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When a split-second choice could become tomorrow’s headline, how do you stay human under the uniform? We sit down with former deputy sheriff turned coach and author AK Dozanti to unpack the real toll of first responder life—and the science-backed tools that help you heal without losing your edge.

AK traces a rare path: undercover ICAC work at 19, road patrol, officer of the year, rapid burnout, then a pivot into victim advocacy, graduate study in criminology and victimology, yoga teacher training, and ultimately a mission to coach police, fire, EMS, and dispatch. She shares how early suicide losses set a hidden baseline for stress, why trauma is a near-universal experience rather than a diagnosis, and how high-velocity calls collide with a nervous system built for survival, not perfection. We break down the biology of stress—adrenaline surges, the brainstem’s grip, and the prefrontal cortex going offline—and show how that clashes with modern expectations: body cams rolling, phones pointed, pristine Miranda, and zero room for error.

We also tackle the weight of public narratives: how one viral failure can stain an entire profession, how ambushes and doxxing amplify hypervigilance, and why the “off switch” at home can be the hardest skill of all. AK offers practical, field-tested resets for the nervous system—slow exhale breathing, orienting, grounding through the feet, and micro-recoveries between calls—along with culture shifts leaders can make today: protect days off, normalize precise language around suicide, include dispatch in wellness training, and reward process over speed. The goal isn’t spin; it’s operational readiness and human dignity.

If you serve on the front lines or love someone who does, this conversation gives you language, tools, and hope. Subscribe, share with a teammate, and leave a review to help more first responders find what they need. What practice will you try first?

Visit her website at: www.akdozanti.com

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The hardest stories rarely get told in the places that need them most. Susan Roggendorf and I open the door to how confidentiality truly works for police, fire, EMS, dispatchers, and medics—and why airtight boundaries are the backbone of real therapeutic change. No nods in public that out you, no name drops across departments, and no casual mentions that break trust. HIPAA is the law, but it is also a lived ethic that lets you speak freely without risking your reputation or your career.

We get candid about the therapist–client relationship: professional, paid, and deeply human. It feels friendly at times because safety grows where pain is met with care. We talk about scheduling like chess to avoid back-to-back clients from the same team, navigating community run-ins, and letting clients choose whether to say hello or keep distance. Culture fit matters—dark humor, blunt talk, and straight answers help first responders feel seen. Sometimes the most therapeutic move is five minutes of sports talk to let your nervous system shift gears before you tackle the call you can’t shake.

We dig into vicarious trauma and why “talk to a friend” isn’t enough. Friends can support you; therapists are trained to hear what is unsaid, track patterns over time, and offer clear choices: do you want support or solutions today? That simple question hands back control when so much of the job strips it away. We challenge the quiet shaming of help-seeking and argue for a culture that treats mental health like gear maintenance—nonnegotiable for readiness and longevity.

If you’ve wondered whether a therapist will keep your confidence, or how therapy can actually work for your world, you’ll hear real practices that protect privacy and deepen trust. Walk away with language to set boundaries, insight into how clinicians think, and a clearer path to care that respects the badge and the person behind it.

To reach Susan, please go to https://psychhub.com/us/provider/susan-roggendorf/1316326036

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Ever been told to “suck it up” after a call that split your world in two? We challenge that script with a grounded, respectful look at how first responders can access care that actually helps. Steve sits down with licensed clinician and podcaster Susan Roggendorf for a candid, unfiltered conversation about culture, stigma, and practical support for police, fire, EMS, dispatch, ER, ICU, NICU, and corrections.

We unpack why the tired question “What’s the worst thing you’ve seen?” is not only unhelpful but harmful—and what clinicians should ask instead. Susan shares her background serving LGBTQ clients and first responders, detailing how role-specific stressors shape symptoms: from dispatchers carrying incomplete stories and auditory flashbacks, to EMS haunted by pediatric calls, to ER staff absorbing wave after wave of crisis without pause. Together, we outline a trauma-informed approach that centers consent, pacing, and control, building skills that fit real shifts: brief grounding, tactical breathing, movement that discharges stress, and cognitive resets you can use between calls.

This episode also draws a clear map of the first responder circle without watering it down. We talk moral injury, hypervigilance, sleep disruption, and why peer support must be more than a checkbox. You’ll hear podcasting war stories, yes, but also a deeper point: humility and repair are part of resilience, whether in a studio or on a scene. If you’ve ever sat through a therapy session that felt like a TV script, this is your reset. Expect real language, straight answers, and tools you can put to work immediately.

To reach Susan, please go to https://psychhub.com/us/provider/susan-roggendorf/1316326036

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