TRANSKRİPT 🔗
WEBVTT
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Dr.
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Maribel.
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Maribel.
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Is that right?
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Welcome to the podcast.
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Thank you so much for taking the time to be here.
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And so everybody knows I screwed up and I didn't tell her this was not virtual.
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I was like, no, this is in person.
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So you came all the way from Upland.
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So I really appreciate that.
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You still made the time to come out here.
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So thank you.
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Thank you.
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Thank you for having me.
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Yeah.
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And you got to meet my family.
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I know.
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That was so nice.
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Yeah, which is pretty cool.
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You got to see my daughter.
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She got pretty big.
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I know.
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I remember when she was born.
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Yeah.
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It's so funny how we live like our lives through vicariously through social media.
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Oh, yeah.
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And we don't know people, but we think we know people and we know parts of their lives.
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So it's kind of cool.
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It's like, oh, I know her.
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Yeah, she's uh she's a special girl.
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She got big, got to see my wife.
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She's about to pop.
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I know.
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Congratulations.
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Yeah, I'm super excited.
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Like, I'm really, really excited about that.
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Have my son who's gonna be here.
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But um, all things I'm super thankful for and just feel blessed beyond what I deserve because I was a wild animal for quite some time.
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So um, but tamed.
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Yeah, I had to I had to grow up uh quite a bit, quite a bit.
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But um, do you remember when we met actually?
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I don't, I don't either.
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I was trying to think back, and I'm like, dude, how did I meet this lady?
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Uh you know what?
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I think it was at a church.
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Was it?
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I remember um going to a church in Orange County somewhere, and I just remember a bunch of motorcycle lists.
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Oh and um they were all sitting in the front wearing these jackets.
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Oh, the motorcycle vests, yes, okay.
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Yeah, so that's Minifier.
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I'm a part of that motorcycle.
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Yes, so Menifier were there.
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Yeah, that was actually our first annual first responders in Idaho.
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Okay, yeah, so we're we did our third one this past year, but that's right, you were there, and I think was it Anthony?
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Anthony, yeah, such a great guy, yeah, such a such a good dude.
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But yeah, that's what we meant.
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I was trying to remember.
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I'm like, dude, how do I I don't even remember how I got this woman's number, but you're awesome.
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For for a while I thought you were City Valet, then I was like, no, he's Orange County, no, he's LA County, and I was like, I don't even remember how I met him, and then I remembered that event, and then I remembered seeing you and just meeting you that day and exchanging numbers and like, yeah, we'll meet up, we'll meet up, and then you know, vicariously through social media here and there connecting.
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Well, what's really great is when you came to my house, I will I am that person who was the last one on the block to put their trash cans away after trash day.
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My wife told me, I'm thinking, oh my gosh, dude, I don't want to be those people.
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So I went out there real quick, put one trash can away, and I come around my truck and you're standing there, you're like, hi.
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That was a good uh intro to seeing you again.
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I was like, oh my goodness, you're here.
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That was fast.
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I was like, damn, I cool my hair today.
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You look great.
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No, you're fine.
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You're fine.
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I have that effect on people.
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You know, people really like me, they're like, all right, or they're like, oh shit, she's here.
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Like trying to hide from me.
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So I was like, okay, you want to jump in the trash cans?
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I'll I'll just wait here to till you get out.
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But it's kind of funny because I am I'm the same way.
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Yeah, jumping.
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No, no, the trash cans are still.
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That was my bad.
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I'm like, oh my gosh.
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And of course, you saw me putting them away.
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I'm thinking this
Load full transcript
is so embarrassing.
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I just got scared.
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She's seeing me put my trash cans away, last person on the blog, but it's all good.
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I'm still the last person.
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I have five, my defense, and uh two of them are still out, the three one by one.
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Why didn't they come in?
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Five trash cans.
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I have a lot of trees, so I have three extra for trees and all that.
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So I see.
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Okay.
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I'm the Mexican with gardeners.
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Uh I once worked with the firefighter, and you know, he he got in trouble and he was like uh went viral for some inappropriate comments about uh Mexicans and uh fire and uh gardeners, and he's like, I'm a firefighter, and and I said, Hey, and he called me for help and I said, Hey, that's pretty messed up what you said.
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You know, it's my dad right there, you're talking shit about.
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And then he just like, I'm so sorry.
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And I said, You know I'm Mexican too.
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And uh he I just kidding, just kidding.
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And you know, that moment where you see someone's about to break, yeah, and uh I just had to cut a joke because uh at that moment he was suicidal.
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Oh my god.
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And uh I was like, okay, so all the SSI serious stuff, like what happened was really serious.
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How are you doing?
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Yeah, and uh he's like, I'm not okay.
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And you know, social media things spread pretty quickly, whether they're good or not so good, ridiculously fast.
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And this was like a not so good event, and it just completely like took over his lives on people were outside, and you know, when you're in that position and you know, position of power, we we are, because people call us on their worst day.
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Yeah, so that's what therapists I feel and the type of therapists I am have in common with first responders.
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They call you guys your worst day, you guys call us on your worst day, and I'm like, okay, today's his worst day of his life.
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Yeah, well, yeah, it's it's so trash cans, gardening, you know.
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We'll get right into that.
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Well, well, that's you bring up a good point because I I don't want to speak for most in who are first responders, and as you know, and everyone listening, I've been a firefighter for gosh in the fire service total of 21 years.
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Oh yeah, it's been a while, but most of us, I'll say me, like I didn't I didn't go see a therapist for probably 17 years, right?
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And that stuff just stacks all those bad things that you see, and and of course we call you when we're fine, like at our, you know, at the end of our world, about everything's about gonna be a disaster, and like, oh my god, help me, you know.
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I'm like, oh my god, and I try to encourage a lot of firefighters I work with, like it's it's okay to not be okay.
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It's better to go early and start doing therapy instead of waiting until it's you know the last thing and you're at your wit's end and you have suicidal ideations and all that.
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So um you have a um what do you I don't want to call it a clinic?
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Yeah, is that what it's called?
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Is it clinic?
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It's technically a treatment center.
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Treatment center.
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So we we are registered as a treatment center, but I look at it more like a wellness center.
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Okay, and we do a lot of preventative work, so it is life force recovery, and we're in the city of Upland, and it's kind of like in between different places.
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So I have people that come from like San Clemeni, Long Beach, Whittier, Montebello, Claremont, Rancho.
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All the way to Upland.
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All the way to Upland because it's small, it's very that's why I say wellness center, because we try to take care of our people.
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So it's for by first responders, for first responders.
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I'm I'm the non-first responder one.
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Come on, thank you guys for adopting me.
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Yeah, yeah, and they just kind of joke.
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They're like, okay, you're you're the main one here.
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And I'm like, well, they might come for me initially because it's the worst day, but then they stay because of everybody that's there, everybody that's been out in the field, whether they're police, retired captains.
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Um, we have current firefighters that are there just volunteering their time to firefighters there volunteering.
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That's excellent.
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Yeah, most of us are volunteers that are there.
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Wow.
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And um, they give their time and the dedication.
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And most of them have had either like a situation that they're like, hey, like I waited, I waited, I waited, and then something happened.
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So please go get some type of help.
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And even though you don't feel like you need it, it's
just wellness.
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Yeah.
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Right.
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So it's that unpacking the things before that backpack gets too heavy.
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Oh, you hit that on the head.
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Yeah, perfect.
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And and I think uh I've sat so many times, like during orientation, during cut like the cadets were training, and I've seen it, and you know, they all come in, they're like, I'm I'm young, I can do this.
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And now they're a little older sometimes.
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And you come in with baggage and you come in with childhood stuff, you come in because you want to help initially, and then you start saying things, you're like, I'm fine, I'm fine.
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And then you notice, right, in the call that um you look around, like, okay, everyone else is fine, I'm not fine, but I'm not gonna say I'm not fine.
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Yeah, right.
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Because then what can happen if you're a police officer, your gun gets taken away, or if you're a firefighter, you get put on leave, or just so you're like, okay, no, I'm good, I'm good, Cap, everything's good.
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Right.
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And then till something happens, you're like, you're not good, or worse, you do have a good career, um, you think you're fine, and then you retire, and then it's quiet.
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Right?
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That's that's that silence, and then you're like, what do I do now?
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Well, you bring up a really good point.
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I I um what's the best way to say this?
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Because you don't you don't realize that you carry a lot of those calls, right?
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We were kind of taught as we get into being first responders, and I'll just speak from a firefighter's perspective, right?
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Is honor, courage, commitment, be tough, be hard, be aggressive, fight fire, take care of your your your fellow firefighters, your brothers, your sisters, take care of the community, blah blah blah.
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And I remember getting to a point in this house, in this room that we're in, that's the studio.
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I remember being up here because I had a bed up here, and I remember laying in in my bed and I just broke down thinking, like I feel like I'm losing it.
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And I I help people on a daily basis, a shiftly basis.
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I can help others rescued, do what we have to do, that I can't even help myself.
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What in the world's going on?
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What do I do?
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You know?
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And that was a very helpless moment.
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And I remember reaching out to a few people, and they finally we have at um my fire department called Counseling Team International.
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And I hit that number and started talking to somebody, and it was really interesting because you just said it.
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It was a childhood trauma.
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They started back at my childhood.
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It wasn't like it wasn't the incident that just finally put me over the edge.
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It was let's go back to when you were a kid and we're gonna start there.
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And I'm thinking, what are you talking about?
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Like, I had a great childhood, like everything's fine, it's all cool.
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It's like, really?
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Well, let's let's dig into this.
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And one thing I did realize is you have to be so completely honest about everything.
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Don't hide anything, be very open, be raw, and be real.
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And going through, I didn't realize I'm like, oh my gosh, I do have childhood trauma.
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There are things that happened in my life that weren't cool, that weren't good in my family or outside of my family.
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And I didn't realize that was kind of shaping how I was handling situations as an adult in my relationship with my wife, to people that work and how I process things.
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Uh that was very eye-opening.
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I I had no idea, no idea.
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And so, like, I want to say the first few months that I was doing this real intensive therapy, it wasn't even things I've seen at work over 17, 18 years.
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It was things through childhood, and then going from childhood into being a teenager.
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And then at 17 years old, my brother dying in a car accident, and he was 10 months older than me.
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And I remember that being so, of course, life-changing for my family, but it was a huge reality check at 17 years old because I remember feeling that pain and that sorrow and seeing my family go through it.
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But then we bury them, we have the funeral, life goes on.
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Everyone, you know, the sun still rises and sets.
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We still need to, I still need to go to school and pass my test.
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My dad has to go to work, my mom has to go to work.
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That was the one thing that was so shocking.
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You feel all this pain and the sorrow, and and you don't know how to to manage this and figure it out.
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And it's like, oh, you gotta move forward.
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Yeah, and I never dealt with it.
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I didn't realize I was burying that for so long.
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So starting at the childhood, I it just blew my mind.
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It really did.
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And then we went into um, of course, adulthood and my first, you know, years as a in the fire service and things that I dealt with and I had seen, and I didn't realize how much I was burying and how much it was destroying me.
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Because it's gonna come out somewhere.
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Yeah, it's a you're eventually gonna we call bleve, right?
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You're just gonna blow, right?
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And you think like, gosh, I'm so messed up.
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It's like, well, you're not a bad person, but it's there's a lot that you just haven't dealt with.
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And I went down a really, really dark path.
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Um, that I, you know, I look back to this day and I think, I can't believe I did some of those things.
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And you you talk to these therapists, it's like, dude, you're just searching for something to feel good.
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You know, you're you're trying to figure it out.
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And um, that dark place was super hard, but it was people like you who look after firefighters and first responders, police, and everything that really helped me start to process a lot of things.
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I mean, I went through a lot of intensive therapy for a long time, and that's why I encourage people to to do it now because it was life-changing for me.
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It didn't, it wasn't like snap overnight, I'm better.
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Yeah, it was it was a and it's still a continuing process.
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Um, but it's even one of those things that they offered it, they offer that counseling team international to not just us but our families.
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Yeah, so even my sessions.
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Yeah, my wife started going through and then she started to understand, oh my goodness, that's why he responds a certain way that he does.
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And then we went through it together, and then I got to see her childhood traumas and why she processes and does things and responds the way she does.
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It just kind of blew my mind.
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Yeah, I had no idea, right?
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I'm just like, dude, I'm this guy who puts water on fire and I get paid to do it.
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Like, this is crazy.
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Um, but it it was life-changing, but it was hard because you have to you're finally dealing with yourself.
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You can't you can't hide it with drugs, you can't hide it with other things that are gonna mask it.
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It's the real, true, raw person that you are, and that's hard.
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That's very, very difficult to deal with because now it's like, okay, I need to speak this out into existence.
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Here's what I've done.
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Here's the things that I wish I didn't do, here's what I've been through.
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Like, I need to get this better.
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And that's why I love, you know, when you sent your uh, I think it was like a was it a flyer?
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It was like a picture.
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Yeah, yeah.
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I was like, let me just that I can fly quickly 6 a.m.
00:14:23.120 --> 00:14:23.440
in the morning.
00:14:23.600 --> 00:14:24.000
Well, it's cool.
00:14:24.080 --> 00:14:33.919
It's life force recovery in Upland, California, but right under that it says refuel your your life force, trauma-informed care for those who serve healing, strength, and hope.
00:14:34.080 --> 00:14:35.519
Refuel your life force.
00:14:35.679 --> 00:14:36.960
Can you kind of explain that a little bit?
00:14:37.120 --> 00:14:38.639
Because that that stuck out to me.
00:14:38.879 --> 00:14:39.279
Yeah.
00:14:39.519 --> 00:14:46.240
So um I've I've had this like pull for years, and I just didn't know what it was.
00:14:46.320 --> 00:14:48.320
And and let me backtrack a bit.
00:14:48.480 --> 00:14:50.720
Um, I I didn't want to be a therapist, right?
00:14:50.799 --> 00:14:53.039
I was like, oh no, no, I'm just doing it because I want a promotion.
00:14:53.200 --> 00:14:56.000
I used to work for the City Valley and you know, I needed a master's.
00:14:56.159 --> 00:14:59.519
And that was like what the counselor said I was good at.
00:14:59.679 --> 00:15:03.519
And I really fought hard on not being the therapist.
00:15:03.840 --> 00:15:09.679
And uh my supervisor, Gary, laughs at me because he's like, Okay, well, whenever you're ready, you'll be back.
00:15:09.759 --> 00:15:12.000
And I'm like, I'm never gonna be ready.
00:15:12.240 --> 00:15:19.919
And um, God really said, like, yeah, you can waver zigzag all over the place, but you're gonna end up in the same spot.
00:15:20.080 --> 00:15:21.600
I'll eventually bring you back.
00:15:22.000 --> 00:15:25.759
So I was very resistant and need a few like knocks in the head, right?
00:15:26.080 --> 00:15:32.559
And uh, and so when I became a therapist, I was like, okay, um, I don't like the word, right?
00:15:32.720 --> 00:15:34.559
The rapist therapist.
00:15:34.960 --> 00:15:38.480
So um, psychologist, psychoanalyst, psycho.
00:15:38.960 --> 00:15:44.000
And uh, I think that's where like the negative connotation comes into play.
00:15:44.320 --> 00:15:59.360
And when you look at it though, you look at it, here's a person that is trained to deal with other people's
stuff and to really zoom out and get that overview and then kind of pick the pieces and put it together.
00:15:59.519 --> 00:16:01.679
And that's been a skill of mine.
00:16:02.000 --> 00:16:08.159
And so fast forward to life force, I worked for City of Alet.
00:16:08.799 --> 00:16:11.519
And I Well, what were you doing at the City of Valley?
00:16:12.240 --> 00:16:17.440
I worked for the union and the wellness center, so I was a therapist and um uh fire firefighters.
00:16:17.519 --> 00:16:18.320
Yeah, UFLAC, yeah.
00:16:19.360 --> 00:16:20.320
Okay, okay, okay, yeah.
00:16:20.399 --> 00:16:26.879
So I originally was gonna uh apply for their um their coordinator position, and I was like, oh, I could do this.
00:16:27.039 --> 00:16:30.240
And uh I remember sitting outside, I was really bored.
00:16:30.320 --> 00:16:35.279
I I'm good at starting programs, building programs, and um moving them forward.
00:16:35.519 --> 00:16:41.840
And I sat there and something popped up on Indeed, and I was like, oh, firefighters, what do they need help with?
00:16:42.080 --> 00:16:47.600
So I called my son-in-law, Garrett, and I was like, hey Garrett, let me read you this position.
00:16:48.000 --> 00:16:50.000
Do you think do you think I qualify?
00:16:50.399 --> 00:16:52.320
He's like, Yeah, it sounds like a good position.
00:16:52.399 --> 00:16:54.159
You like to build programs and help people.
00:16:54.240 --> 00:16:55.519
And I was like, huh.
00:16:56.960 --> 00:17:00.080
I was so naive at the same time.
00:17:00.240 --> 00:17:03.600
I've been in therapy and doing therapy for 15, 20 years, right?
00:17:04.079 --> 00:17:07.039
That first responders and firefighters needed help.
00:17:07.599 --> 00:17:12.000
And I was like, Oh, I think they want me to go on the rig and talk to people out in the field.
00:17:12.079 --> 00:17:13.440
I'm not really sure.
00:17:13.759 --> 00:17:21.680
And so when I went in and um I got hired as a therapist, I was like, oh shoot, it's for them.
00:17:22.160 --> 00:17:24.880
And I started seeing it from a different lens.
