When the system tells you “it’s all in your head,” what do you do next?

Episode Description:

When your entire life has been built around combat, crisis, and carrying everyone else’s weight, what happens when your body and brain finally tap out?

In this episode of Tell This Story, Doug sits down with retired Green Beret and SOF Health Initiatives Director Geoff Dardia to unpack the real cost of service on the mind and body. They dig into TBI, hormones, toxic exposures, sleep, compassion fatigue, and trauma—and how functional medicine and proactive health initiatives are changing the way operators and first responders fight back. Geoff shares his own story of hitting the wall, refusing to accept “it’s all in your head,” and building systems that help warriors and families understand what’s actually going wrong and how to fix it.

You’ll hear a hard, honest conversation about resilience, boundaries, and why “never quit on yourself” has to include sleep, recovery, and learning to advocate for your own care.

If this episode hits home, follow Tell This Story, leave a review, and share it with someone who needs to hear it.

Connect with and learn more about Geoff’s work through SOF Health Initiatives and Task Force Dagger Special Operations Foundation. www.TaskFroceDagger.org

Listen to Tell This Story on Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/show/0C4wNoBzyn8e8HwXqdEp7W?si=2c3bb060f2e445fd

Watch full episodes on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@Tell_This_Story

Listen on Amazon:
https://a.co/d/biLp8ba

Learn more about Doug and his work:
https://www.dougwhiteofficial.com

Read Doug’s book Hiding in Plain Sight: The Truth About Trauma, Service, and the Way Forward (available on Amazon).

“What You’ll Learn” (if you want this in the description or show notes):

• Why “never quit on yourself” has to include sleep, recovery, and boundaries.

• How military planning principles can be applied to your own health and wellness.

• What Operator Syndrome looks like in real life for both SOF and first responders.

• How functional medicine helps uncover the root causes behind “mental health” symptoms.

• What red flags to watch for with compassion fatigue and burnout.

• How to start advocating for yourself in a medical system that often misses the full picture.

“This isn’t therapy. It’s truth.”

In this episode of Tell This Story, host Doug White sitsdown with Dennis Pishock—a firefighter, police officer, medic, peer support leader, and author of Demons & Angels.

Together, they talk about:

The hidden cost of a career in public safety

How trauma stacks up over thousands of calls

Why peer support and honest conversations matter

Suicide prevention and recognizing when someone is slipping

The role of gratitude, communication, and ego in relationships

Writing about trauma and getting your story out there

Daily practices that keep you grounded while you’re still on the job

If you’re a first responder, veteran, or spouse, this conversation will hit home.

Key Takeaways

This isn’t therapy—it’s truth.

You have to really want to grow from this.

You can’t out-drink or out-run your demons.

You’re not alone, and there is help.

Gratitude is a game changer.

You have to drop the ego and be willing to talk.

You have to be a defender—for yourself, your family, and your partners.

Episode Chapters (approx.)

00:00 – Introduction and background03:42 – Peer support and mental health initiatives06:21 – Experiences at mental health conferences09:13 – Writing and publishing personal stories12:11 – The impact of trauma on memory15:00 – The importance of peer support18:00 – Officer suicide prevention20:35 – Changing perspectives on mental health23:32 – Daily practices for mental health26:26 – Coping tools that actually work34:12 – Physical and mental resilience techniques40:02 – The importance of gratitude in healing46:30 – Trauma, relationships, and family54:55 – Officer wellness, awareness & final thoughts

Connect with Dennis Pishock

Website – Demons & Angels & resources: https://pishockbooks.com/Instagram – Pishock’s Patriots:
https://www.instagram.com/pishocks_patriots

Email: Dpdemonsandangels@gmail.com

Connect with Doug White / Tell This Story

Tell This Story on Spotify:

Tell This Story YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/@Tell_This_Story

Doug’s website (book, speaking, media):https://www.dougwhiteofficial.com

All links (book, socials, podcast,etc.):https://linktr.ee/tell_this_story

If you’re in crisis or starting to slip reach out—to a peer, a friend, a spouse, your department’s peer support, or a crisis line in your area. You are not alone. Asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness.