ithinka and former firefighter/EMT, about her passion for mental fitness and her journey with Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP). Jess discusses her background in the fire service, her unique experience in Antarctica, and how NLP played a crucial r...

Team Building SECRETS for Fire Service Success with Dr. Johnny Torgerson In this episode of Beneath the Helmet, host Arjuna George chats with Assistant Chief Dr. Johnny Torgerson about his book, 'Forging Your Team.' They delve into the importance of team-building within firefighting units, discussing practical strategies and the change management process needed to create cohesive and high-performing teams. Dr. Torgerson shares insights on maintaining high standards, shaping behaviours, and...

Journaling Through Burnout: Insights with Lynda Monk. Beneath the Helmet. In this episode of Beneath the Helmet, host Arjuna George welcomes Linda Monk, a social worker, coach, author, and keynote speaker. Linda is also the director of the International Association for Journal Writing. The conversation dives deep into burnout among elite firefighters and first responders, exploring how journaling can be a powerful tool for self-care and wellness. Linda shares her extensive knowledge on recognizi...

The Epic Season 1 Reunion Of Voices From Beneath The Helmet. In this special reunion episode of 'Beneath the Helmet,' host Arjuna George celebrates the podcast's second season finale and his third anniversary of retiring from the fire service. Each guest shares updates on their personal and professional journeys, from writing books and launching coaching businesses to profound advice for new and retiring firefighters. The episode also delves into wellness strategies, mindset shifts, and recommen...

Mindfulness Mastery: An Inspiring Conversation With Josh Grandinetti Join host Arjuna George on 'Beneath the Helmet' as he sits down with Josh Grandinetti to discuss the transformative power of mindfulness for first responders. Josh shares his journey from a stressed firefighter to a certified mindfulness instructor, offering practical insights on starting a mindfulness practice, the benefits for mental health, and how it can improve resilience and performance in high-stress professions. This ep...

Solo Reflections on World Mental Health Day- Unlocking Your Full Potential on World Mental Health Day Join Arjuna George in a solo episode of Beneath the Helmet as he explores the importance of mental health, particularly on World Mental Health Day. Gain insights into self-leadership, stress, and burnout, and discover powerful reminders about doing what makes you feel most alive. Arjuna also offers free TRE sessions to listeners and two uplifting challenges: doing something for yourself and reco...

Overcoming Tuesday: A Deep Dive into Resilience and Healing. Join host Arjuna George on this episode of 'Beneath the Helmet' as he sits down with Jim Burneka, a retired firefighter and author, and his sister Hilary Hawkins to discuss their impactful book, 'Overcoming Tuesday'. The conversation delves into Jim's personal journey of resilience, from being a firefighter and cancer survivor to becoming a wellness advocate. The episode explores mental health, moral injury, and the importance of vu...

Behind the Pages of CRACKYL Magazine with Kory Pearn In this episode of 'Beneath the Helmet,' host Retired Fire Chief Arjuna George has an insightful conversation with Kory Pearn, a veteran firefighter and editor-in-chief of CRACKYL Magazine. They discuss the origins and mission of the magazine, the unique challenges and insights into the fire service, and the innovative app that's bringing crucial wellness content to firefighters' fingertips. Kory shares his journey in firefighting and publishi...

Pivoting from Firefighting to Tech: Andrew Douglas' Story From Firefighter to Tech Innovator | Beneath the Helmet Season 2 Welcome back to another great episode of Beneath the Helmet, Season 2! In this episode, host Arjuna George sits down with Andrew Douglas, a former firefighter turned tech entrepreneur. Andrew shares his journey from firefighting to co-founding Siento, an app designed to support the mental health of first responders across North America. They discuss various therapies, the im...

Transformation through trauma and healing through creativity: Brandy Maslowski's Journey from Firefighting to Quilting In this compelling episode of Beneath the Helmet, retired Fire Chief Arjuna George sits down with Brandy Maslowski, a former firefighter lieutenant from Central Canada who moved to British Columbia over a decade ago. Brandy opens up about her struggles with PTSD and complex PTSD, the toll of trauma from her firefighting career, and the pivotal role of counselling and family supp...

Understanding Moral Injury, also known as Moral Distress and Administrative Betrayal, with Dr. Rita Brock. In this episode of Beneath the Helmet, host Arjuna George interviews Dr. Rita Brock, the director of Volunteers America's Shea Moral Injury Institute. Dr. Brock explains the concepts of moral injury, moral distress, and administrative betrayal, particularly within fire services, healthcare, first responder agencies, and the military. She shares her personal journey and extensive professiona...

How to Make Future-Ready Fire Officers: the key leadership skill. The Modern Fire Officer. Join our conversation with Jared as we discuss how to prepare our fire officers and emerging leaders for the future. All things leadership and wellness! Beneath the Helmet: Hosted by Arjuna George with guest Firefighter Jared Vermeulen. In this episode of Beneath the Helmet, hosted by retired Fire Chief Arjuna George, we delve into firefighter leadership and wellness with Jared Vermeulen, a firefighter ...

Top Tactics for Firefighter Success. The Power of Systems with Ryan Rodriguez Join Retired Fire Chief Arjuna George in an insightful episode of Beneath the Helmet with Ryan Rodriguez, a 20-year veteran firefighter, coach, and author of 'Own It: Build a Fire Service Culture of Trust and Integrity Through Accountability.' Ryan discusses his journey, coaching philosophy, and the innovative FIRE framework aimed at helping firefighters and first responders excel. Explore the importance of accountabil...