First Responder Wellness Podcast with Conrad Weaver

Need help? Check out these resources: www.firstresponderwellness.co/resources

or Dial 988 for immediate help.

EPISODE 118:

Bulletproof: Staying Human on the Job with Dan Willis

What happens to a good heart after years of walking into the worst moments of other people’s lives?

In this episode, Conrad Weaver sits down with retired Captain Dan Willis, a 30-year veteran of the La Mesa Police Department (San Diego area), to talk about...

Need help? Check out these resources: www.firstresponderwellness.co/resources

or Dial 988 for immediate help.

I Built My Recovery Like an Investigation - with Craig Semple

Craig Semple served 25 years as a detective in the New South Wales, Australia Police Force—homicides, drug squads, outlaw motorcycle gangs, the kind of work that runs on adrenaline and silence. But behind the scenes, PTSD and burnout were stacking up: sleepless...

Need help? Check out these resources: www.firstresponderwellness.co/resources

or Dial 988 for immediate help.

You Can't Heal What Stays Locked in the Dark - Dr. Cherylynn Lee

In this powerful episode of the First Responder Wellness Podcast, host Conrad Weaver sits down with police psychologist Dr. Cherylynn Lee to explore what really happens when trauma goes unspoken inside law enforcement, fire, EMS, and dispatch.

Dr. Lee works ...

Need help? Check out these resources: www.firstresponderwellness.co/resources

or Dial 988 for immediate help.

What happens when the very skills that keep an officer alive on the street start quietly dismantling the rest of their life?

In this episode, Conrad Weaver sits down with Dr. Kevin Gilmartin—one of the pioneering voices in police psychology—to unpack the hidden physiology of the job: hypervigilance, distrust, adrenaline, ...

This special year-end episode of the First Responder Wellness Podcast counts down the Top 10 Most Downloaded Episodes of the Year—the conversations that resonated most with first responders, leaders, and their families.

These episodes tackle the issues that matter most right now: trauma and the brain, leadership culture, physical health, sleep and suicide prevention, spiritual wholeness, organizational accountability, and the human...

Episode Title: A Christmas Message for First Responders Podcast: First Responder Wellness Podcast Air Date: December 24, 2025 Duration: ~7 minutes Host: Conrad Weaver

In this special Christmas Eve episode of the First Responder Wellness Podcast, we pause to honor and thank the brave men and women who continue to serve their communities during the holiday season. Whether ...

Need help? Find a resource here: https://firstresponderwellness.co/resources/

Register for the First Responder Leadership Mastermind here: https://firstresponderwellness.co/masterclass/

From Addiction to Purpose - Rich Cheatham's Journey Through Shame and Redemption.

In this powerful episode, retired fire captain Rick Cheatham opens up about a hidden crisis in the fire service—addiction, shame, and the mental health struggles no ...

Register for the Wellness Leadership Masterclass here:

https://firstresponderwellness.co/masterclass/

FIRST RESPONDER WELLNESS PODCAST EPISODE #111

When the Helper Breaks: The Untold Trauma Inside Corrections

In this profoundly moving conversation, former corrections sergeant and mental health advocate Syndi Treece shares the emotional truth of working inside America’s prisons—where trauma is constant, connection is complicated,...

How the Ontario Provincial Police Supports Their People: How Ontario Built One of the Most Comprehensive First Responder Wellness Systems in North America
 Guest: Rob Jamieson, Retired OPP Sergeant & Former President, Ontario Provincial Police Association
Host: Conrad Weaver

Episode Overview This powerful and far-reaching conversation with retired Ontario Provincial Police Sergeant and former OPP Association President Rob Jami...

DON'T FORGET TO REGISTER FOR THE FIRST RESPONDER LEADERSHIP MASTERMIND PREVIEW: 

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/gIe-71MeQ_62NOI2PMP8Eg#/registration

Gratitude is the Secret Sauce - Conrad Weaver

In this heartfelt Thanksgiving edition of the First Responder Wellness Podcast, host Conrad Weaver pauses to express deep gratitude to the first responder community and the listeners who support the mission of wellness, healing,...

Here's what Conrad has been thinking about recently, today on the Friday Five...  

High Road Leaders choose Character over Comfort. 

Order High Road Leadership here. 

Connect with Conrad: 💻 firstresponderwellnesspodcast.com 🎥 Follow on YouTube & TikTok for challenge updates 💬 Share your thoughts in the comments

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FIRST RESPONDER WELLNESS PODCAS...

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How to Relieve Stress in One Minute: A Practical Tool for First Responders with Marie Matteson

Guest: Marie Matteson, MS – Former Volunteer EMT, Medical Massage Therapist, Stress & Emotion Regulation Specialist, Author of One Minute Stress Release

Stress is baked into the job for first responders—but what if you had a simple...

Click here to register for the FREE First Responder Leadership Mastermind Preview.

EPISODE 107 Small Deposits, Big Returns: A Realistic Wellness Plan for Agencies - Andy Wilson

Director Andy Wilson, Ohio’s Director of Public Safety, joins Conrad Weaver to talk frankly about the human cost of public safety work and what leaders must do to protect the people who protect us. Andy explains how chronic and acute stress shorten caree...

In this Friday Five episode, host Conrad Weaver reflects on what it means to live an “above average” life. He shares why he takes on monthly challenges—like daily pushups and Bible reading—not just to test his limits, but to cultivate habits that help him grow personally and professionally. Conrad reminds us that achieving our goals requires more than wishing for them—it takes daily, intentional action. This short but powerful mes...

Title:  Do Plant-Based Medicines Work? with Todd Youngblood Guest: Todd Youngblood, Co-Founder of Pneumogladius Host: Conrad Weaver, First Responder Wellness Podcast

In this episode, Conrad Weaver sits down with Todd Youngblood, co-founder of Pneuma Gladius, a company dedicated to expanding access to plant-based medicines for mental health treatment. Todd shares the fascinating history and science behind natural psychedelic substan...

In this episode of the First Responder Wellness Podcast, host Conrad Weaver welcomes retired Chief Maggie (of a local law enforcement agency in Virginia) who spent 38 years in the field—26 in a large agency and 13 leading a mid‑sized one. Now in retirement she heads the Foundation for First Responder Wellness & Resiliency, focusing on ensuring first responders have...

🎙️ Friday Five with Conrad Weaver

A Short Podcast from the First Responder Wellness PodcastTM

Welcome to Friday Five with Conrad Weaver — a quick, five-minute boost to wrap up your week with inspiration, insight, and ideas. Each Friday, I’ll share things that are shaping my world:

    Projects I’m working on in film, podcasting, and first responder wellness

    Key lessons from books I’m reading

    Highlights from events and conf...

Episode Title: “I Didn't Find Healing, It Found Me" with Jon Vargas Guest: Jon Vargas, Firefighter (LAFD Station 92, West LA) & Host of GRAB LIVES podcast Host: Conrad Weaver

Firefighter Jon Vargas (LAFD, Station 92) joins host Conrad Weaver to share his raw journey through burnout, traumatic injury, and recovery. After a head trauma left his nervous system in crisis, Jon faced anxiety, paranoia, and suicidal thoughts—with litt...

Friday Five with Conrad Weaver is a short version of the First Responder Wellness Podcast. On this show I give you a quick overview of what I'm learning, reading, or thinking about this week. 

Thanks for listening. 

Conrad Weaver

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FIRST RESPONDER WELLNESS PODCAST

Order the PTSD911 Film and Educational Toolkit here: https://ptsd911movie.com/toolkit/

Web site:  https://ptsd911movie.com/ Instagram:   / ptsd911movie   Faceb...