00:17:25.039 --> 00:17:41.359
I I think nowadays the um community is finally catching on that firefighters are struggling, that it's not just like help, I fall in, I can't get up, or putting out fires, putting out fires, a lot of EMS calls, a lot of um the shift work do you talk about?
00:17:41.440 --> 00:17:42.799
Yeah, people don't sleep.
00:17:43.039 --> 00:17:44.079
How do you cope with that?
00:17:44.319 --> 00:17:45.759
You haven't slept in seven days.
00:17:45.920 --> 00:17:48.319
You're hearing the tones constantly in your head.
00:17:48.400 --> 00:17:52.799
You're waiting, your your sympathetic system is just waiting for that call.
00:17:52.960 --> 00:18:02.160
When you leave work, you're still on that high, and then you you have 24 hours off, and then you go home, have to do everything you need to do, hurry up, get back.
00:18:02.240 --> 00:18:03.440
So now you're prepping.
00:18:03.599 --> 00:18:06.160
So
all that I saw it over and over.
00:18:06.319 --> 00:18:08.480
I was getting about 60 calls a week at least.
00:18:09.200 --> 00:18:10.720
Um, they put out my cell number.
00:18:11.440 --> 00:18:11.680
Wow.
00:18:12.240 --> 00:18:12.559
Yeah.
00:18:13.359 --> 00:18:13.839
Which is good.
00:18:13.920 --> 00:18:14.160
That's good.
00:18:14.319 --> 00:18:15.119
You want people to call you?
00:18:15.519 --> 00:18:16.160
People needed help.
00:18:16.640 --> 00:18:21.839
People are like, hey, I'm struggling, uh, I'm fighting all the time, I'm drinking all the time.
00:18:22.079 --> 00:18:23.759
Uh, it was all confidential.
00:18:24.319 --> 00:18:27.519
So personally, to my cell phone, I'd be able to help them.
00:18:28.799 --> 00:18:32.720
And I'm like, oh my gosh, this is such a soulless job.
00:18:33.519 --> 00:18:34.880
It takes your soul.
00:18:35.039 --> 00:18:44.480
You come in ready to help, but no one prepares you for the daily toll, like you mentioned earlier, at work, but at home.
00:18:44.799 --> 00:18:46.160
So work you're trained.
00:18:46.319 --> 00:18:53.920
You train 16, 12 weeks, 24 weeks, however long your training is now, days and six weeks now, because we need to get them in and get them out.
00:18:54.319 --> 00:18:54.799
Yeah, yeah.
00:18:54.880 --> 00:18:55.359
We're very stressful.
00:18:55.680 --> 00:18:56.319
That's another issue.
00:18:56.400 --> 00:18:58.960
Don't get me started on that one, right?
00:18:59.119 --> 00:19:06.480
And then you see that, and and I saw some of the men and women that I worked with just struggling with their soul.
00:19:06.640 --> 00:19:07.119
Yeah.
00:19:07.440 --> 00:19:16.400
So, from my perspective, was like, if they can just bring their life force, yeah, that like oomph that they once had, yeah.
00:19:16.799 --> 00:19:18.559
Like, what could they do with their lives?
00:19:18.799 --> 00:19:23.759
It's almost like that spark they used to have in their eye and got into the career, and you're just like, gosh, we could do anything.
00:19:23.920 --> 00:19:24.559
We can, you know.
00:19:25.200 --> 00:19:31.359
That spark you see day one, day three, even when they graduate and they're like so excited.
00:19:31.519 --> 00:19:37.279
Yeah, and then you're talking to retirees and you're looking at them and they're like, I have nothing.
00:19:37.680 --> 00:19:42.160
My wife left me, my kids hate me, I've given all to this job.
00:19:42.640 --> 00:19:44.400
And next week's my last week.
00:19:44.480 --> 00:19:47.839
I'm gonna hang up my jacket and now what?
00:19:49.119 --> 00:19:58.240
You know, I've had this conversation quite a bit with with quite a few fellow firefighters in in this job, does take a lot from you.
00:19:58.400 --> 00:19:58.480
Yeah.
00:19:58.799 --> 00:20:03.200
Now they it's it's not a bad career, it's a good career and it provides for a lot.
00:20:04.160 --> 00:20:10.720
But with that being said, you know, we get forced hired where we can't go home because it's different than most jobs, right?
00:20:10.880 --> 00:20:13.440
Somebody calls out sick, it's not like that spot's not filled.
00:20:13.599 --> 00:20:16.079
Somebody needs to stay there and be on that rig, right?
00:20:16.240 --> 00:20:17.920
To serve our community and help people.
00:20:18.319 --> 00:20:22.640
And so we're getting stuck at work, not just you know, our regular 48-hour shift.
00:20:23.039 --> 00:20:27.279
We're there for 72, 96, someone, some are on a 120.
00:20:27.359 --> 00:20:27.440
Yeah.
00:20:27.599 --> 00:20:30.480
Just like we had this incident in Orange County with that TASMAT.
00:20:30.559 --> 00:20:34.640
You get people who are out there for five, six days, been out there ever since it started.
00:20:34.880 --> 00:20:36.319
And that takes a toll on you.
00:20:36.480 --> 00:20:41.680
Um it's it worrs in your after time because we're all doing it right when we work.
00:20:41.759 --> 00:20:45.599
We're exchanging our time for money, right?
00:20:45.920 --> 00:20:51.519
We want we need the monies because we need to live, we need to pay for food and insurance and all these things, right?
00:20:51.839 --> 00:20:53.599
But when's enough is enough.
00:20:53.920 --> 00:20:56.240
Because you also get offered overtime.
00:20:56.480 --> 00:21:06.400
So, truly, in the first responder career field, you can work as much as you want, which is good because you can build a life, but you're you're losing time.
00:21:06.799 --> 00:21:08.079
Time that you'll never get back.
00:21:08.240 --> 00:21:12.319
You're the wear and tear in your body, not just physically but mentally.
00:21:12.799 --> 00:21:16.799
And I always I say this quite often because I had this epiphany at one point.
00:21:16.880 --> 00:21:20.799
I'm thinking, what where am I putting my time here?
00:21:21.200 --> 00:21:33.200
I'm working a lot and I'm at, I'm I'm involved in the my fire department, I'm doing all these things, and but like at the end of the day, and this is not to sound morbid, but when I die, I can't even take any of this with me.
00:21:33.359 --> 00:21:34.079
Yeah, right?
00:21:34.160 --> 00:21:37.119
The money, the accolades, the homes, the everything that I have.
00:21:37.200 --> 00:21:39.440
Now we should always do good with what we're given.
00:21:39.680 --> 00:21:44.720
I'm not saying just blow your money or be poor, you know, you don't want to be poor, whatever it may be, right?
00:21:45.039 --> 00:21:48.960
But there's that fine line of working enough, but also being home.
00:21:49.279 --> 00:21:52.400
Because that time with my daughter, I'll never get back.
00:21:52.720 --> 00:21:54.720
That time with my wife, I'll never get back.
00:21:54.799 --> 00:21:56.400
My daughter's only one year old once.
00:21:56.480 --> 00:21:58.640
She only has her first Christmas once, right?
00:21:58.720 --> 00:22:08.640
When she starts walking, that'll Happens one time, and there's many things I've missed because I've been stuck at work, whether it's my choice to work overtime or because I
got force hired.
00:22:08.880 --> 00:22:15.920
And for a lot of personnel that I see, this job is their identity, and I have worked so hard to separate myself with that.
00:22:16.160 --> 00:22:19.039
And some people, good, bad, or indifferent.
00:22:19.680 --> 00:22:23.200
You know, they look at me like, oh, you're, you know, you're not a real fireman.
00:22:23.599 --> 00:22:26.160
You're not, you know, if you're not involved, you're not doing this, you're not sold out.
00:22:26.240 --> 00:22:30.160
It's like, hey man, just because this isn't my identity doesn't mean I'm not sold out.
00:22:30.240 --> 00:22:34.720
I will come to work, I'll be a team player, I will do my job, and I will know my craft.
00:22:34.960 --> 00:22:36.480
When I go home, I go home.
00:22:36.720 --> 00:22:41.680
I want to be home and I want to make sure I'm present for my family because I'll never get that time back.
00:22:41.839 --> 00:22:46.960
And that's your time is so precious because really we don't even know how much of it we have.
00:22:47.200 --> 00:22:49.119
That's the one thing you have no idea.
00:22:49.279 --> 00:22:49.519
I know.
00:22:49.680 --> 00:22:49.839
Right?
00:22:49.920 --> 00:22:59.279
And that's again, I'm not trying to sound crazy or morbid, but the reality is we could wake up tomorrow, get in our car, and just like my brother, he's driving down the street, get hit.
00:22:59.440 --> 00:23:01.039
That's it, it's over.
00:23:01.359 --> 00:23:01.680
Right?
00:23:01.759 --> 00:23:06.480
We, you know, we get all these emails all the time for people who've passed away in our fire department.
00:23:06.559 --> 00:23:14.079
Who, you know, he just retired and two months later retired, or some of them, you know, hey, he was a captain and he retired back in 1990 and this and that.
00:23:14.160 --> 00:23:16.240
It's like, I don't know who that is.
00:23:16.400 --> 00:23:21.920
I just delete the email, and that's not to be a jerk, but I'm like, okay, and I tell everyone, you're replaceable.
00:23:22.079 --> 00:23:26.400
This is a good job, and you want to do well, but when you're gone, that's it.
00:23:26.640 --> 00:23:27.279
It's over.
00:23:27.440 --> 00:23:29.200
You know, you're yeah, I mean, now what?
00:23:29.279 --> 00:23:29.519
Right?
00:23:29.599 --> 00:23:40.880
And you wrapped your whole life into this identity and this career, and because you put so much of your time into it, now you don't have a family, maybe your kids don't like you or they don't want to spend time with you, whatever it may be.
00:23:41.279 --> 00:23:42.400
Well, now what?
00:23:42.960 --> 00:23:50.160
And I see so many of uh retired, you know, or men and women that retire and have they struggle, they have a super, super hard time.
00:23:50.240 --> 00:23:51.680
And I've worked on that so hard now.
00:23:51.839 --> 00:23:54.559
But okay, you know, I've started a family a little bit later in life.
00:23:54.640 --> 00:23:56.720
Okay, I'm 40 years old, barely having my second kid.
00:23:56.799 --> 00:23:58.480
My daughter's 19 months old.
00:23:58.799 --> 00:24:01.839
Uh, thank God my wife is younger than me because she's got a lot of energy.
00:24:02.000 --> 00:24:07.839
Uh, but it really when I'm I remember when my daughter was born, that was legit, Dr.
00:24:07.920 --> 00:24:08.480
Maribel.
00:24:08.640 --> 00:24:10.480
That was the first time I felt like an adult.
00:24:10.960 --> 00:24:16.240
Oh my god, she's unresponsible and oh my god, I gotta keep this kid alive, man.
00:24:16.480 --> 00:24:25.599
And then it you know, it hit me, you know, when I leaving for work, it got harder to go to work and work the overtime or or you know, be even being there for two days.
00:24:25.759 --> 00:24:28.000
Like recently now she's really saying dad that.
00:24:28.240 --> 00:24:30.720
And I I get up early and play with her and do stuff, okay.
00:24:30.799 --> 00:24:32.960
I gotta go to work, and then she starts crying and hugs me.
00:24:33.039 --> 00:24:36.079
I'm just like, oh my gosh, dude, I want to stay home.
00:24:36.319 --> 00:24:50.559
But like how that's I think that's a very big struggle for a lot of people in this career field is because we push or it's been pushed that culture of get this job and serve and be involved, give back, and you know, this is raw, we're the best.
00:24:50.960 --> 00:24:52.960
Not only that, I mean the overtime is good, right?
00:24:53.200 --> 00:24:59.440
So you start getting the RV, the boat, the house, the overextend yourself a little bit, right?
00:24:59.599 --> 00:25:01.279
And I've seen it so many times.
00:25:01.359 --> 00:25:03.279
I'm like, hey guys, don't do this.
00:25:03.440 --> 00:25:08.799
And then eventually I'm like, oh, there it goes, you know, get the magnum, and who cares how much gas is.
00:25:08.880 --> 00:25:16.240
We're just gonna drive this car and get that car and get this, and you know, and and a lot of it though is the fight or flight.
00:25:16.559 --> 00:25:20.000
So that little high that you get when you get that call.
00:25:20.160 --> 00:25:24.720
Uh, I was in a ride along Alameda County, and uh I love one of their captains.
00:25:24.799 --> 00:25:26.799
He always invites me, hey, you're down here, come on.
00:25:26.880 --> 00:25:28.559
And I'm like, okay, I'm going on the rig.
00:25:28.720 --> 00:25:29.920
Yeah, and it's fun.
00:25:30.000 --> 00:25:35.200
And I just see it in their faces when they get that call, the fire call.
00:25:35.279 --> 00:25:36.799
Yeah, the actual fire call.
00:25:36.880 --> 00:25:41.200
They're like, Yeah, I mean, like literally pulling over in the street, changing right there.
00:25:41.359 --> 00:25:46.480
Their heart rates, I'm like, ooh, it's like 180 miles per hour right now.
00:25:47.200 --> 00:25:48.799
And then the call gets canceled.
00:25:49.279 --> 00:25:50.720
Yeah, there goes the class, right?
00:25:50.799 --> 00:25:54.240
You're just and then up and then down and then up and then down.
00:25:54.319 --> 00:25:56.160
And then
what happens when you leave work?
00:25:56.319 --> 00:25:58.079
You're still looking for that up.
00:25:58.240 --> 00:26:00.319
Yeah, your your body's looking for it.
00:26:00.480 --> 00:26:03.279
So um, that's where the life force comes in, right?
00:26:03.359 --> 00:26:10.799
Let's try to maintain you, get you back to your window of tolerance where you're not so high, not so low, but just kind of in that sweet spot.
00:26:10.880 --> 00:26:13.039
Like, okay, I can see what's happening now.
00:26:13.200 --> 00:26:14.559
Yeah, I can get back to that.
00:26:14.640 --> 00:26:18.000
And a lot of times I tell people, think about the I used to.
00:26:18.319 --> 00:26:23.920
Now, not the I used to party and spend and do all this stuff, because that that's a there's always two roads.
00:26:24.000 --> 00:26:26.640
There's the healthy road and then the unhealthy road.
00:26:26.720 --> 00:26:28.400
We we know both of them, right?
00:26:28.480 --> 00:26:32.079
And we know what's healthy for us, and we're like, okay, this is healthy.
00:26:32.240 --> 00:26:34.799
And the job is very unhealthy.
00:26:34.960 --> 00:26:38.400
The rotating schedules, the shift work is very unhealthy.
00:26:38.559 --> 00:26:42.799
So we have to combat that and work at it when we're off.
00:26:43.039 --> 00:26:48.400
And if we're in the unhealthy path when we're off, then it's gonna be much harder to get back on it.
00:26:48.559 --> 00:26:51.839
So once we start recognizing, going, hey, what am I doing?
00:26:52.000 --> 00:26:52.799
What am I not doing?
00:26:52.960 --> 00:26:54.240
Hey, do I even have a budget?
00:26:54.400 --> 00:26:56.160
Do I even know without the overtime?
00:26:56.240 --> 00:26:58.799
If I were to get hurt, what would happen?
00:26:58.960 --> 00:27:02.880
Yeah, if I were to quit my job today, would I be okay the next six months?
00:27:03.039 --> 00:27:08.319
Or else now I'm losing my house, losing my car, losing, I've seen it all, right?
00:27:08.480 --> 00:27:09.279
I've seen it all.
00:27:09.920 --> 00:27:11.759
Um, I worked during COVID.
00:27:12.240 --> 00:27:19.759
And that was eye-opening and seeing the the damage that the job did also to families, yeah, and the separation.
00:27:20.079 --> 00:27:29.920
And then after like people saying, I can't take this anymore, and then losing their jobs, losing their cars, losing everything, going from being that to working at Starbucks.
00:27:30.559 --> 00:27:30.880
Right.
00:27:30.960 --> 00:27:34.319
And so that identity and the loss of that.
00:27:34.480 --> 00:27:40.240
So I always tell people we can keep you in the field and just bring that little umph back.
00:27:40.400 --> 00:27:41.759
Let's figure it out.
00:27:41.920 --> 00:27:45.839
So um life force kind of came to me, and I've had that idea.
00:27:45.920 --> 00:27:50.079
Uh, it's not me that I didn't get the idea, it just kind of came and like hit me like lightning.
00:27:50.319 --> 00:27:51.279
Like, this is what you're doing.
00:27:51.359 --> 00:27:55.599
And I'm like, oh I mean, I've had it in my journal since 2003.
00:27:56.000 --> 00:28:00.000
I look back and I'm like, okay, God's always been there, God's always had my back.
00:28:00.160 --> 00:28:01.279
Yeah, it's not me.
00:28:01.440 --> 00:28:06.079
Sometimes I'm like, okay, I don't know what we're doing here, but let's like do this, God.
00:28:06.480 --> 00:28:11.039
And I feel like I've been very blessed to be in the right places the right time.
00:28:11.200 --> 00:28:15.200
Um, my son-in-law, he works for Santa Monica Fire, and he was like, Hey, do it.
00:28:15.359 --> 00:28:16.559
He's like, do it.
00:28:16.799 --> 00:28:19.599
And I did it, and I haven't turned back.
00:28:19.759 --> 00:28:26.720
And you know, I started with um probation and the probation boot camps, and I knew I wanted to do something and help people.
00:28:26.880 --> 00:28:31.200
And when I went to the fire stations, I was like, this is where I belong.
