In this episode of Between the Sessions, Jason talks about a pattern he sees every single week on the massage table.

A person who lifted too much snow.

A mom who slipped down the stairs.

An engineer sore from long hours at a desk.

Different lives.

Different stories.

Same strain in the body.

We explore how shoulders, hips, and low backs end up telling the same story no matter the job, the accident, or the lifestyle — and what your body might be trying to say before pain forces you to listen.

If you’ve ever thought, “I don’t know what I did, I just hurt,” this episode is for you.

You’ll also learn:

• The 3 most common tension patterns seen on the table

• Why recovery is not weakness — it’s readiness

• A simple reset you can do at home today

This show supports MilFirst, a nonprofit providing recovery services for military members and first responders.

Support the mission:

https://www.givesendgo.com/MilFirst

We talk a lot about freedom. We celebrate it. We assume it.

But we rarely stop to ask — what did it cost, and who is still paying for it?

In this episode of Between the Sessions, Jason shares a reflection on the unseen toll carried by military members, first responders, and veterans long after the headlines fade and the uniforms come off.

This is not a political conversation.

This is a human one.

We talk about:

• The physical cost stored in the body

• The emotional weight carried in silence

• Why recovery is not weakness — it’s readiness

• And how small acts of support can make a real difference

If you’ve ever thanked someone for their service, this episode will help you understand what that service still looks like years later.

🎧 Follow the show for weekly episodes

❤️ Support recovery for those who serve: https://www.givesendgo.com/MilFirst

📍 Hosted by Jason Hayes, LMT | Founder of MilFirst

Because freedom didn’t come free. And for many, it still hasn’t.

No guest this week — just you and me.

In this episode of Between the Sessions, I answer real questions people have asked in the treatment room and in chat about stress, recovery, and why your body feels like it’s carrying more than you realize.

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed, tired in a way sleep doesn’t fix, or like you’re “holding it together” for everyone else -this episode is for you.

MilFirst supports recovery for military members and first responders through massage therapy.

Support the mission: https://www.givesendgo.com/MilFirst

Book a session at Woodhouse Gainesville and experience it for yourself.

In a longdistance race in Spain, an elite runner from Kenya was leading- until near the finish.

Right behind him was a runner from Spain with the strength and opportunity to take the win.

Instead of passing, he slowed down.

He placed his hands on the other runner’s back and pushed him forward.

When asked why, his answer was simple:

“He deserved it. He had run the better race.”

This episode unpacks why that moment matters -not just in sport, but in life, leadership, and recovery.

Burnout doesn’t always look like quitting.

Sometimes it looks like finishing the race alone.

In Between the Sessions, we explore what that quiet push teaches us about service, nervous system overload, and why recovery isn’t weakness -it’s readiness. From first responders and military service to massage therapy and everyday leadership, this conversation is about recognizing when someone needs support… and being willing to slow down long enough to give it.

And if you’re the one running on empty, this is your permission to accept the push.

Between the Sessions is a MilFirst podcast focused on recovery, service, and the unseen weight people carry.

Learn more about MilFirst’s recovery mission for those who serve at milfirst.com

or support therapy access at givesendgo.com/MilFirst

In this episode of Between the Sessions, we close out Permission to Feel by Marc Brackett with a deep dive into Chapters 10–11: Emotions at Work, and the book’s final call to action: Creating an Emotion Revolution.

We explore why emotions are the most powerful—yet most ignored—force shaping workplaces, leadership, and burnout. From emotional contagion and disengagement to compassionate leadership and organizational culture, this episode breaks down what the research shows and why pretending emotions don’t belong at work is costing people their health, creativity, and sense of purpose.

This conversation isn’t about being “nice” or avoiding hard conversations. It’s about emotional intelligence as infrastructure—the unseen system that determines whether teams thrive, fracture, or quietly burn out.

We also zoom out beyond the workplace to ask a bigger question:

What would change if emotion skills were treated as essential as technical skills—in leadership, education, healthcare, and service-based professions?

If you’ve ever felt drained by a work environment, struggled under emotionally unaware leadership, or wondered why “toughing it out” keeps failing people who serve others—this episode is for you.

This midweek offering is a brief detour from our usual book review.

Instead of analysis or instruction, this episode offers a simple mental load reset - built from everyday habits people already use when weeks get heavy.

It’s not a lesson, method, or medical advice. Just a quiet pause to help you set something down for a moment, narrow your attention, and move through the rest of the day with a little more space.

Between the Sessions is a podcast offering short moments of reflection and reset- not the whole conversation, just a place to pause.

We’ll return to the book review next time.

This episode of Between the Sessions is a quiet walk through Chapter 9 of Permission to Feel by Marc Brackett.

Chapter 9 focuses on what happens when emotions are ignored, dismissed, or left unnamed—and how that disconnect slowly shows up in our bodies, our relationships, and our work.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Why avoiding emotions doesn’t make them disappear

• How unprocessed feelings often surface as tension, burnout, or numbness

• The cost of “pushing through” without checking in

• What it looks like to pause, notice, and name what you’re carrying

This isn’t about fixing yourself.

It’s about making space—between the noise, between the expectations, between the sessions.

If you work in service, caregiving, uniformed roles, or are simply carrying more than you let on, this episode is for you.

🎧 New episodes drop Wednesdays and Fridays.

🤍 Learn more about recovery-based care through MilFirst at https://www.givesendgo.com/MilFirst

Before moving into the next season of Between the Sessions, this episode serves as a pause.

A moment to acknowledge where the podcast is now, reflect on what has taken shape so far, and set direction for what’s ahead ,without rushing or recapping.

Thank you to everyone who has listened along the way. Your time and attention matter.

This podcast exists alongside MilFirst, a nonprofit supporting recovery for military members, first responders, and their families.

• Instagram: @milfirst.npo (DMs always welcome)

• Support the work: https://www.givesendgo.com/MilFirst

If you choose to support MilFirst, it helps fund real recovery sessions for those who serve.

And even if you never visit Instagram or we never see a donation — your presence as a listener is still worthwhile.

New season episodes continue soon.