In this episode, Taking a Knee: A Fire Captain’s Journey Back to Self, Captain Michael Sears joins host Arjuna George for a raw conversation about operational stress, moral injury, identity, and what it truly takes to find your way back after years in the fire service.
Michael shares his experience navigating occupational stress injury, stepping away from the job, and learning how to reconnect with his body, his values, and his sense of self. Together, Arjuna and Michael explore what it really means to “take a knee” and why healing doesn’t mean weakness; it means leadership.
If you’ve ever felt disconnected, exhausted, or unsure who you are outside the uniform, this conversation will resonate deeply.
🎧 Episode Highlights & Timestamps
00:00 – Introduction and welcome
Arjuna introduces the episode and welcomes Fire Captain Michael Sears.
01:00 – A life in the fire service
Michael shares his background, family legacy, and early career in firefighting.
02:30 – When the job starts to change you
Recognizing the toll of years of service and the moment things began to shift.
04:30 – Taking a knee and stepping away
What led to Michael taking time off and confronting operational stress.
06:45 – Navigating occupational stress injury
The realities of paperwork, stigma, and asking for help.
09:00 – The challenge of returning to work
What reintegration looked like and what support was missing.
12:00 – Moral injury and organizational betrayal
How leadership decisions and systems can deeply impact firefighters.
16:00 – Identity, ego, and the cost of silence
What happens when identity becomes fused with the job.
19:00 – Embodied healing and reconnecting with the body
Learning to listen to the body and process stored stress.
23:30 – The role of breath, stillness, and awareness
Why regulation begins with slowing down.
27:00 – Creativity, curiosity, and recovery
How healing often comes through unexpected paths.
31:00 – What real support should look like
Why early intervention, education, and resourcing matter.
35:00 – Advice for firefighters approaching retirement
Preparing for identity shifts and life beyond the job.
38:30 – Final reflections on leadership and self-worth
Why taking care of yourself helps everyone around you.
41:00 – Closing thoughts and message to listeners
🔥 Key Themes Discussed
Operational stress and moral injury
Identity beyond the uniform
The cost of emotional suppression
Embodied healing and nervous system awareness
Leadership through self-awareness
Transitioning out of the fire service with purpose
👤 Guest Information
Michael Sears
Fire Captain and mental health advocate
President, Fight for Life (mental health support for firefighters)
🎙️ About the Host
Arjuna George
Former Fire Chief, coach, and host of Beneath the Helmet.
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