00:28:31.359 --> 00:28:33.440
Like, this is what I've been training for.
00:28:33.680 --> 00:28:38.240
Uh, never mind the fact that I lived with some firefighters in my younger days.
00:28:40.000 --> 00:28:41.359
That was my training.
00:28:41.519 --> 00:28:52.319
Yeah, my daughter is like, I remember uh having barbecues and like all this stuff, and and in hindsight, I'm like, oh my gosh, everyone in the house was coping.
00:28:52.480 --> 00:28:53.759
I worked with victims of crime.
00:28:53.920 --> 00:28:59.359
So I was a therapist working with Norwalk Station and the sheriffs and working with victims of crime.
00:28:59.440 --> 00:29:01.759
And I was like, nobody trains me for this.
00:29:01.920 --> 00:29:06.640
Like, I've seen some horrific things been there, along with PD, along with fire.
00:29:06.799 --> 00:29:11.519
And so I lived with some fire guys, and uh I was like, that was my training.
00:29:11.680 --> 00:29:17.359
You know, the Rosarito weekend trips that they did, the barbecues, the bonding, the talking, the laughing.
00:29:17.599 --> 00:29:20.319
I was like, oh, that's what helped them.
00:29:20.640 --> 00:29:24.000
We're losing some of that, that commodity in there.
00:29:24.079 --> 00:29:26.160
So we have to find it somewhere else.
00:29:26.480 --> 00:29:40.720
And the the dark humor, the talking about things that only you kind of understand, that that needs to stay because that's where you release some of the pressure and finding those healthy outlets.
00:29:40.880 --> 00:29:47.599
Um, I had someone in my office today, and um he uh he's hopefully getting ready to retire.
00:29:47.920 --> 00:29:56.319
And he he's like, I used to garden, and uh I finally have time to garden because uh he's taking some time off.
00:29:56.640 --> 00:30:01.039
He's like, I sat yesterday with my son for two hours and I played catch.
00:30:01.119 --> 00:30:02.799
It's like the best two hours of my life.
00:30:03.039 --> 00:30:03.519
That's awesome.
00:30:03.680 --> 00:30:11.200
Like I didn't realize how much I
worked, and and I remember seeing him just like three weeks ago, and I was like, hey, put your phone away.
00:30:11.599 --> 00:30:16.799
It was just going on and on and on in the emails, and you know, we we talked about it today.
00:30:16.880 --> 00:30:19.839
It's like, hey, three weeks later, you're in a different place.
00:30:20.240 --> 00:30:24.079
You're not looking for that phone and like what's happening in the department.
00:30:24.240 --> 00:30:25.599
I need to know, I need to know.
00:30:25.759 --> 00:30:29.359
And uh, you know, I speak Spanish, so firefighters are cheese muscles.
00:30:29.519 --> 00:30:30.079
Yeah, yeah.
00:30:30.799 --> 00:30:32.480
Telefire, telewire.
00:30:32.799 --> 00:30:33.359
Oh, yeah.
00:30:36.240 --> 00:30:38.000
Firefighters like middle school kids.
00:30:38.160 --> 00:30:38.960
Love you guys, yeah.
00:30:39.119 --> 00:30:40.960
And this middle school is always good at that.
00:30:41.119 --> 00:30:42.960
You're still like trying to find your spa.
00:30:43.039 --> 00:30:44.319
And and college kids, right?
00:30:44.400 --> 00:30:46.400
You live in a dorm, you hang out together.
00:30:46.559 --> 00:30:50.720
Um, I see now some of the new firehouses though are being a little more segregated.
00:30:50.960 --> 00:30:54.079
So I think that's a little more detrimental because you're just on your phone.
00:30:54.400 --> 00:30:56.880
I was just talking with somebody about that.
00:30:57.039 --> 00:31:04.559
Um, gosh, it was a can't remember who it was, but he's been oh, he's retired now, and he teaches at the college that that that I teach at.
00:31:04.720 --> 00:31:07.279
And um, that's something we we talked about this morning.
00:31:07.680 --> 00:31:10.480
And he said, Yeah, it's just fire service has changed a lot.
00:31:10.720 --> 00:31:12.880
And I told him, like, hey, I just changed stations.
00:31:13.039 --> 00:31:20.960
Um I'm on a truck now, I'm at one of the newest stations in uh Orange County, and we got a brand new truck, and it's a beautiful station, state of the art.
00:31:21.200 --> 00:31:26.880
But yeah, everything's everyone's got their separate rooms, and yeah, I get it, I understand things have changed.
00:31:26.960 --> 00:31:33.519
We have females in the fire service, and people need privacy and all that, but it's also kind of taken away from the camaraderie.
00:31:33.599 --> 00:31:35.359
But I think my station does it very well.
00:31:35.839 --> 00:31:48.880
Uh we train together, we we eat together, and then typically in the evening after we cook dinner, we throw all the dishes in the uh the sink, and then we go out and play cornhole, and it's the engine versus the truck.
00:31:49.359 --> 00:31:53.039
And whoever loses does the dishes, which is really cool.
00:31:53.119 --> 00:32:18.240
I I think it's cool because it builds that camaraderie get to know everybody, and it's um there's just been an I'm trying to say that I want to use the right words here, but how how do you how do you get people like
myself and other first responders to not leave the job, their identity, and kind of come back to who they truly are, right?
00:32:18.400 --> 00:32:21.359
And not put everything into their career.
00:32:22.319 --> 00:32:23.279
Sorry, excuse me.
00:32:23.440 --> 00:32:24.720
I'm still getting over being sick.
00:32:24.799 --> 00:32:26.160
I was sick for like three weeks, it was terrible.
00:32:26.240 --> 00:32:28.960
I don't know what happened, but yeah, I still got this cough.
00:32:29.119 --> 00:32:42.720
But how do you how do you explain or talk to people when everything is just wrapped up in their career and their identity, and they don't realize like this career that you're in is good, but you don't realize it's starting, it's tearing you down.
00:32:42.960 --> 00:32:47.440
But yet you're going going back for more, more and more and more.
00:32:47.839 --> 00:32:56.960
And everything's wrapped up into this, and they're dealing with depression and drinking and addiction and divorces and all these things, and yet they keep going back to work.
00:32:57.359 --> 00:33:01.759
Well, I need well, of course they have to work, but now we pick it up more overtime, more overtime, more overtime.
00:33:02.000 --> 00:33:04.400
Yeah, it's also work feels normal.
00:33:05.680 --> 00:33:09.359
So in my abnormal life, this is normal.
00:33:09.759 --> 00:33:11.200
This is the chaos.
00:33:11.599 --> 00:33:18.480
I'm in control, I know what I'm doing, everything has a place, everything has a number, there's an SOP for everything.
00:33:19.039 --> 00:33:21.200
When I go home, everything's out of control.
00:33:21.359 --> 00:33:24.400
When I'm alone, everything's out of control.
00:33:25.039 --> 00:33:35.440
And so it's before the out of control that we need to just start paying attention to what happens when we leave because everything has a place at work.
00:33:36.559 --> 00:33:38.079
We don't have places at home.
00:33:38.160 --> 00:33:44.240
Look at us with our trash cans out, and we're like, oh shoot, crash day was Monday.
00:33:44.480 --> 00:33:48.079
I love how you tell I love how you came up there like I knew which house was yours.
00:33:48.319 --> 00:33:48.720
I did.
00:33:48.960 --> 00:33:53.359
I was like, okay, I didn't even see the flag till afterwards, but I can always spot the house, right?
00:33:53.440 --> 00:33:56.000
Yeah, because you have to have it controlled.
00:33:56.240 --> 00:33:58.640
Oh, yeah, everything's well manicured and looks good.
00:33:59.680 --> 00:34:02.000
You need to stand outside, you go, yep, my house.
00:34:02.160 --> 00:34:02.480
Yeah.
00:34:02.640 --> 00:34:07.200
Uh I had a house in my corner, and uh I I knew I was like, that guy's a fire.
00:34:07.599 --> 00:34:10.239
I just have to figure out which department he works for.
00:34:10.400 --> 00:34:10.800
Yeah.
00:34:10.960 --> 00:34:11.920
And then I knew it.
00:34:12.000 --> 00:34:17.039
It was on one day he was outside his door, he was taking Christmas pictures and he had
LA City jacket on.
00:34:17.119 --> 00:34:19.280
I was like, okay, I have to find out whose house that is.
00:34:19.440 --> 00:34:22.880
Because I've seen that house being remodeled, and I wish I'd taken pictures of it.
00:34:22.960 --> 00:34:23.280
Yeah.
00:34:23.519 --> 00:34:25.760
And uh I was like, that's the house.
00:34:26.000 --> 00:34:29.039
And um, I love though, he fixed it with his wife.
00:34:29.280 --> 00:34:34.239
Oh, and so I can just just driving by every day, coming home from work, I'm like, that's healthy.
00:34:34.480 --> 00:34:37.199
On his days off, he was still fixing the house.
00:34:37.280 --> 00:34:39.920
Yeah, but his wife and his kids were outside with him.
00:34:40.000 --> 00:34:48.639
Yeah, and I could see him take that time off, play with his kids, and there's some parks around there, so I walk constantly and I was walking my dogs, and and I'm like, that's healthy.
00:34:49.440 --> 00:34:57.440
So getting back to your question, just going online, looking at a wellness wheel, and like you said, a reality check.
00:34:58.000 --> 00:34:58.960
Where am I at?
00:34:59.440 --> 00:35:00.480
Where do I stand?
00:35:00.880 --> 00:35:05.280
Sometimes you look at that and you go, Oh shoot, okay, I need to fix my finances.
00:35:06.320 --> 00:35:07.280
I need to fix.
00:35:07.679 --> 00:35:10.320
I think when I did mine, I was like, I love to travel.
00:35:10.960 --> 00:35:12.320
When's the last time you traveled?
00:35:12.800 --> 00:35:14.239
Seven years ago.
00:35:14.639 --> 00:35:19.360
And I was like, oh shoot, okay, let me look at my list of where I want to travel.
00:35:20.159 --> 00:35:21.840
And let me just add that in there.
00:35:22.320 --> 00:35:24.000
Add those moments, I always tell people.
00:35:25.440 --> 00:35:27.039
It's called screen of the mind.
00:35:28.159 --> 00:35:36.400
Take a picture of somewhere you want to go, take a picture of something you want to eat, and just start doing those things.
00:35:37.039 --> 00:35:41.440
You know, look at a screensaver and right click, and I'm like, oh, I want to go there.
00:35:42.079 --> 00:35:43.760
One of them was uh in Greece.
00:35:44.079 --> 00:35:45.840
I was like, I want to go there.
00:35:46.079 --> 00:35:48.800
I want to stand in that spot and I want to go there.
00:35:49.280 --> 00:35:52.559
And when I actually went, I was like, oh my gosh, I am here.
00:35:53.199 --> 00:35:58.719
Like I'm actually here, but not just being there and going, okay, I'm here.
00:35:58.880 --> 00:36:00.159
Like, what am I seeing?
00:36:00.320 --> 00:36:01.599
What am I smelling?
00:36:01.840 --> 00:36:03.280
Can I taste anything?
00:36:03.679 --> 00:36:06.880
And going through all the senses and going, like, I made it.
00:36:07.280 --> 00:36:09.119
What's my and that's a big one, right?
00:36:09.199 --> 00:36:11.199
And there's those small moments all as well.
00:36:11.360 --> 00:36:11.599
Yeah.
00:36:11.760 --> 00:36:16.079
Because at work we see things, we hear things, they don't feel good.
00:36:16.239 --> 00:36:18.480
Yeah, they don't smell good.
00:36:18.800 --> 00:36:20.639
No, oh my gosh.
00:36:20.960 --> 00:36:22.159
Oh my goodness.
00:36:22.320 --> 00:36:26.639
No, I know when I went with Alabama, they're like, Oh, we got a good room today.
00:36:26.719 --> 00:36:27.440
Yeah, well, Dr.
00:36:27.679 --> 00:36:28.079
Maribel.
00:36:28.320 --> 00:36:30.320
And I was like, Oh, we didn't get the hoarding one.
00:36:30.400 --> 00:36:35.039
And I was like, Well, I mean, we just had to be careful not to step on some needles walking up there, right?
00:36:35.119 --> 00:36:38.880
Yeah, and just the reality of the people that call.
00:36:39.599 --> 00:36:46.239
I had an incident last week and I called LA County fire, and I was like, Help, I've fallen, I can't get up.
00:36:46.480 --> 00:36:51.119
And I was like, Oh, this is why I tell my girls, clean the house because you never know who's gonna come over.
00:36:51.920 --> 00:36:52.880
You never know.
00:36:57.440 --> 00:36:59.280
I said, What station are you in?
00:36:59.440 --> 00:37:00.639
And he's like, 82s.
00:37:00.800 --> 00:37:03.920
And I said, Oh, shoot, I think I met you guys last time.
00:37:04.239 --> 00:37:05.840
I was like, Okay, I look, I look okay.
00:37:05.920 --> 00:37:09.920
I was like, but hey, it was my worst moment, and I was able to call.
00:37:10.079 --> 00:37:13.280
Yeah, and I was like, Hey you guys, sorry about the call, 5 a.m.
00:37:13.440 --> 00:37:13.920
in the morning.
00:37:14.079 --> 00:37:15.519
I was just trying to go to cycling.
00:37:15.679 --> 00:37:24.400
I apologize because you're you look like you just woke up right now, and you're just about to like you're taking a good nap and you get that one call, right?
00:37:24.719 --> 00:37:25.679
The elderly call.
00:37:25.760 --> 00:37:32.079
And I remember when I work for LAFD 101, so I would tell them, so you know, when I'm old and bored, you know what I'm gonna do?
00:37:32.239 --> 00:37:36.719
Get that little life alert and just push on that so you guys could come over.
00:37:37.119 --> 00:37:40.480
Because that's like some people in that area, that's all they did.
00:37:40.559 --> 00:37:42.079
And they're like, I'm cooking.
00:37:42.159 --> 00:37:42.800
Do you want to eat?
00:37:42.880 --> 00:37:44.880
They're like, No, I do not want to eat in your house.
00:37:45.039 --> 00:37:46.880
Yeah, that's why you push your life up.
00:37:47.039 --> 00:37:51.519
Oh my gosh, those are things ever made.
00:37:51.599 --> 00:37:52.480
I really do.
00:37:52.800 --> 00:37:56.400
Because people roll over and they lay on them, or they're out and about and they hit them.
00:37:56.480 --> 00:37:58.000
We respond to their house, there's nobody there.
00:37:58.159 --> 00:37:59.599
It's almost like a car alarm, right?
00:37:59.679 --> 00:37:59.840
Yeah.
00:38:00.000 --> 00:38:02.320
When they first came out, oh my gosh, car alarm, someone's robbed.
00:38:02.480 --> 00:38:04.639
Now you hear them, you're
like, uh, you don't even look, right?
00:38:04.719 --> 00:38:06.239
You think, oh, it's just a car alarm going off.
00:38:06.320 --> 00:38:07.119
That's it's no big deal.
00:38:07.360 --> 00:38:12.000
But you know, that that interrupted sleep, and you're like, oh, I was finally like in a good spot.
00:38:12.159 --> 00:38:16.639
And so part of it is the job, and then you just go, okay, what can I do?
00:38:16.800 --> 00:38:18.880
Because we are going to get those calls.
00:38:19.039 --> 00:38:19.360
Yeah.
00:38:19.519 --> 00:38:22.320
So maybe I do a 30-second meditation.
00:38:22.480 --> 00:38:28.159
Um, maybe I sit down and I talk about like what was impactful of my day today.
00:38:28.480 --> 00:38:31.920
Impactful can be anything, could be good, could be not so good.
00:38:32.159 --> 00:38:37.679
So that those are the moments that kind of stick with you, and you're like, hmm, I don't know why that kind of affected me.
00:38:37.840 --> 00:38:38.000
Yeah.
00:38:38.239 --> 00:38:40.559
And then you look at it and go, Well, I know why.
00:38:40.719 --> 00:38:44.079
Because when you sit back and look at it, you go, I personalize that.
00:38:44.480 --> 00:38:49.119
Um, sorry to hear about your brother because being in the fire service, right?
00:38:49.199 --> 00:38:51.920
How many calls did you get where that came up?
00:38:52.320 --> 00:38:53.679
Uh many.
00:38:53.840 --> 00:38:54.079
Yeah.
00:38:54.400 --> 00:39:03.599
Many calls were uh we go on car accidents and there's people with fatalities, and the first thing I think about is my brother.
00:39:03.760 --> 00:39:12.800
And you know, I did the wrong thing uh when I was because I think it was only like six months or five months after he died that I turned 18.
00:39:12.880 --> 00:39:27.679
And I remember uh he was so he was in a car accident in Joshua Tree, so it's San Bardino County and got the accident report, and then you can request the photos in my head, like I want to find some closure in this.
00:39:27.760 --> 00:39:31.840
And I requested the accident scene photos, which was like the worst thing I probably ever could have done.
00:39:32.000 --> 00:39:32.239
Yeah.
00:39:32.480 --> 00:39:48.079
Seeing those photos and seeing him um, because he was ejected, he was in a rollover vehicle accident, his girlfriend was thrown from the vehicle, um, and she was thrown uh free and clear, but my brother was rolled, and uh a witness said he was thrown right into the ground and the vehicle rolled over him.
00:39:48.320 --> 00:39:49.360
So he was a mess.
00:39:49.599 --> 00:40:00.159
And then you know, you see all that, and um, I will be honest with you, those those seeing those pictures haunt me at times because I'll go on calls and I think about my brother.
