From Police Work to Yoga: Vance Row on Recovery, Wellness, and Purpose
In this powerful episode of Beneath the Helmet, retired Fire Chief and coach Arjuna George sits down with Vance Row of Yoga Rescue, a former police officer who turned his life around through yoga, sobriety, and a deep commitment to wellness.
Vance opens up about his journey from law enforcement into teaching yoga, the struggles with alcohol and mental health that nearly ended his career, and how discovering yoga became the lifeline that helped him reclaim his health, resilience, and purpose.
This conversation dives into:
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Why yoga is a game-changer for first responders under chronic stress
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Vance’s personal story of addiction, recovery, and resilience
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How yoga supports the nervous system, healing, and mental clarity
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Practical advice for first responders struggling with burnout, trauma, or operational stress injury
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Simple ways to begin your own mind-body wellness practice today
00:00 Introduction and Host Welcome
00:35 Guest Introduction: Vance Row of Yoga Rescue
01:24 Vance's Journey into Law Enforcement
04:02 Challenges and Realizations in the Police Force
06:53 Struggles with Alcohol and Mental Health
09:06 Turning Point: Seeking Help and Sobriety
11:45 Discovering Yoga: A Path to Healing
18:47 The Impact of Yoga on Mental and Physical Health
19:11 Practical Advice for Those Struggling
25:16 Yoga Sessions with Vance: What to Expect
29:33 Incorporating Functional Movements in Yoga
30:52 The Sedentary Nature of Police Work
31:40 Personal Transformation Through Yoga
33:25 Struggles with Control and Finding Balance
34:05 The Journey to Healing: Yoga, Therapy, and Lifestyle Changes
34:49 Career Transition: From Police Officer to Dispatcher
37:22 Creating Peer Support in the Dispatch Center
37:57 Retirement Decisions and Self-Care
43:02 Daily, Weekly, and Monthly Self-Care Routines
55:27 The Importance of Hobbies and Personal Interests
58:08 Final Thoughts and Resources for First Responders
If you’re a firefighter, police officer, paramedic, or frontline professional—or you love someone who is—this episode is for you.
📌 Learn more about Vance Row and Yoga Rescue: https://yogarescue.com
📌 More from Arjuna George:
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Website: https://silverarrowcoaching.com
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Book Burnt Around the Edges: https://www.burntaroundtheedges.com
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Podcast Beneath the Helmet: https://beneaththehelmetpodcast.com
👉 Don’t forget to subscribe for more inspiring conversations on first responder health, leadership, and resilience.
Arjuna George - Fire Chief (ret)
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📩 Email Host: arjuna@silverarrowco.com
#firstresponderwellness #yogaforfirstresponders #firefighterresilience #operationalstressinjury #mentalhealth
Connect with the Host:
Arjuna George – Fire Chief (ret) Owner of Silver Arrow Coaching and Consulting, Beneath the Helmet Show, and Burnt Around the Edges author.
www.silverarrowco.com
www.burntaroundtheedges.com
www.beneaththehelmet.ca
Vance Row
Founder of Yoga Rescue
In November 2019, Vance discovered that a yoga practice is a powerful community of connection and challenges. Through his regular practice, Vance has found an incredible amount of physical and mental benefits including making him a far calmer person. At that time, Vance was struggling with his own mental health issues which included a toxic work environment, career ending injury, and poor coping mechanisms like abusing alcohol.
Prior to becoming a Yoga Teacher, Vance was a Police Officer for more than twenty years and worked for both Ocean City, MD Police and Salisbury, MD Police during his Law Enforcement career. After seeing the physical and mental benefits yoga provided for Vance, he decided that he wanted to teach yoga to other First Responders/ Public Safety Professionals. Vance completed his 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training (YTT) thru Yoga- Vibez in Ocean City, MD in March 2021. Throughout his training, Vance was mentored in the Hatha Yoga tradition by Tana Martin (RYT-500). Since that time, he has also completed Warriors at Ease Training, Aerial Yoga Teacher Training and Veterans Yoga Project Mindful Resilience. Vance began his 300- hour YTT thru Guiding Wellness Institute (Fayetteville, NC) in January 2024. Most recently, Vance completed iRest Level One Training thru the iRest Institute.
Vance has regularly given presentations where he addresses some the factors that affected him in his Law Enforcement Career. In his presentation, “Calming stormy seas, how yoga calmed my storm within” …Vance describes how police culture and stress led to potentiall… Read More