00:40:00.480 --> 00:40:17.679
I think about you know, it's like dang man, that's um it's very sobering, you know, those things stick with you, and it's really interesting in it again in our career field because you kind of have to learn to carp compartmentalize and shut your emotions down.
00:40:17.920 --> 00:40:21.119
You have to be the consummate professional, and you have to be there to serve the people.
00:40:21.280 --> 00:40:25.840
And you know, if we lose control or we get emotional on the scene, the public's gonna lose their mind.
00:40:26.400 --> 00:40:26.559
Right?
00:40:26.639 --> 00:40:28.400
So you gotta learn to shut that down.
00:40:28.480 --> 00:40:38.079
And um, there's been many calls that have bothered me, and I don't say anything about it, but it wears on you over time because the you know, we see violence to its nth degree.
00:40:38.480 --> 00:40:43.119
You know, we also see um very the best in humanity.
00:40:43.360 --> 00:40:49.840
We also see people who are before we get there, they go and save people out of a fire pole and out of a car or whatever.
00:40:50.079 --> 00:40:56.159
And then we I also see that with my fellow firefighters, but then on the opposite side of that, you see a lot of violence, you see a lot of death.
00:40:56.400 --> 00:41:01.280
I mean, yeah, you see death damn near on a daily basis when we go to work, right?
00:41:01.360 --> 00:41:06.079
And he I hate to say this, but it gets to a point, at least for me, and this happened a couple weeks ago.
00:41:06.159 --> 00:41:07.199
I remember I caught myself after.
00:41:07.280 --> 00:41:08.719
I'm like, gosh, why did I do that?
00:41:08.960 --> 00:41:15.280
But it was somebody uh who had passed away when we went in and we called him, and the police are there, there's no family around.
00:41:15.360 --> 00:41:16.800
And I'm like, Okay, yeah, he's dead.
00:41:16.880 --> 00:41:18.239
Hey, where do you guys want to get dinner?
00:41:18.719 --> 00:41:18.960
Right.
00:41:19.039 --> 00:41:21.199
And I remember thinking, like, oh, that was really cold-hearted.
00:41:21.280 --> 00:41:24.239
I remember hearing one of the police officers goes, officers go, geez.
00:41:24.800 --> 00:41:25.119
Right?
00:41:25.199 --> 00:41:31.679
You just you kind of have this like compassion fatigue in a way, where it's just for us, it's normal.
00:41:31.760 --> 00:41:43.760
Where you probably know this better than I do, but I remember reading this uh study that they did on first responders, and I think the average person maybe sees two to three traumatic deaths in their lifetime, some something violent.
00:41:44.079 --> 00:41:45.039
It's like one or two, yeah.
00:41:45.119 --> 00:41:47.199
What maybe one or two if that, right?
00:41:47.440 --> 00:41:51.519
Yeah, and we see it all the time, all the time.
00:41:52.159 --> 00:42:25.119
And you know, I I wanted to ask you about this because I I for me it played a big part, but coming back to my faith during those really, really dark times, I do think my faith played a part in my recovery because I was at my wits' end, I was making terrible decisions, going through a divorce, I deserved it, and I just remember feeling so broken, so brokenhearted, and thinking, man, I did everything
our culture, my parents and everyone in the fire service said to do.
00:42:25.199 --> 00:42:29.039
I was I went to the fire academy, got my EMT, became a paramedic.
00:42:29.119 --> 00:42:41.039
I'm working this job, I got homes, I've been traveling, I got the truck that I want, I have multiple motorcycles, this, my bank account's growing, I'm working the overtime, and yet I am so completely empty.
00:42:41.280 --> 00:42:42.079
Yeah, soulless.
00:42:42.559 --> 00:42:42.960
100%.
00:42:43.519 --> 00:42:46.800
And I remember thinking, dude, what is the point of all this?
00:42:47.039 --> 00:42:48.400
Why the hell am I here?
00:42:48.559 --> 00:42:52.400
What am I doing on this piece of dirt floating through space and time?
00:42:52.639 --> 00:42:55.679
And I grew up in a very strict Christian home.
00:42:55.840 --> 00:43:00.400
That 90s Calvary Travel church always tell people it's just like turn or burn, you know.
00:43:00.639 --> 00:43:05.199
Um, and I walked away from my faith for a long time, yeah, probably about 10 years.
00:43:05.440 --> 00:43:07.039
And I was like, I'm gonna do it my way.
00:43:07.199 --> 00:43:08.880
Well, let me tell you something, Dr.
00:43:08.960 --> 00:43:09.599
Maribel.
00:43:10.079 --> 00:43:11.280
That shit didn't work out at all.
00:43:13.679 --> 00:43:15.280
I mean, let's be real, right?
00:43:15.360 --> 00:43:18.639
It's fun for a moment, but there's a price to pay, right?
00:43:18.719 --> 00:43:20.559
You you make good choices, you reap the benefit.
00:43:20.639 --> 00:43:24.079
You make bad choices, you're going to reap the consequences.
00:43:24.320 --> 00:43:25.199
And I did.
00:43:25.360 --> 00:43:30.159
And I remember being again, it was it was up here, and I was just like, oh my God, I don't know what to do.
00:43:30.239 --> 00:43:31.920
Like, I'm I don't want to live.
00:43:32.239 --> 00:43:38.719
How do I have everything that everyone says is is success, and yet I am absolutely miserable out of my mind?
00:43:39.119 --> 00:43:42.239
Dabbling in drugs, I never should have been freaking dabbling in.
00:43:42.639 --> 00:43:46.480
And um I remember that that's when I prayed for the first time in a long time.
00:43:47.039 --> 00:43:47.440
A long time.
00:43:47.519 --> 00:43:57.920
It's hard for me not to get emotional, but it was um it was hard because um I just felt so utterly lost.
00:43:58.320 --> 00:43:59.760
And I remember praying.
00:44:00.079 --> 00:44:05.199
Praying and I'm like, man, if you're there, if you're real, um, you gotta do something.
00:44:05.519 --> 00:44:08.239
Please do something because I don't even want to live.
00:44:08.480 --> 00:44:09.760
I don't know what what to do.
00:44:09.920 --> 00:44:12.239
I don't know where I'm at, what's going on.
00:44:12.559 --> 00:44:21.199
But if you truly are the Christ, the one who raised rose from the dead and you died for me and you said you're gonna make a way, I need you to make a way right now.
00:44:21.360 --> 00:44:22.480
I need something.
00:44:22.719 --> 00:44:27.119
And I remember that was the first time in a long time that I slept really, really good.
00:44:27.440 --> 00:44:29.039
Because sleep deprivation is huge.
00:44:30.639 --> 00:44:32.159
Our sleep cycle is terribly off.
00:44:32.639 --> 00:44:37.920
I slept good that night and I got up and I remember downloading the app or the Bible app on my phone.
00:44:38.079 --> 00:44:39.760
I just started reading the verse of the day.
00:44:39.920 --> 00:44:44.400
And I say this often on here, but uh here I am, just this guy living like a complete piece of shit.
00:44:44.559 --> 00:44:49.360
Um then I uh I sit here wagering with the God of the universe.
00:44:49.519 --> 00:44:50.960
I'll give you a month.
00:44:51.440 --> 00:44:52.559
I'm gonna give you a month.
00:44:52.639 --> 00:44:54.480
I'm gonna read the verse of the day.
00:44:54.880 --> 00:44:58.960
And if I don't see change and you don't show up, I'll never come back.
00:44:59.440 --> 00:45:02.719
That month turned into two months, six months, year.
00:45:03.039 --> 00:45:07.440
My wife, she was raised Buddhist, she ended up getting baptized and getting saved.
00:45:07.599 --> 00:45:09.440
She went through her own issues.
00:45:09.679 --> 00:45:17.920
I did, I gave my life back to the Lord, and it's so hard to explain to people, but something changed.
00:45:18.159 --> 00:45:19.440
Hope came back.
00:45:20.079 --> 00:45:21.440
Something, yeah, it was weird.
00:45:21.519 --> 00:45:24.239
I don't know what it is or how to even explain it.
00:45:24.400 --> 00:45:26.159
And I will say this my faith is gritty.
00:45:26.239 --> 00:45:29.119
I still say stupid jokes, I still cuss every once in a while.
00:45:29.199 --> 00:45:29.840
It is what it is.
00:45:30.079 --> 00:45:31.199
The Lord Jesus forgives.
00:45:31.360 --> 00:45:32.239
Yeah, yes, he does.
00:45:32.400 --> 00:45:33.199
Thank you, Jesus.
00:45:34.400 --> 00:45:35.840
That's what my pastor says.
00:45:36.159 --> 00:45:48.559
Yeah, but it was that was the first time I I can truly say in my life like Jesus felt real to me because I that's when I felt like this dude saved me.
00:45:48.800 --> 00:45:50.079
He came in and he made a way.
00:45:50.239 --> 00:45:54.719
It wasn't easy, it wasn't like snap of the fingers, I give my life to God, and things get better.
00:45:54.880 --> 00:45:56.000
I still had to put the work in.
00:45:56.079 --> 00:46:01.280
Yeah, I still needed to change, I still need to stop my bad habits, I still need to go to therapy and do all these things.
00:46:01.440 --> 00:46:05.840
But it was like over time, it just started chipping away, chipping away and chipping away.
00:46:05.920 --> 00:46:09.039
And it just like, yeah, I started feeling better.
00:46:09.119 --> 00:46:10.480
I started having better thoughts.
00:46:10.639 --> 00:46:13.440
I started stopping doing certain things I shouldn't have been doing.
00:46:13.599 --> 00:46:15.920
And I had that hope that came back.
00:46:16.320 --> 00:46:23.760
And it was it was one of those things now for me, like, you know, my faith is real because I've been through the fire.
00:46:23.920 --> 00:46:31.760
I I've been that I'm the prodigal son who walked away and putting God first to my life and asking to come back in.
00:46:31.840 --> 00:46:32.880
Like I can see it firsthand.
00:46:32.960 --> 00:46:35.199
People say miracles, they don't see miracles anymore.
00:46:35.440 --> 00:46:38.239
I am absolutely a fucking walking miracle.
00:46:38.480 --> 00:46:39.199
Straight up.
00:46:39.440 --> 00:46:42.880
There's no there's no reason I should have the things that I have or have my family.
00:46:42.960 --> 00:46:45.920
Like I was not a good person and I didn't want to live.
00:46:46.000 --> 00:46:50.239
And there's so many things that I went through and decisions that I made, and I look back and I see it now.
00:46:50.320 --> 00:46:52.559
I'm like, dude, you were walking with me the entire way.
00:46:52.800 --> 00:46:54.079
You're just waiting for me.
00:46:54.320 --> 00:46:55.679
And it's humbling.
00:46:55.840 --> 00:46:58.159
It truly is humbling because people always say, Oh, how you doing?
00:46:58.320 --> 00:46:59.519
And I feel it and I say this.
00:46:59.679 --> 00:47:02.000
I am blessed beyond what I freaking deserve.
00:47:02.159 --> 00:47:03.360
I don't deserve any of this.
00:47:03.519 --> 00:47:06.400
Yet he still loves me and he still helps me.
00:47:06.480 --> 00:47:13.039
And that's why I try to like I want to bring that up and ask you is do you think in all of your because you have a doctorate, correct?
00:47:13.119 --> 00:47:14.400
I mean you're doctor Maribel.
00:47:15.199 --> 00:47:16.880
I do clinical psycho.
00:47:17.280 --> 00:47:18.239
Yeah, very smart woman.
00:47:19.840 --> 00:47:30.000
It in your in the time that you've worked and everything, because you have a long history of of being in this field and helping us, does faith play a big part in people healing?
00:47:30.320 --> 00:47:30.719
Yeah.
00:47:30.960 --> 00:47:38.960
And and when you were talking, uh, Bible verse came to me of greater is he that is in you than he is in the world, right?
00:47:39.119 --> 00:47:47.039
So the the world is so chaotic, yeah, so unstable, and we are taught to disagree.
00:47:47.679 --> 00:47:50.800
And if we look at it, we have more similarities.
00:47:51.440 --> 00:47:56.480
And at the end of the day, we're the soul, and we're made after him.
00:47:56.960 --> 00:48:02.639
So if I'm made after him and I'm doing these shenanigans, right?
00:48:02.880 --> 00:48:04.159
Then what does that say?
00:48:04.480 --> 00:48:06.079
It's like I'm stepping out of line.
00:48:06.239 --> 00:48:08.960
Let me figure out how to get back in order.
00:48:09.199 --> 00:48:16.159
And in order in a chaotic world feels sometimes like we're a little reluctant, like, uh, I don't like this, right?
00:48:16.320 --> 00:48:16.639
Yeah.
00:48:16.800 --> 00:48:20.000
But after a while, the discipline, you're like, I feel good.
00:48:20.559 --> 00:48:22.719
Like, I feel really good right now.
00:48:22.880 --> 00:48:24.559
Okay, what am I doing now?
00:48:24.880 --> 00:48:35.280
Whether it's I'm working out, I'm doing yoga, I'm meditating, I'm journaling, I'm you know, I'm seeing someone, I'm talking about those things that brought that shame and the pain.
00:48:36.000 --> 00:48:40.000
And I know you shared about your brother, and that's painful.
00:48:40.559 --> 00:48:45.360
And it's painful, and you saw pictures and it's real, and it's raw.
00:48:45.760 --> 00:48:50.880
And out of that rawness and that realness comes your greatest gift.
00:48:51.920 --> 00:49:02.159
And if we can turn whatever pain we have into our greatest gift, that's what we were meant to be and to go through.
00:49:02.239 --> 00:49:09.199
Like we're human beings, we're not human doers, but we're taught to do do do, right?
00:49:09.440 --> 00:49:10.880
Accomplish, do this, do that.
00:49:11.039 --> 00:49:15.440
And at the end of the day, when you're just being what shows up.
00:49:16.000 --> 00:49:20.880
And if you don't like what shows up, then start showing up for yourself.
00:49:21.199 --> 00:49:23.519
And we show up for other people all the time.
00:49:23.760 --> 00:49:25.280
And I've had those in my career, right?
00:49:25.360 --> 00:49:27.039
I'm like therapist, 60 hours.
00:49:27.119 --> 00:49:29.840
I was like, hey, like, I'm burnt out.
00:49:30.079 --> 00:49:30.639
I'm sure.
00:49:30.800 --> 00:49:30.880
Right?
00:49:31.119 --> 00:49:32.400
Oh my gosh, I'm sure.
00:49:32.559 --> 00:49:33.039
Yeah.
00:49:33.599 --> 00:49:35.920
Like, oh man, what am I gonna do?
00:49:36.159 --> 00:49:44.239
And and I talk a lot about like self-care, but self-care is not always the neat, pretty, go get your nails, go get your hair done, and all this.
00:49:44.320 --> 00:49:47.440
Like, self-care is like, okay, what do I really need to work on?
00:49:47.920 --> 00:49:54.480
And you know, I I go to groups, I talk to my people, I see people, and I'm like, hey, I need help with this.
00:49:54.639 --> 00:49:57.039
Hey, I need this guidance, I need this.
00:49:57.280 --> 00:49:59.840
Um, you know, I've been working on a book.
00:50:00.079 --> 00:50:02.559
Uh, my editor likes to say two years.
00:50:02.719 --> 00:50:05.199
I'm like, lady, it's only been a year and five months.
00:50:05.360 --> 00:50:06.320
It's not ready yet.
00:50:06.559 --> 00:50:07.920
Is this the one that you sent me?
00:50:08.000 --> 00:50:09.199
Is it the courage behind the bag?
00:50:09.280 --> 00:50:09.440
Yeah.
00:50:09.679 --> 00:50:10.480
That's the one you're working on?
00:50:10.559 --> 00:50:10.719
Yeah.
00:50:10.880 --> 00:50:11.760
Okay, so that's not out yet.
00:50:12.000 --> 00:50:12.400
Not out yet.
00:50:12.639 --> 00:50:13.760
Okay, because I was gonna bring that up.
00:50:13.840 --> 00:50:15.199
Like, where can we get that book?
00:50:15.440 --> 00:50:16.079
It's not out yet.
00:50:16.239 --> 00:50:17.280
Okay, it will be out.
00:50:17.440 --> 00:50:17.679
Okay.
00:50:17.920 --> 00:50:21.199
And uh uh the guy in the front cover is my son-in-law.
00:50:21.360 --> 00:50:21.599
Oh, okay.
00:50:21.840 --> 00:50:36.400
And so this actual picture that was taken during COVID 2020, and um, you know, had some gnarly words on the car for first responders, and I had that taken out, and I was like, hey, I want to use your picture in this.
00:50:36.719 --> 00:50:44.239
And um, that book is very meaningful because it has stories of courage behind the badge, right?
00:50:44.320 --> 00:50:50.400
And it's people that have shared with me their intimate stories that said, I want the world to know.
00:50:51.039 --> 00:51:00.960
Um, I have Deputy Gross, and she shares her story where she's like, if I would have known, I wish I would have known, I would have gone help sooner.
00:51:01.199 --> 00:51:03.360
And now I'm cleaning up the mess.
00:51:03.519 --> 00:51:15.199
Um, I have um Captain Munoz, who um he said when they called him and said, Hey, there's a treatment center for first responders, he's like, No, you're you're you're crazy.
00:51:15.280 --> 00:51:15.920
Yeah, crazy.
00:51:16.320 --> 00:51:16.880
I'm not crazy.
00:51:17.760 --> 00:51:19.840
I'm not gonna places like that.
00:51:20.000 --> 00:51:21.440
Like, come on, yeah.
00:51:21.679 --> 00:51:26.000
And uh he's funny because he had said Great Wolf Lodge and he would get drunk there.
00:51:26.079 --> 00:51:31.280
And he's like, That was my night where um March 12th he got sober, and that's my kid's birthday.
00:51:31.360 --> 00:51:32.800
So I was like, Oh, March 12th.
00:51:32.880 --> 00:51:35.840
I was like, I will always remember your day of sobriety.
00:51:36.159 --> 00:51:41.519
And uh, I didn't know there was a great wolf lodge in Mantica, so I had to correct that in my book.
00:51:41.760 --> 00:51:42.480
I didn't know that either.
00:51:42.559 --> 00:51:43.599
I know that's what it grows.
00:51:44.000 --> 00:51:44.880
Everyone just learned that.
00:51:44.960 --> 00:51:47.760
I was like, hey, North has North Cal has one too.
00:51:48.000 --> 00:51:48.719
Wow, I don't know.
00:51:48.960 --> 00:51:53.119
Yeah, and and so um the book is very special to me.
00:51:53.280 --> 00:51:58.960
Yeah, um, it also talks a little bit about suicide and kind of like ways to prevent it.
00:51:59.360 --> 00:52:00.159
It should be talked about.
00:52:00.320 --> 00:52:10.800
It it seems like that's a very taboo subject for a lot of people, but as you know, that is almost honestly, it's oh, really close to being the number one killer of at least I know firefighters.
00:52:11.039 --> 00:52:13.119
It is the number one killer for firefighters, yeah.
00:52:13.440 --> 00:52:15.519
PD, it's like second or third.
00:52:15.760 --> 00:52:21.360
Um why okay, so it's number one occupational hazard um right now through the IFF.
00:52:21.599 --> 00:52:29.920
So is there I'm gonna I I have to ask this why is suicide the number one killer of firefighters now?
00:52:30.960 --> 00:52:32.400
There's various reasons.
00:52:32.480 --> 00:52:34.320
Um that's like a load of questions, huh?
00:52:34.719 --> 00:52:37.280
Yeah, I mean, one, we don't talk about it.
00:52:38.000 --> 00:52:40.960
So what are we doing about this occupational hazard?
00:52:41.360 --> 00:52:48.719
Uh anyone that's been in the workmen's comp system knows that you have to go through hoops and prove it's a nightmare and it's debilitating.
00:52:49.119 --> 00:52:50.719
Um you're like screw it.
00:52:51.199 --> 00:52:57.840
Uh, if we look at Southern California, we've had um so many deaths this past year.
00:52:58.639 --> 00:53:02.400
And you can always tell, at least I can tell also the time.
00:53:02.480 --> 00:53:04.960
I'm like, line of duty death, that was a suicide.
00:53:05.599 --> 00:53:06.400
That was a suicide.
00:53:06.719 --> 00:53:09.440
And then I'll get calls like, hey, my buddy, off themselves.
00:53:10.400 --> 00:53:12.559
Um, I also worked for TCTI.
00:53:13.039 --> 00:53:17.679
Um, I did, I was on their crisis team and I'd hear and I'm like, okay, suicide.
00:53:18.239 --> 00:53:18.800
Suicide.
00:53:19.679 --> 00:53:24.800
And pain and that lack of hope.
00:53:25.599 --> 00:53:26.960
And that silence.
00:53:27.599 --> 00:53:30.960
So I've had a few where people were like, it doesn't make sense.
00:53:31.679 --> 00:53:33.360
They were happy, they were good.
00:53:34.079 --> 00:53:36.400
And my question was like, did they have back pain?
00:53:37.280 --> 00:53:39.760
Did they have what were they doing?
00:53:40.559 --> 00:53:40.880
Right?
00:53:41.039 --> 00:53:42.639
So what happens when you have surgery?
00:53:42.800 --> 00:53:46.559
You have back pain, you're carrying all this stuff, the body keeps core.
00:53:47.760 --> 00:53:49.920
And then you're like, there's nothing left of me.
00:53:50.159 --> 00:53:53.760
I can't surf anymore, I can't do the things that I did.
00:53:54.239 --> 00:53:56.159
My family would be better off without me.
00:53:56.480 --> 00:53:57.440
Which is a lie.
00:53:57.920 --> 00:53:59.440
But we buy into the lie.
00:54:00.719 --> 00:54:03.199
And so I call it the S word.
00:54:03.760 --> 00:54:04.000
Right?
00:54:04.079 --> 00:54:04.960
Because we don't want to talk about it.
00:54:05.119 --> 00:54:05.840
Like, oh, it doesn't exist.
00:54:06.000 --> 00:54:06.719
Oh, nobody wants to talk about it.
00:54:06.880 --> 00:54:09.679
But it's like it's like number one, number three is uh cancer.
00:54:10.320 --> 00:54:11.679
So we're like, hey, what are we doing?
00:54:12.159 --> 00:54:15.280
We can talk about cancer, but we can't talk about suicide.
00:54:15.920 --> 00:54:19.519
And if there's ways to prevent it, let's look at those ways.
00:54:20.079 --> 00:54:23.199
And we talked a little bit about earlier what your station does, right?
00:54:23.519 --> 00:54:27.760
So it does, it comes back to us individually and going, okay, what do I need to do today?
00:54:28.000 --> 00:54:30.239
How do I build
relationships with people?
00:54:30.719 --> 00:54:34.400
How do I stay in touch and like true authenticity?
00:54:34.800 --> 00:54:37.679
And if you're not okay, being like, hey, I'm not okay.
00:54:38.159 --> 00:54:40.320
Because we're not taught that in the fire service.
00:54:40.480 --> 00:54:40.880
You're not okay.
00:54:41.039 --> 00:54:50.000
Well, I don't want to be on that call with that guy because that guy's gonna have to save my life or that girl, or you get astigmatism, like everyone looks at you like, well, he's the weird guy who's too emotional.
00:54:50.239 --> 00:54:56.159
Yeah, oh, he's all emotional all the time, and but they go home and they cry while they're in the shower.
00:54:56.320 --> 00:54:56.639
Yeah.
00:54:56.800 --> 00:54:57.119
Right.
00:54:57.199 --> 00:55:04.719
So just really like having that reality check and saying, like, hey, um, I think people in leadership, like if you're the captain, saying, like, hey, that was hard for me.
00:55:04.880 --> 00:55:06.079
What was that like for you guys?
00:55:06.239 --> 00:55:06.880
Sheesh.
00:55:07.440 --> 00:55:10.960
And then just having those like conversations in the table.
00:55:11.199 --> 00:55:12.800
The tough conversations, yeah.
00:55:12.960 --> 00:55:13.760
Conversations, right?
00:55:13.840 --> 00:55:15.119
We used to have those all the time.
00:55:15.440 --> 00:55:17.119
Oh, everyone's stuck on their phones all the time.
00:55:17.199 --> 00:55:17.920
Now looking at soap.
00:55:18.079 --> 00:55:18.639
Put the phone down.
00:55:18.719 --> 00:55:20.480
Yeah, put the phone down, let's have a talk.
00:55:20.800 --> 00:55:22.400
I mean, it's it's sad.
00:55:22.719 --> 00:55:28.320
Um, but I can I can just say firsthand, I can see how a lot of us go to a dark place.
00:55:28.480 --> 00:55:29.119
It's very easy.
00:55:29.360 --> 00:55:30.800
Oh, it is very, very easy.
00:55:30.880 --> 00:55:33.760
The mind is a very powerful, powerful thing.
00:55:33.920 --> 00:55:40.480
And you know, the work that you do and other people who are trying to take care of us is so important.
00:55:40.880 --> 00:55:43.920
Um, because there's a lot of times where everyone looks to us for the answers.
00:55:44.000 --> 00:55:44.159
Yeah.
00:55:44.320 --> 00:55:44.480
Right.
00:55:44.559 --> 00:55:47.760
Even when something happens on my block here, something goes wrong, go to the firefighter's house.
00:55:47.840 --> 00:55:47.920
Right?
00:55:48.079 --> 00:55:49.599
There's a couple of flagpoles.
00:55:49.760 --> 00:55:51.199
Yeah, there's a couple families on the street.
00:55:51.519 --> 00:55:54.559
I got three around me and the cop down the street.
00:55:55.119 --> 00:55:56.559
Yeah, the families on the street.
00:55:56.639 --> 00:55:59.840
They always tell their kids, anything goes wrong, go to firefighter Fisher's house.
00:55:59.920 --> 00:56:01.519
He'll take care of you, you know.
00:56:01.760 --> 00:56:03.360
And yet, who's here to take care of us?
00:56:03.519 --> 00:56:03.679
Yeah.
00:56:04.239 --> 00:56:07.199
How do I talk to you know my my own family?
00:56:07.280 --> 00:56:10.320
I love them, and and certain friends who who aren't in the fire service.
00:56:10.400 --> 00:56:10.559
Yeah.
00:56:10.800 --> 00:56:13.039
But you hang out with them, it's like, what's the worst call you've ever seen?
00:56:13.199 --> 00:56:13.840
It's like, great.
00:56:14.079 --> 00:56:14.880
This one right now.
00:56:15.039 --> 00:56:17.679
Yeah, you're gonna make me relive this thing right now.
00:56:17.920 --> 00:56:20.480
But how do you open up to those people?
00:56:20.639 --> 00:56:21.599
Because they don't understand.
00:56:21.679 --> 00:56:24.800
Yeah, they have no idea what we go through, and even my own wife at times.
00:56:24.960 --> 00:56:29.920
There's things I I won't tell her because that she doesn't need to know about that or visualize those things.
00:56:30.239 --> 00:56:32.559
And you know, who do we talk to?
00:56:32.800 --> 00:56:35.360
It's that exposure and like really talking about it.
00:56:35.440 --> 00:56:36.639
Like, what are you okay with?
00:56:36.719 --> 00:56:37.760
What are you comfortable with?
00:56:37.920 --> 00:56:41.199
Your partner, at least, like what are you comfortable with?
00:56:41.360 --> 00:56:41.679
Yeah.
00:56:41.840 --> 00:56:45.119
Um, and then you know them, so you're like, okay, I can't share that with them.
00:56:45.280 --> 00:56:46.480
I can share this part.
00:56:46.639 --> 00:56:50.000
Um, but I've had some wives come in and they're like, I had no idea.
00:56:50.320 --> 00:56:52.400
This is why he would go up to his room.
00:56:52.880 --> 00:56:54.559
I had no idea for years.
00:56:54.719 --> 00:56:55.039
Yeah.
00:56:55.679 --> 00:57:02.000
And so having those conversations, um, which are tough, that we need to start having.
00:57:02.239 --> 00:57:04.559
And then as far as like the public, right?
00:57:04.719 --> 00:57:19.360
Your neighbors and people, um, I think the more we talk about it, the more they hear about firefighters' mental health, mental health wellness, um, parts of it, like having that conversation, like, hey, I know curiosity kind of takes us.
00:57:19.519 --> 00:57:23.920
However, you know, when we're asking those questions, that can be kind of tough for someone.
00:57:24.079 --> 00:57:24.239
Yeah.
00:57:24.400 --> 00:57:29.440
You know, people call us on their worst days and then just kind of ending it there.
00:57:29.679 --> 00:57:34.159
Um, because a lot of times, like, I'll forget and I'm like, oh, I'm on a call and I'm gonna go to this.
00:57:34.320 --> 00:57:36.239
And I would go to respond to calls.
00:57:36.320 --> 00:57:42.719
And I remember one of my therapist friends, I call her normal therapist friend, not not the ones that work with first responders.
00:57:42.800 --> 00:57:44.320
We're all abnormal.
00:57:44.559 --> 00:57:48.000
And she's like, Oh my gosh, how horrific.
00:57:48.239 --> 00:57:52.559
Oh, oh, and I was like, Okay, I'm never referring anyone to
you.
00:57:52.719 --> 00:57:53.280
Yeah, yeah.
00:57:53.519 --> 00:57:55.039
And I had to stop for a moment.
00:57:55.199 --> 00:57:57.840
She's like, Is this what you do all day?
00:57:58.159 --> 00:58:00.079
Oh my gosh, how horrible.
00:58:00.239 --> 00:58:02.320
I only deal with anxiety.
00:58:02.559 --> 00:58:07.840
And I was like, Oh, oh, shoot, yeah, that is what I do.
00:58:08.079 --> 00:58:11.360
I said, I'm so sorry for even talking to you about this.
00:58:12.159 --> 00:58:12.880
She's a therapist.
00:58:14.639 --> 00:58:16.000
So it's actually really important.
00:58:16.159 --> 00:58:19.119
Like, who you go, who do you who do you open up to?
00:58:19.280 --> 00:58:20.320
Who do you go see?
00:58:20.639 --> 00:58:22.960
Do you see a culturally competent therapist?
00:58:23.199 --> 00:58:24.159
Yeah, someone you can trust.
00:58:24.239 --> 00:58:27.360
I think it's the biggest thing, at least for me, is having connections.
00:58:27.519 --> 00:58:31.440
Someone I know that um I can trust with the worst part of me.
00:58:31.679 --> 00:58:32.079
Yeah.
00:58:32.320 --> 00:58:41.679
And that um I can tell them the things that I've seen, and it's not like, oh my gosh, or crack a dark joke in therapy and they laugh because they get it.
00:58:41.760 --> 00:58:43.199
Like it's that's for us, it's healing, right?
00:58:43.360 --> 00:58:44.079
Laughter's medicine.
00:58:44.400 --> 00:58:45.039
Inappropriate.
00:58:45.360 --> 00:58:45.519
Yeah.
00:58:46.000 --> 00:58:48.079
Oh, this guy's really lost right now.
00:58:48.320 --> 00:58:54.880
Um there's one thing on here that I saw on your uh for the clinic where you're at, what you do.
00:58:55.199 --> 00:58:58.400
Uh so you have neurofeedback, but you have hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
00:58:58.480 --> 00:58:58.639
Yeah.
00:58:58.800 --> 00:58:59.760
Can you explain that a little bit?
00:58:59.920 --> 00:59:01.199
Like what is that?
00:59:01.519 --> 00:59:08.400
So so a lot of times uh hyperbaric chambers are used for divers and they're used for um burn victims.
00:59:08.639 --> 00:59:16.000
And uh we use it uh with along with other organizations for PTSD and PTSI.
00:59:16.400 --> 00:59:18.880
And so we're all inflamed.
00:59:19.039 --> 00:59:24.239
Uh stress causes inflammation, the work shift schedule causes inflammation.
00:59:24.400 --> 00:59:31.440
Um, it actually shows in MRIs and it shows scans, your brain scans, inflammation.
00:59:31.760 --> 00:59:36.719
And so the hyperbaric along with neural feedback helps get rid of that inflammation.
00:59:37.119 --> 00:59:37.519
Really?
00:59:37.760 --> 00:59:38.000
Yeah.
00:59:38.159 --> 00:59:44.400
So we've incorporated that into everything else that we do, and um, it works well.
00:59:44.639 --> 00:59:56.320
So you strengthen your brain through neural feedback, get to relax a bit and then strengthen it, and then you go into the chamber and helps you get rid of inflammation.
00:59:56.559 --> 01:00:01.920
So it helps to get your brain and your amygdala
back to normal.
01:00:02.239 --> 01:00:07.840
So that's so how is there science is 10 years behind.
01:00:08.079 --> 01:00:20.559
So if you look at some Stanford reports and um some doctors that are using it out in OC, um, Bud's Odyssey uses it, um, a lot of different organizations are still just catching on that.
01:00:20.960 --> 01:00:29.199
And I was like, if I'm gonna do something, we can't talk therapy works, but it's surface level, and that's the mind, body, and soul.
01:00:29.599 --> 01:00:37.039
So if I'm doing therapy, talk therapy with someone, we're talking about the broken brain.
01:00:38.159 --> 01:00:45.840
The broken brain, the broken brain, it's like a broken arm, but we're never healing the arm, and it's the bone, it's the structure.
01:00:46.559 --> 01:00:50.400
So that helps the blood flow, helps the structure.
01:00:50.639 --> 01:00:55.199
We're all lacking oxygen, and that helps feed it and give the oxygen.
01:00:55.280 --> 01:00:58.079
So it enhances what we're already doing in therapy.
01:00:58.400 --> 01:01:04.719
So, how do you determine how long someone needs to be in that hyperparic oxygen therapy?
01:01:05.039 --> 01:01:06.800
By how you feel afterwards.
01:01:07.039 --> 01:01:07.599
Oh, okay.
01:01:07.840 --> 01:01:10.800
Is there like a do you start them off like you're gonna go for 20 minutes?
01:01:11.199 --> 01:01:11.760
It depends.
01:01:11.840 --> 01:01:15.599
So usually I'll do a clinical assessment, kind of see what they need.
01:01:15.840 --> 01:01:20.880
Um, I've had some where I'm like, okay, you're gonna do 20 minutes because you're so inflamed, it's gonna hurt.
01:01:21.039 --> 01:01:27.519
Your ears are gonna pop, you're gonna feel uncomfortable in that moment, and then um, and then you're gonna start to feel better.
01:01:27.679 --> 01:01:31.440
I had one guy, uh, he's like, My ears, oh, get me out of here.
01:01:31.679 --> 01:01:33.840
I was like, 20 minutes, buddy, minimum 20 minutes.
01:01:34.079 --> 01:01:34.719
You're savage.
01:01:35.039 --> 01:01:38.400
Like 20 minutes, you're locked in there, you can't get out.
01:01:39.119 --> 01:01:39.920
I love it.
01:01:40.400 --> 01:01:43.679
Can't put a lock on it, but you know, you can unzip yourself.
01:01:43.840 --> 01:01:45.920
I've had some people go, I'm claustrophobic.
01:01:46.000 --> 01:01:49.840
And I'm like, we just sit in it and relax, and then I'm gonna zip you up slowly.
01:01:50.079 --> 01:01:55.920
And uh, my goal is to get a hard shell and just have people just go in there and sit, but they're about 70,000.
01:01:56.000 --> 01:01:57.679
So yeah, yeah.
01:01:57.840 --> 01:01:58.239
Wow.
01:01:58.400 --> 01:02:01.920
So I I really feel that that helps get rid of inflammation.
01:02:02.000 --> 01:02:05.519
And um, that guy that was doing 20 minutes, like he's doing an hour now.
01:02:05.679 --> 01:02:07.840
He's like, Oh, sleeping so good.
01:02:08.000 --> 01:02:11.920
And people report like, that's the first time I've slept like in months.
01:02:12.079 --> 01:02:13.280
I just like knock out.
01:02:13.519 --> 01:02:26.800
I 100% believe it because um I I remember I went to uh a doctor to tell them, like, hey, I'm having I I got injured, and I was probably I think it was only off like five or six months.
01:02:26.960 --> 01:02:29.920
Let's be really, I could have milked that for a year, but I was like, I need to get back to work.
01:02:30.000 --> 01:02:33.679
Okay, I need to get back to work because I'm like I'm losing my mind, I want to work out and do my thing.
01:02:33.840 --> 01:02:40.480
But and I was I told her, I'm like, hey, I've been off work for about two and a half months and I still can't sleep.
01:02:40.800 --> 01:02:42.480
I'm having a really hard time.
01:02:42.719 --> 01:02:44.000
I've rolled around all night.
01:02:44.559 --> 01:02:45.760
Okay, let's do a sleep study.
01:02:45.840 --> 01:02:50.000
So they sent me this thing, it looks like a little Fitbit that goes in your arm, it has the SPO2 monitor on it, right?
01:02:50.079 --> 01:02:55.840
This is an app on your phone, and I was actually pretty impressed because it shows how you move, right?
01:02:56.000 --> 01:03:00.960
How you kind of like your sleeping position, how long you actually went in the RAM when you snore.
01:03:01.280 --> 01:03:10.960
So it showed that I was sleeping only three hours a night, and an hour and a half of that I was snoring, and then my SPO2 would drop to like 38%.
01:03:11.280 --> 01:03:12.159
It was terrible.
01:03:12.639 --> 01:03:16.239
And she's like, Um, you're you're killing yourself.
01:03:16.400 --> 01:03:17.360
You are not sleeping.
01:03:17.440 --> 01:03:18.639
This is really bad for you.
01:03:18.880 --> 01:03:21.679
And so she said, I'm gonna I'm gonna order you a CPAP.
01:03:21.840 --> 01:03:24.719
I'm like, yo, hold on a minute, dude.
01:03:25.039 --> 01:03:25.679
CPAP.
01:03:25.840 --> 01:03:29.039
I'm like, bro, that's an 85-year-old overweight, dude.
01:03:29.199 --> 01:03:30.239
Like, I don't need a CPAP.
01:03:30.320 --> 01:03:32.719
She's like, no, Tim, just trust me on this.
01:03:33.199 --> 01:03:35.760
Yeah, you need to breathe.
01:03:35.840 --> 01:03:39.760
Yeah, like your body's not healing, you're not getting oxygen in your blood and to your brain.
01:03:39.920 --> 01:03:41.519
And so insurance covered it.
01:03:41.599 --> 01:03:43.440
They they got me a CPAP.
01:03:43.599 --> 01:03:47.760
First couple nights was kind of weird to get used to having the you know this little mask on your face.
01:03:48.159 --> 01:03:52.480
And of course, like they set they have the settings, they put it on there for you after sleep study.
01:03:52.880 --> 01:03:57.280
And by night three, uh, it's the best sleep I have ever had.
01:03:57.360 --> 01:03:59.679
And I woke up not foggy, yeah.
01:03:59.840 --> 01:04:00.719
I felt good.
01:04:00.880 --> 01:04:04.000
I was actually sleeping now finally six to seven hours.
01:04:04.239 --> 01:04:10.000
I should probably get be getting
more than that, but even just getting five or six hours, I felt amazing.
01:04:10.159 --> 01:04:13.519
And so I'm still I still use a CPAP to this day, and I take it to work.
01:04:13.679 --> 01:04:16.079
Guys, like, dude, is that CPAP jerks?
01:04:16.320 --> 01:04:17.440
Yes, I'm like a hundred dollars.
01:04:17.840 --> 01:04:24.000
Now imagine when you go on a fire call and the oxygen, the toxins, and everything, what that does to your brain.
01:04:24.159 --> 01:04:29.360
Oh and so there's the physical element and the mental, the social element, right?
01:04:29.519 --> 01:04:34.400
So when you include them all in, your your amygdala is supposed to be the size of an almond.
01:04:34.639 --> 01:04:41.360
Most of the firefighters that I know uh probably have the size of a walnut because it's inflamed.
01:04:41.599 --> 01:04:45.920
And so you're in that sympathetic system constantly.
01:04:46.159 --> 01:04:49.119
And now there's some that are like, hey, I need to do self-care.
01:04:49.280 --> 01:04:50.719
I do this, I do that.
01:04:50.880 --> 01:04:56.480
I'm constantly trying to regulate it, but physically, the toll that it takes, right?
01:04:56.639 --> 01:05:05.199
So when we're able to use a hyperbaric chamber and try to bring it back down to the size and give you at least one hour of sleep.
01:05:05.280 --> 01:05:07.599
I've sat I've slept in there for like two hours.
01:05:07.760 --> 01:05:08.000
Wow.
01:05:08.159 --> 01:05:11.440
And I was like, oh man, I was sleeping for like an hour and a half in there.
01:05:11.519 --> 01:05:12.719
I was like, okay, I need to get out.
01:05:12.800 --> 01:05:14.960
So most of our clients get about 60 minutes.
01:05:15.119 --> 01:05:17.679
Um, sometimes I'll keep some in for 72.
01:05:18.079 --> 01:05:22.800
Um, you know, hopefully one day I'll be able to put some studies together and like show how it works.
01:05:22.880 --> 01:05:25.920
And hopefully one day they'll be at the fire stations in between.
01:05:26.000 --> 01:05:29.119
But you know, hey, you're gonna be on there for an hour before you go home.
01:05:29.360 --> 01:05:30.000
I gotta try that.
01:05:30.159 --> 01:05:30.239
Right?
01:05:30.400 --> 01:05:31.760
I have some they I gotta try that.
01:05:31.920 --> 01:05:34.480
They leave the shift and they're like, hey, on my way home, can I stop by?
01:05:34.559 --> 01:05:36.800
And I'm like, yeah, okay, see you at 7 a.m.
01:05:36.960 --> 01:05:41.920
Yeah, and get you in there first so you can sleep, and then we'll do neural feedback afterwards and strengthen it.
01:05:42.239 --> 01:05:49.760
For our far for us, anyone who wants to go and do, you know, you have the trauma therapy, neuro neurofeedback, the hyperbaric chamber appears.
01:05:50.239 --> 01:05:53.519
If we want to do that with you, does here's a here's a big question.
01:05:54.559 --> 01:05:55.840
Does our insurance everyone's up?
01:05:56.000 --> 01:05:56.800
Does your insurance go?
01:05:57.280 --> 01:05:58.079
We all know you're cheap.
01:05:58.239 --> 01:05:58.400
Yeah.
01:05:58.559 --> 01:05:59.199
Oh my god.
01:06:01.119 --> 01:06:04.320
They're like, oh, and like it'll cost you your copay.
01:06:04.559 --> 01:06:04.719
Come on.
01:06:04.960 --> 01:06:05.199
100%.
01:06:05.599 --> 01:06:07.199
If there's a need for it, right?
01:06:07.360 --> 01:06:08.639
We'll we'll figure it out.
01:06:08.800 --> 01:06:10.559
But usually we do accept insurance.
01:06:10.639 --> 01:06:13.920
And that's why I did make it a treatment center and not a walnut center.
01:06:14.079 --> 01:06:14.239
Okay.
01:06:14.320 --> 01:06:19.920
Uh wellness center would just be sitting there looking pretty because people are like, oh, I don't, I don't need that.
01:06:20.239 --> 01:06:21.119
I don't need it, right?
01:06:21.199 --> 01:06:23.280
Because we wait till we're falling apart completely.
01:06:23.360 --> 01:06:26.960
And then we're like, and usually somebody tells us, hey, you need to go.
01:06:27.039 --> 01:06:27.280
Yeah.
01:06:27.360 --> 01:06:29.360
Um, or mandates us to come in.
01:06:29.519 --> 01:06:32.719
Um, I've known people and they I'm like, hey, if you ever need it, let me know.
01:06:32.800 --> 01:06:33.199
I don't need it.
01:06:33.280 --> 01:06:33.679
I don't need it.
01:06:33.760 --> 01:06:38.639
And then their wife, oh no, they need it, or their buddy, hey, uh, I had three guys and they're all calling on each other.
01:06:38.719 --> 01:06:40.079
I was like, you guys are hilarious.
01:06:40.239 --> 01:06:41.760
Why don't you all just come in?
01:06:41.840 --> 01:06:44.719
Because I'm you're calling me about him, he's calling me about you.
01:06:44.800 --> 01:06:44.960
Yeah.
01:06:45.119 --> 01:06:49.360
And I'm just getting all these calls because that hyperbaric chamber is you have multiple?
01:06:49.599 --> 01:06:50.880
I have one right now.
01:06:51.039 --> 01:06:52.320
The goal is to have a few.
01:06:52.559 --> 01:06:55.199
We have a very small clinic, but it's it's nice.
01:06:55.360 --> 01:07:02.960
And I have two-year-old feedback machines, and the goals to have two to three hyperbarics, and then as we expand looking at different things.
01:07:03.199 --> 01:07:04.239
Why they come try some of that?
01:07:04.320 --> 01:07:04.480
Yeah.
01:07:05.119 --> 01:07:06.800
Seriously, I really wanted to give that a shot.
01:07:06.960 --> 01:07:12.239
I think that'd be pretty rad to give to uh to the hyperbaric chair hyperbaric chamber and neural feedback.
01:07:12.320 --> 01:07:14.400
Now, one, I know we're getting close on time here.
01:07:14.480 --> 01:07:17.519
We kind of went over, but I this is such a great conversation.
01:07:18.000 --> 01:07:24.000
What I know this is happening with military, but micro doing microdosing mushrooms.
01:07:24.559 --> 01:07:26.159
Do you see that as a positive?
01:07:26.239 --> 01:07:27.119
Can you talk about that?
01:07:27.280 --> 01:07:31.360
Is that kind of coming now into the realm of therapy and helping?
01:07:31.679 --> 01:07:39.119
We
just actually talked about uh taking there's a Navy SEAL guy that does some um ayahuasca stuff.
01:07:39.280 --> 01:07:43.199
Oh, and so you know, he's prepared for anything that could go down.
01:07:43.679 --> 01:07:44.639
Yes, he is.
01:07:44.880 --> 01:07:45.599
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
01:07:45.920 --> 01:07:51.039
So so uh I'm all supportive of that with uh therapy that is supportive in that.
01:07:51.199 --> 01:07:55.679
If you go and you just do that, you're gonna feel good for a while, but then what?
01:07:55.920 --> 01:07:57.440
Then you're all you're left all alone.
01:07:57.760 --> 01:07:58.480
There's a way to do it.
01:07:58.639 --> 01:07:59.519
There's a way to do that.
01:07:59.599 --> 01:08:03.519
Um, I love Cambo, haven't tried it myself, but I've heard a lot of good things about it.
01:08:03.679 --> 01:08:05.519
I've seen a lot of my clients do that.
01:08:05.679 --> 01:08:11.440
So um, you know, we're open to looking and trying and going, okay, that works, but let me tell you about this.
01:08:11.599 --> 01:08:16.079
You know, let's look at the pros and the cons of each one and then making sure that your support.
01:08:16.319 --> 01:08:20.560
So that's why we did a treatment center because we have that support.
01:08:21.520 --> 01:08:23.840
Everyone that's there is a peer supporter.
01:08:23.920 --> 01:08:25.680
Um, I'm big on peer support.
01:08:25.760 --> 01:08:29.439
Uh therapist comes in, but they don't you don't all want to talk to me all the time.
01:08:29.760 --> 01:08:31.840
You know, sometimes you're like, okay, I need to talk to her.
01:08:31.920 --> 01:08:34.640
And then sometimes you're like, oh God, I don't want to talk to her.
01:08:34.880 --> 01:08:38.399
Um, most of the time, people come in, they go, okay, it's not as scary.
01:08:38.560 --> 01:08:40.159
It's not as scary as I thought.
01:08:40.319 --> 01:08:44.560
It's not me sitting behind a desk going, okay, tell me about this, tell me about that.
01:08:44.720 --> 01:08:46.960
Uh, I will, and I have it down here.
01:08:47.119 --> 01:08:53.359
Um, I will bring out my wand and I have to show you because this scares guys sometimes.
01:08:53.600 --> 01:08:54.960
Girl, what are you pulling on your purse?
01:08:55.439 --> 01:08:57.439
No, it's like Mary Poppins' purse here.
01:08:58.960 --> 01:09:02.239
See, so I cops have a harder time when I pull this out.
01:09:02.399 --> 01:09:03.520
And I'm like, watch out.
01:09:03.600 --> 01:09:06.319
And I have to add my crystal just to kind of be cute with this, right?
01:09:07.760 --> 01:09:08.399
Yeah, yeah.
01:09:08.560 --> 01:09:11.199
Like fire goes, what is that?
01:09:11.359 --> 01:09:12.720
What are you gonna do with it?
01:09:12.960 --> 01:09:22.720
Um, so I I do some brain spotting as well, and that's uh like a EMDR 2.0, and so it kind of clears out whatever stuff.
01:09:22.800 --> 01:09:28.239
So sometimes you're like, I don't need nothing long term, it's just something or I don't know why I'm feeling this way.
01:09:28.399 --> 01:09:44.159
Sometimes you don't know, and it's that like, let's figure out what it is, and let's figure out how to get it out so that you can just clear it out and you don't have to live your life carrying it at that level, and that's what we talk about like that window of tolerance.
01:09:44.399 --> 01:09:49.279
If we can get it back down to that, then you can hold space for it, and you can say, you know what?
01:09:49.680 --> 01:09:50.800
I am really sad.
01:09:51.520 --> 01:10:00.479
I'm on that accident, and that's someone's daughter, that's someone's child that's a human there, and I see that, and it also reminds me of this.
01:10:00.560 --> 01:10:10.159
And I'm sad for myself, for my loss, and I can hold space for it, and then I like read it through and then I let it go.
01:10:10.560 --> 01:10:13.359
And I go, This is their situation, it's not mine.
01:10:13.920 --> 01:10:30.159
And so adding that with neurofeedback with hyperbaric, you get to that sweet spot where you're like, okay, I'm not gonna pretend it didn't happen, I'm not gonna fight it, I'm not gonna say, okay, it's not my day, it's not my time, but I'm gonna hold space for it, and I'm gonna like it did hurt.
01:10:30.720 --> 01:10:34.399
That divorce did hurt, that relationship, it did hurt.
01:10:34.720 --> 01:10:40.800
The pain that I caused, it did hurt because it's out of my character, it's not who I really, really am.
01:10:41.279 --> 01:10:48.800
And if I can if I can get back to who I really am, that core authentic self, you'll be okay.
01:10:49.520 --> 01:10:54.079
Sometimes we're so far off that we never see the light.
01:10:54.720 --> 01:10:58.880
I I told that guy, I said, look, I can see the light finally.
01:10:59.359 --> 01:11:00.880
He's like, it's been three years.
01:11:01.039 --> 01:11:03.199
I'm like, it's only been three years.
01:11:03.520 --> 01:11:06.479
He's like, no, it's been three years of hell.
01:11:06.880 --> 01:11:09.600
I said, I know, but it's only been three years.
01:11:10.399 --> 01:11:15.520
And the bigger magnitude you are young, you get to rebuild your life.
01:11:16.079 --> 01:11:18.079
So what do you want to do with the rest of your life?
01:11:18.880 --> 01:11:19.600
Starting today.
01:11:20.000 --> 01:11:31.199
Yeah, you know, it's um that was one thing that was hard for me to to to move past my past and the things I've done, the people I've hurt because I was selfish.
01:11:31.600 --> 01:11:33.840
Just looking to have a good time and just feel good.
01:11:34.159 --> 01:11:35.119
Have a good time, right?
01:11:35.279 --> 01:11:49.840
The shame that I brought on myself, my family, and um, but I think that's one good thing uh about becoming a believer again and truly like I I had to learn that you know, being someone who believes in Jesus, it's not religion.
01:11:50.000 --> 01:11:56.560
That that's how I finally figured out it's not about the rituals and how much money you give to a church, and yeah, you know, how often
do you go to church?
01:11:56.640 --> 01:11:57.760
Are you involved and all this?
01:11:58.000 --> 01:12:00.000
It's truly a personal, it's a relationship.
01:12:00.319 --> 01:12:02.319
And we go back to that word relationship, right?
01:12:02.479 --> 01:12:03.199
Yeah, yeah.
01:12:03.279 --> 01:12:05.119
And that's what I I learned.
01:12:05.199 --> 01:12:20.159
And once I kind of figured that out, it it really did change a lot for me because um, you know, one thing about was so great about Jesus that I I figured out by just me reading the Bible and going through the gospels.
01:12:20.239 --> 01:12:26.159
It's Jesus on the earth, it was love, grace, um, redemption, forgiveness.
01:12:26.479 --> 01:12:31.279
And he he offers it to you endlessly, at least while you're on this earth, while you're alive, right?
01:12:31.520 --> 01:12:32.880
And that's one thing I was looking for.
01:12:32.960 --> 01:12:36.319
It's like, dude, what what am I how do I get past these things?
01:12:36.560 --> 01:12:40.640
How do I get past these this hurt and the things that I've seen and how I lived?
01:12:40.800 --> 01:12:45.680
And when I finally figured it out, it's like, look, just lay it as feet, leave it there.
01:12:45.920 --> 01:12:49.840
It's not about who you were, it's about what he did for you.
01:12:50.319 --> 01:12:52.560
The redemption, the love, and the forgiveness.
01:12:52.720 --> 01:12:54.880
Now move on and make that new life.
01:12:55.119 --> 01:12:55.439
Change.
01:12:55.600 --> 01:12:56.479
And change is hard.
01:12:56.640 --> 01:12:58.479
I'm gonna tell you right now, that is like that.
01:12:58.560 --> 01:12:59.680
Was the biggest struggle, right?
01:12:59.760 --> 01:13:01.039
The bad habits and all that.
01:13:01.279 --> 01:13:04.560
But with that change, that that's where that hope comes in.
01:13:04.640 --> 01:13:13.680
But also with that comes going to therapy, taking that step and having the courage to talk about your worst moments, talk about the bad things that you've seen, speaking that into existence.
01:13:13.760 --> 01:13:20.159
And that's one thing that I learned that helped me so, so much was speaking it into existence, not holding it in anymore.
01:13:20.239 --> 01:13:21.279
Yeah, getting it out.
01:13:21.600 --> 01:13:22.880
We're trying to like hold on.
01:13:23.119 --> 01:13:25.119
Yeah, I'm like, dude, I gotta let it go.
01:13:25.760 --> 01:13:26.800
Hey, this here it is.
01:13:26.960 --> 01:13:30.079
Yeah, this is and you know, like people tell me so many things.
01:13:30.159 --> 01:13:33.680
I'm like, okay, I I it's not the first time I've heard that most of the time now.
01:13:33.840 --> 01:13:34.239
Right.
01:13:34.479 --> 01:13:36.800
And you're okay, you're not a bad person.
01:13:37.039 --> 01:13:42.159
Yeah, there's a verse that I hold so dear to my heart now, and it's Isaiah 43, 2.
01:13:42.319 --> 01:13:44.399
When you go through deep waters, I'll be with you.
01:13:45.039 --> 01:13:50.000
And um, man, I'm trying to
get emotional, but it's just it's so true.
01:13:50.239 --> 01:13:52.479
Um, the world can turn their back on you.
01:13:52.640 --> 01:13:57.439
You can go through divorce, people can call you names, or you can make mistakes, or whatever it may be.
01:13:57.840 --> 01:14:01.920
But reading that verse, man, that truly solidified it for me.
01:14:02.079 --> 01:14:05.840
Like, no matter where you go, who you've been, what you've done, I'm gonna be with you.
01:14:06.000 --> 01:14:07.039
We're gonna figure this out.
01:14:07.119 --> 01:14:08.239
You just gotta lay your life down.
01:14:08.319 --> 01:14:18.079
It's almost like you said it's like I had to lose control, like let go of control and lay it down as feet, be like, okay, I'm not doing this on my terms anymore.
01:14:18.319 --> 01:14:22.479
I need you to take over, I need you to help me and lead me in the right direction.
01:14:22.640 --> 01:14:29.039
I'm gonna start taking or making the right decisions and asking for help and doing what I need to do, but I need you to show up.
01:14:29.279 --> 01:14:31.199
And my goodness, did he ever?
01:14:31.600 --> 01:14:32.399
Am I perfect?
01:14:32.560 --> 01:14:33.439
Hell no.
01:14:34.960 --> 01:14:37.840
I am definitely, definitely not a perfect human being.
01:14:38.000 --> 01:14:43.039
But it's brought such a passion for fellow first responders and people who are struggling.
01:14:43.199 --> 01:15:00.880
And I can tell you out just off the top of my head, probably 12 to 14 people, first responders in the past two years that I that because I talk about this now on the podcast and at work, I'm so open about it of what I've gone through, the mistakes that I've made, and how I've come out on top and triumph.
01:15:01.359 --> 01:15:07.199
And I tell them, you just got to to you need to not have control, you need to say, I need help.
01:15:07.439 --> 01:15:14.079
And I've gotten them to make the phone call and go into the and I'm telling you, every single one of them said, I should have gone to the therapy sooner.
01:15:14.159 --> 01:15:16.239
Yeah, it was the best thing that I ever decided to do.
01:15:16.319 --> 01:15:21.680
And they did brain spotting, they did EMDR and all that, and it's like, oh my gosh, I so I'm not crazy.
01:15:21.760 --> 01:15:22.640
I'm like, no, bro.
01:15:22.960 --> 01:15:26.800
We live, we are in a career that is absolutely out of the norm.
01:15:27.039 --> 01:15:29.520
Yeah, you are abnormal.
01:15:29.840 --> 01:15:30.640
We all are.
01:15:30.880 --> 01:15:36.319
Yeah, yeah, and so it's like who runs into a fire, who does these things, right?
01:15:36.640 --> 01:15:39.199
We're abnormal, and that's the calling.
01:15:39.279 --> 01:15:44.159
And the calling usually comes from either some kind of pain or there's a purpose behind that.
01:15:44.319 --> 01:15:44.640
Yeah.
01:15:44.880 --> 01:15:52.479
And so if we can recognize and go, okay, for my job and who I am and what I do, this is just something that I can do.
01:15:52.560 --> 01:15:53.920
And there's free services.
01:15:54.000 --> 01:16:02.560
Yeah, it doesn't always have to cost money, or it's also being true and saying, like, hey, I'm suffering from PTSI, it's an injury, right?
01:16:02.640 --> 01:16:03.600
We call it disorder.
01:16:03.680 --> 01:16:12.239
It's the that's just a classification, but it's an injury, and I'm going to have that, and it's just something that I do to help myself heal.
01:16:12.560 --> 01:16:14.960
So I don't get to that moment of suicide.
01:16:15.520 --> 01:16:20.000
I don't get to that point where my brain is so inflamed that I can't think straight.
01:16:20.640 --> 01:16:20.800
Yeah.
01:16:21.039 --> 01:16:27.439
And so if we're able to get those right resources and the right help, then you know, might be us.
01:16:27.920 --> 01:16:31.279
You know, we can do an assessment, kind of see are you a good fit?
01:16:31.439 --> 01:16:35.439
And there's been others that have called me and I'm like, hey, we're not a good fit.
01:16:35.600 --> 01:16:38.720
You need this, you need a substance abuse treatment place.
01:16:38.960 --> 01:16:39.600
I'll be there.
01:16:39.680 --> 01:16:42.560
You can call us, you know our team, we're all gonna check in on you.
01:16:42.720 --> 01:16:43.920
We're not gonna charge you.
01:16:44.079 --> 01:16:44.399
Yeah.
01:16:44.560 --> 01:16:44.880
Right.
01:16:45.039 --> 01:16:49.199
And and we just care, and we want to make sure that there's not another one.
01:16:49.520 --> 01:16:52.159
Yeah, like life is life is truly a gift.
01:16:52.399 --> 01:16:56.319
All to all life is precious, and you said it earlier.
01:16:56.640 --> 01:17:02.640
Those suicidal ideations or thinking you're not worth it, or you're a terrible person, or you're a piece of crap, or whatever you're telling.
01:17:02.960 --> 01:17:05.600
It's such an absolute lie.
01:17:05.920 --> 01:17:07.520
It's a lie, it's a lie.
01:17:07.920 --> 01:17:09.039
Life is worth living.
01:17:09.199 --> 01:17:11.600
I would I say this to a few people that have been struggling.
01:17:11.680 --> 01:17:16.399
Yeah, no matter how bad it gets, any day above the dirt is a damn good day.
01:17:16.960 --> 01:17:17.920
It's worth being here.
01:17:18.720 --> 01:17:19.199
It totally is.
01:17:19.600 --> 01:17:22.560
You're still here, and there's a purpose to that.
01:17:22.720 --> 01:17:25.359
And like I told you earlier about the story, right?
01:17:25.520 --> 01:17:29.760
If we can get past that point, you'll figure it out.
01:17:30.239 --> 01:17:34.000
And the dots will all connect, and you'll know that you're not alone.
01:17:34.640 --> 01:17:39.520
And there's people there that actually care, that want to help and want to see you on the other side.
01:17:39.600 --> 01:17:49.520
And I always tell people, like, you know, one guy today was talking about his um like farming business that he wants to do, uh, someone else that did interior decorating.
01:17:49.600 --> 01:17:56.960
And so we tell people
like that's your gift that you have, and you're gonna see it come true and you're gonna see it come out.
01:17:57.119 --> 01:17:59.359
And we we all have those gifts.
01:17:59.600 --> 01:18:24.960
And once you see it, um, you know, one captain he goes out and talks to the middle school kids and tells them their stories, and so we never know whatever way it's gonna come out, but when you see it come out, you're like, there it is, and and that, like you said earlier, like life force, there there's that force to your life, so you're worth living and you're worth something and everything.
01:18:25.520 --> 01:18:28.800
Yeah, it's um these are tough conversations to have though.
01:18:28.880 --> 01:18:31.199
So I'm so glad we finally got you on this.
01:18:31.279 --> 01:18:32.960
I think it's been years, actually.
01:18:33.199 --> 01:18:34.720
I know since you're on here.
01:18:35.600 --> 01:18:40.560
Well, we're on our fifth season now, and and I took when my daughter was born, we took a break.
01:18:40.800 --> 01:18:41.119
That's good.
01:18:41.279 --> 01:18:43.760
Yeah, I was like, dude, everything else goes to the side.
01:18:43.840 --> 01:18:46.159
I want to uh it was a season for things, yeah.
01:18:47.119 --> 01:18:52.479
I want to take this serious of being a dad, like yeah, uh a family and a child is truly a gift.
01:18:52.560 --> 01:18:56.960
Yeah, it's a heritage and it's a blessing, and I want to be a good father.
01:18:57.039 --> 01:18:59.279
I want to do the right thing, I don't want to screw this up.
01:18:59.359 --> 01:19:03.359
I want to be present, I want to be here, I want to really take all this in.
01:19:03.600 --> 01:19:12.239
And I'll tell you that first year with my daughter and just putting everything I have into my family and being present is just it was one of the most precious times of my entire life.
01:19:12.399 --> 01:19:15.039
You know, seeing, seeing on my you know, our iPhones, right?
01:19:15.119 --> 01:19:17.760
Yeah, it it popped up yesterday, year ago today.
01:19:17.840 --> 01:19:19.920
I'm like, my little girl, she's this little nuggets, right?
01:19:20.079 --> 01:19:23.600
Just like thinking, oh my gosh, time goes by truly so fast.
01:19:23.760 --> 01:19:24.000
Uh-huh.
01:19:24.239 --> 01:19:27.199
You know, so I want to, again, it's it's about being intentional with my time.
01:19:27.359 --> 01:19:27.600
Yeah.
01:19:27.760 --> 01:19:28.000
Right.
01:19:28.079 --> 01:19:30.000
I can always do another podcast, right?
01:19:30.079 --> 01:19:31.680
I can always work another overtime.
01:19:31.840 --> 01:19:35.680
I can always go just I skydive and surf and all this other stuff, right?
01:19:35.760 --> 01:19:37.920
Which is part of part of the adrenaline rush I'm seeking.
01:19:38.000 --> 01:19:38.159
Yeah.
01:19:38.479 --> 01:19:41.840
But it's like I can always I have time to do all that whenever I want.
01:19:42.000 --> 01:19:44.319
The time I have with my daughter, I'll never get back.
01:19:44.399 --> 01:19:47.199
Yeah, I want to make sure I'm spending time with my family.
01:19:47.359 --> 01:19:52.800
That's like truly my faith in my family has become the the two most important things to me.
01:19:53.039 --> 01:19:57.920
Not not my identity and of work or being a firefighter, look at me, you know, uniform, all this stuff.
01:19:58.000 --> 01:20:00.319
It's truly like I want to be here and be present.
01:20:00.399 --> 01:20:03.439
And so after that year, we're finally like, all right, let's start the fifth season.
01:20:03.600 --> 01:20:06.479
That's when we built this whole studio that you're in now.
01:20:06.800 --> 01:20:07.680
Yeah, it was a lot of work.
01:20:07.760 --> 01:20:12.960
It was a lot of work, especially running all these cables and trying to figure out this whole system because I do it all my own.
01:20:13.359 --> 01:20:17.680
So I'm like, dude, I don't, I can't even begin to tell you how much Google and YouTube have helped me out.
01:20:17.760 --> 01:20:22.159
Oh just Googling everything and figuring out because I'm not some tech guy, I have no idea what I'm doing.
01:20:22.399 --> 01:20:23.199
Just figure it out.
01:20:23.359 --> 01:20:25.520
It's kind of like when we got the office, right?
01:20:25.680 --> 01:20:31.279
And um, I mean, I was like, oh, I have an office, and then someone's like, Oh, sorry, your hyperbaric's too loud.
01:20:31.439 --> 01:20:34.800
I'm like, oh, okay, so oh, sorry, you're too much electricity.
01:20:34.880 --> 01:20:36.880
And I'm like, oh gosh, come on.
01:20:37.119 --> 01:20:40.560
And and I had to think about it, and I'm like, okay, it feels right.
01:20:40.720 --> 01:20:44.800
And I talked to my partner and I said, It feels right, but what is it?
01:20:44.880 --> 01:20:48.000
And then I just sat back and I'm like, okay, it's the devil.
01:20:48.319 --> 01:20:53.439
It's not like God's telling me persevere and keep going.
01:20:53.760 --> 01:21:00.960
Um, and we got everything approved in November, and uh and and we didn't move until February.
01:21:01.279 --> 01:21:03.199
Oh, yeah.
01:21:03.439 --> 01:21:12.079
So we had some uh clients of ours that were like, hey, we're in Lahabra, we're here this week, we're here right now, and they hung in there with us.
01:21:12.319 --> 01:21:25.119
And uh I remember when we got the keys, and I think that's the post that I made, or it's just an empty building, and we like sat there and like we did this, and um, I knew I knew we were supposed to be in that city.
01:21:25.279 --> 01:21:37.199
I don't know why, so I haven't figured out why, but I I knew it, and I had told my daughter that day when I picked her up from school, I said, you know, be nice to mom today, the 17-year-olds, you know, so just be nice to me.
01:21:37.359 --> 01:21:39.279
I said, It's been a really bad day.
01:21:39.680 --> 01:21:46.079
And um, you know, we just kind of were told today to move our stuff out, and I have people kind of waiting on me.
01:21:46.319 --> 01:21:48.319
So um
just be nice to me.
01:21:49.039 --> 01:21:52.560
And we uh were driving by and she's like, What's the problem?
01:21:52.880 --> 01:21:59.840
I said, I don't know which office we're gonna get, and I don't have an office in mind, and I don't know.
01:22:00.319 --> 01:22:03.279
And she looked to her right and she's like, What about that place?
01:22:03.520 --> 01:22:05.920
They look like they have a lot of empty buildings.
01:22:06.319 --> 01:22:14.000
And I my first thought was, Oh, it's too expensive, that looks expensive, but it stuck with me, and then I go, I don't know.
01:22:14.159 --> 01:22:15.760
And I drove by the leasing office.
01:22:15.840 --> 01:22:20.319
I drive that street every day to go to the gym, and I finally pulled in one day.
01:22:20.560 --> 01:22:24.479
We looked online and they were like super expensive ten thousand dollars expensive.
01:22:24.720 --> 01:22:25.119
What?
01:22:25.359 --> 01:22:27.600
Yeah, and I was like, I can't afford that.
01:22:27.920 --> 01:22:33.039
$10,000 right I can't see too many uh clients, right?
01:22:33.279 --> 01:22:35.279
So uh I'm like, you know what?
01:22:35.359 --> 01:22:42.560
Let me just stop by and uh stopped by that day, and I talked to a lady, and she goes, Someone moved out yesterday.
01:22:42.880 --> 01:22:44.880
The corner, I like corners, right?
01:22:45.039 --> 01:22:47.039
Can see everybody, can watch everything.
01:22:47.119 --> 01:22:51.680
It's a little trauma hypervigilance, but let's not talk about that right now, right?
01:22:51.840 --> 01:22:53.439
So I'm like, oh, really?
01:22:53.600 --> 01:22:55.520
And it was in our price range.
01:22:55.840 --> 01:22:59.119
She goes, they've been there for 30 years, they just moved out yesterday.
01:22:59.279 --> 01:23:03.920
30 years because you're the first one to inquire if you want it put in the application.
01:23:04.079 --> 01:23:07.199
I was like, can I fill it out right now and pen and paper?
01:23:07.359 --> 01:23:08.399
And she's like, Yes.
01:23:08.640 --> 01:23:12.560
So we did that, and I was like, hey, we can afford this.
01:23:12.720 --> 01:23:13.760
I think we can afford it.
01:23:13.840 --> 01:23:15.039
I hope we can afford it.
01:23:15.279 --> 01:23:16.399
I was like, you know what?
01:23:16.560 --> 01:23:17.760
It's ours.
01:23:18.079 --> 01:23:20.640
And that was November, right after Thanksgiving.
01:23:20.720 --> 01:23:22.640
Well, actually, before Thanksgiving.
01:23:22.800 --> 01:23:24.720
Um, because they got our application.
01:23:24.880 --> 01:23:30.159
Then the guy went on uh break, he went on vacation on holiday, of course, right?
01:23:30.399 --> 01:23:32.880
And I was like, Well, no one's working but us.
01:23:33.039 --> 01:23:35.920
Yeah, and uh December, sorry, I'm still not back.
01:23:36.079 --> 01:23:39.199
I think it was in the Philippines, so they take like a month or two months off.
01:23:39.520 --> 01:23:42.319
January, he's like, Oh, it's yours if you want it.
01:23:42.560 --> 01:23:48.159
So
we were thinking we're gonna move in January 15th, and then he's like, Well, at the end of the month, and then finally we're like, Okay.
01:23:48.960 --> 01:23:51.039
And so we got it February 1st.
01:23:51.279 --> 01:23:59.760
Wow, and uh, I was like, Okay, that patience paid off and just putting it out there, right?
01:23:59.920 --> 01:24:08.560
And and that not giving up because you know, there are times I'm just like, forget it, and I'm like, Nope, nope, it's supposed to happen.
01:24:08.720 --> 01:24:14.399
Yeah, and so when we finally put the name up on the building, I was like, Oh my gosh, I'm so happy for you.
01:24:14.479 --> 01:24:15.039
That's so bad.
01:24:15.359 --> 01:24:22.319
Some things had to end, like you know, some of my contracts ended, um, had to leave TCTI, just other commitments.
01:24:22.479 --> 01:24:24.079
I was like, I don't have time and space.
01:24:24.159 --> 01:24:32.079
I was working on a book, I'm like, that's on hold, that's on hold, because I can only hold space for so much because I'm still a mom and a grandma.
01:24:32.239 --> 01:24:35.359
Yeah, and those are important parts of me.
01:24:35.600 --> 01:24:39.920
And so I was like, okay, okay, God, show me the way.
01:24:40.079 --> 01:24:41.680
And so far, so good.
01:24:41.920 --> 01:24:42.399
I love it.
01:24:42.560 --> 01:24:45.039
Um, I love our clients, they're all good.
01:24:45.279 --> 01:24:51.600
We have very little, we're small but mighty, and uh, everyone that comes here gets better, and that's the goal.
01:24:51.680 --> 01:25:07.760
And you know, there's a lot of good people that come in and they come in struggling, and they they leave either still struggling physically sometimes with the back pain, just the wear and tear of not taking care of themselves, and they're like, I feel better.
01:25:08.000 --> 01:25:11.359
So the goal is to to leave and feel better, and I feel good.
01:25:11.439 --> 01:25:12.399
I love going in.
01:25:12.479 --> 01:25:16.159
I'm like, this is like I get I get paid to do this, like this is awesome.
01:25:16.319 --> 01:25:17.039
Like, well, it's true.
01:25:17.119 --> 01:25:19.760
I mean, it seems like that's what you're putting this earth for.
01:25:20.000 --> 01:25:22.720
I mean, I this is the way I kind of think of it now.
01:25:22.800 --> 01:25:33.600
It is um I I always I tell my wife this is like I hope when I get to the end of my life, I will have impacted at least one person's life for good to change.
01:25:34.239 --> 01:25:44.000
My struggles and the failures and the things that I've done, how I've triumphed and kind of rose from the ashes and changed who I was and who I am and done better.
01:25:44.079 --> 01:25:45.680
And I hope that can be an example to people.
01:25:45.920 --> 01:25:51.359
I hope that's helped other first responders or somebody inspire at least inspire them to try and change.
01:25:51.439 --> 01:25:54.079
If it's just one, then that's good enough for me.
01:25:54.319 --> 01:25:56.000
I think you've done more than that already.
01:25:56.399 --> 01:25:57.199
Oh, you know, I hope so.
01:25:57.439 --> 01:25:59.199
We're gonna keep hoping that there's a lot more.
01:25:59.520 --> 01:26:00.000
I hope so.
01:26:00.159 --> 01:26:00.399
Right.
01:26:00.479 --> 01:26:05.439
And and I love getting like, hey, thank yous, because sometimes I'm like, um, did I even help?
01:26:05.600 --> 01:26:10.000
And a lot of times when they come back and they're like, hey, thank you, I'm like, oh, awesome.
01:26:10.239 --> 01:26:14.319
Because I love helping first responders because you're out there helping others.
01:26:14.479 --> 01:26:14.880
Yeah.
01:26:15.119 --> 01:26:30.479
And so the fact that I'm like, okay, I know the tools, I know this, I've been educated through the captains I work with, through the firefighters I work with, through my EMTs, through my police officers, um, through the line of duty des learning each and every time.
01:26:30.640 --> 01:26:37.840
I'm like, I'm I'm humbled to be of service and humbled to be allowed to even hear and share some of the stories.
01:26:38.079 --> 01:26:42.000
Some of them are like, you know, we have confidentiality, and some are like, I don't care.
01:26:42.159 --> 01:26:43.600
Everybody knows I see you.
01:26:43.840 --> 01:26:44.880
Everybody knows.
01:26:45.039 --> 01:26:47.359
Uh, I tell them uh you're a little wacky.
01:26:47.520 --> 01:26:48.159
Am I really?
01:26:48.239 --> 01:26:49.119
Do you have to tell them?
01:26:49.520 --> 01:26:51.520
Like, I'm gonna get my stick out in my crystals.
01:26:51.840 --> 01:26:54.159
Don't make me get out my essential oils now.
01:26:54.319 --> 01:26:55.119
Come on now.
01:26:55.279 --> 01:26:57.520
All right, I got that in my bag.
01:26:58.000 --> 01:26:59.199
Oh my gosh.
01:26:59.439 --> 01:27:04.399
You know, I always say, hey, there's there's a lot of soul, but there's also science behind it.
01:27:04.560 --> 01:27:04.880
Oh, yeah.
01:27:05.039 --> 01:27:06.640
And so I'm big on science.
01:27:06.720 --> 01:27:08.560
I want to see the facts, I want to know.
01:27:08.720 --> 01:27:10.399
Like, don't bullshit me.
01:27:10.479 --> 01:27:11.920
I want to know where it's coming from.
01:27:12.000 --> 01:27:14.399
Yeah, and uh here it is, right?
01:27:14.479 --> 01:27:15.840
And in the Bible as well.
01:27:16.000 --> 01:27:20.720
There's a lot of science in the Bible, and there's a lot when you look at it, with mental health.
01:27:20.880 --> 01:27:29.439
I was raised in Christian household um with my church members, and so I learned the Bible, learned the stories, learned.
01:27:29.520 --> 01:27:33.840
I can tell you how many times suicide is mentioned in there, the stories of people in there.
01:27:34.159 --> 01:27:41.279
God chose people with stories that were hurt and struggling to change lives.
01:27:42.159 --> 01:27:42.399
Right?
01:27:43.119 --> 01:27:53.520
That is the one thing like of more like me reading the Bible and figuring it out for myself is I love
that it doesn't hide the fact that these people were messed up.
01:27:53.680 --> 01:27:58.399
Yeah, and if you put them in today's standards, you could be telenovela, right?
01:27:58.880 --> 01:27:59.199
Oh my god.
01:28:01.760 --> 01:28:02.560
Korean drama.
01:28:02.720 --> 01:28:04.239
Oh, Korean zombie.
01:28:04.319 --> 01:28:04.560
Yeah.
01:28:04.880 --> 01:28:06.399
You're talking like terrible people.
01:28:06.720 --> 01:28:08.319
You really look at like terrible people.
01:28:08.479 --> 01:28:10.079
And Lord's like, I mean, it's them.
01:28:10.239 --> 01:28:10.399
Yeah.
01:28:11.359 --> 01:28:15.439
That's why I love, I tell people just like the Bible doesn't hide that these people were screwed.
01:28:15.760 --> 01:28:16.880
And God still chose them.
01:28:16.960 --> 01:28:17.119
Yeah.
01:28:17.279 --> 01:28:19.119
And they still are like heroes of the faith.
01:28:19.199 --> 01:28:20.159
And they've done great things.
01:28:20.239 --> 01:28:22.720
And people are like, Oh, she was born in Hawaiian Gardens.
01:28:22.880 --> 01:28:23.840
I'm like, I know, dude.
01:28:24.000 --> 01:28:25.279
I know you're from Norwalk.
01:28:25.439 --> 01:28:25.760
Okay.
01:28:26.000 --> 01:28:27.119
You're from the one way.
01:28:28.159 --> 01:28:32.079
I know one of the guys at LA City Fire, he's like, Oh man, you're from Hoyen Gardens.
01:28:32.239 --> 01:28:33.840
I'm like, oh man, you're from Norwalk.
01:28:33.920 --> 01:28:34.000
Yeah.
01:28:34.159 --> 01:28:35.680
I'm like, okay, what are we going to do here?
01:28:35.840 --> 01:28:36.560
Throw down?
01:28:36.880 --> 01:28:37.760
He's like, okay.
01:28:37.920 --> 01:28:40.000
I'm like, well, you're the one that brought it up.
01:28:40.239 --> 01:28:41.520
Like, he just asked me.
01:28:41.680 --> 01:28:44.560
He wanted to know where I was, uh, where I lived, where I grew up.
01:28:44.720 --> 01:28:46.319
And I was like, why does that mean so much?
01:28:46.399 --> 01:28:48.399
But he was trying to connect and find a peace.
01:28:48.560 --> 01:28:50.560
And you know, uh, in the city or Dr.
01:28:50.640 --> 01:28:51.680
Contreras, and Dr.
01:28:51.760 --> 01:28:58.960
Contreras, the psychologist, is gonna come here and you your worst fear is like, oh shoot, they're gonna evaluate me and they're gonna say I'm unfit for duty.
01:28:59.119 --> 01:29:01.840
Yeah, and then when I showed up, he's like, Oh, it's you, Dr.
01:29:02.000 --> 01:29:02.560
Mirabel.
01:29:02.720 --> 01:29:04.159
Oh, like, oh, it's you.
01:29:04.319 --> 01:29:05.920
Like, like, what do you mean by it's just me?
01:29:06.159 --> 01:29:07.039
Is that what you think of me?
01:29:07.439 --> 01:29:18.239
I was like, it's okay, because at the end of the day, I try to keep it real in the relationship, and like, okay, let's figure out what we need and how we can get your needs met and get you to that better place, yeah.
01:29:18.399 --> 01:29:19.359
Whatever that is for you.
01:29:19.600 --> 01:29:20.000
Well, Dr.
01:29:20.079 --> 01:29:25.279
Maribel, thank you so much for coming on the we went way over time, but I was like, I'm gonna stop with this.
01:29:25.359 --> 01:29:26.239
This she's awesome.
01:29:26.319 --> 01:29:27.039
You are amazing.
01:29:27.359 --> 01:29:27.680
Thank you.
01:29:27.920 --> 01:29:29.520
What you're doing is very important.
01:29:29.840 --> 01:29:34.319
You're truly having an impact, and I have a huge heart for first responders.
01:29:34.479 --> 01:29:42.319
I'm actually on the board of a nonprofit that is for um female first responders and takes them on the streets who are suffering from PTSD and stuff like that.
01:29:42.560 --> 01:29:49.199
Um, what you do matters, it really is super important because who's gonna help the ones that saved everybody else, you know?
01:29:49.359 --> 01:29:54.800
So we do at the end of the podcast, I bring this back now, um, just to kind of light it up and have a little bit of fun.
01:29:54.880 --> 01:29:56.239
I'm gonna ask you just a couple questions here.
01:29:56.479 --> 01:29:57.760
You just answer them, I'll answer them with you.
01:29:57.840 --> 01:29:58.800
We'll make this quick, okay?
01:29:59.119 --> 01:30:00.319
These are called answer the internet.
01:30:00.720 --> 01:30:01.600
Nothing inappropriate.
01:30:02.079 --> 01:30:02.720
I don't do that.
01:30:03.359 --> 01:30:03.680
Okay.
01:30:04.399 --> 01:30:06.239
So your first question, okay?
01:30:06.800 --> 01:30:12.000
Would you rather give up appetizers or desserts for life?
01:30:12.319 --> 01:30:13.119
Oh, desserts.
01:30:13.359 --> 01:30:13.760
Really?
01:30:13.920 --> 01:30:15.279
Yeah, I love cheese.
01:30:15.439 --> 01:30:18.000
Oh, chips and salsa.
01:30:18.079 --> 01:30:18.560
Yeah.
01:30:19.279 --> 01:30:21.439
Oh, I'm 50-50 on this.
01:30:21.600 --> 01:30:23.119
I'm really think about it.
01:30:23.279 --> 01:30:24.239
I love dessert.
01:30:24.319 --> 01:30:24.960
I love dessert.
01:30:25.199 --> 01:30:26.880
I think I think I would probably do the same.
01:30:26.960 --> 01:30:27.600
I give up desserts.
01:30:27.760 --> 01:30:30.319
The appetite, there's so much you can do with appetizers.
01:30:30.479 --> 01:30:31.279
There's so many different ones.
01:30:32.399 --> 01:30:33.359
Yeah, no, I love that.
01:30:33.439 --> 01:30:33.840
I love that.
01:30:34.000 --> 01:30:35.600
Okay, do you karaoke?
01:30:36.079 --> 01:30:36.560
I do.
01:30:36.880 --> 01:30:37.760
Oh, stop.
01:30:38.159 --> 01:30:39.760
Okay, this is this is just for you.
01:30:39.920 --> 01:30:40.239
Okay.
01:30:40.640 --> 01:30:42.319
So don't make me do that right now.
01:30:43.439 --> 01:30:47.840
What is your number one song for karaoke?
01:30:48.079 --> 01:30:48.960
Oh my gosh.
01:30:49.199 --> 01:30:49.760
What do you got?
01:30:50.000 --> 01:30:52.479
Any ranchera Spanish song?
01:30:53.680 --> 01:30:55.840
Don't make me sing Chalino now.
01:30:56.399 --> 01:30:58.560
Nieve Zenero from Chalino.
01:30:58.800 --> 01:31:00.319
Oh my god, I freaking love it.
01:31:02.720 --> 01:31:04.560
Hey, though, hey, good, good.
01:31:04.720 --> 01:31:06.399
Mine is uh My Girl.
01:31:06.560 --> 01:31:07.600
Oh, oh, I love that one.
01:31:08.000 --> 01:31:08.640
Always sing My Girl.
01:31:10.239 --> 01:31:10.880
Oh my goodness.
01:31:10.960 --> 01:31:11.760
I I nail that.
01:31:11.920 --> 01:31:13.439
I always get a free drink when I sing that one.
01:31:13.520 --> 01:31:13.840
Okay.
01:31:14.479 --> 01:31:17.199
Um, okay, so the last one.
01:31:17.760 --> 01:31:18.479
Let's see here.
01:31:18.560 --> 01:31:19.199
Let me see here.
01:31:20.720 --> 01:31:21.039
Okay.
01:31:23.279 --> 01:31:23.920
What?
01:31:24.560 --> 01:31:25.520
You ready for this?
01:31:25.920 --> 01:31:26.079
Okay.
01:31:26.239 --> 01:31:27.680
I already know this for a fact.
01:31:27.840 --> 01:31:28.720
Yeah, take your phone.
01:31:29.680 --> 01:31:30.399
Yeah, look at that mug.
01:31:30.479 --> 01:31:30.960
Take that plug.
01:31:31.039 --> 01:31:31.760
Let's go podcast.
01:31:32.000 --> 01:31:32.479
Subscribe.
01:31:32.640 --> 01:31:33.760
Like, let's go share.
01:31:34.079 --> 01:31:35.520
Let's go podcast.
01:31:35.920 --> 01:31:36.239
Okay.
01:31:36.560 --> 01:31:37.520
Your last question.
01:31:37.600 --> 01:31:38.479
Here it is.
01:31:38.880 --> 01:31:43.039
What is the one food you could eat for the rest of your life?
01:31:43.279 --> 01:31:44.319
Oh, that's easy.
01:31:44.479 --> 01:31:45.119
Chicken.
01:31:45.520 --> 01:31:45.920
Chicken?
01:31:46.079 --> 01:31:46.560
Okay, chicken.
01:31:46.960 --> 01:31:47.359
It's simple.
01:31:47.520 --> 01:31:48.239
Keep it simple.
01:31:48.479 --> 01:31:50.720
Oh, mine is um, mine's actually very simple.
01:31:50.800 --> 01:31:51.600
It's chicken nuggets.
01:31:52.159 --> 01:31:52.640
Chicken nuggets?
01:31:52.880 --> 01:31:54.079
I'll never get tired.
01:31:54.319 --> 01:31:55.039
Well, see, it's chicken.
01:31:55.279 --> 01:31:55.600
Chicken nuggets.
01:31:55.680 --> 01:31:55.760
Yes.
01:31:55.920 --> 01:31:59.760
You can have them chicken nuggets, baked chicken, fried chicken, any kind of chicken.
01:31:59.920 --> 01:32:00.000
Yeah.
01:32:01.199 --> 01:32:03.680
I will eat chicken nuggets all day if I could.
01:32:03.840 --> 01:32:05.520
That's the one thing I remember from second grade.
01:32:05.600 --> 01:32:06.720
They're like, what's your favorite food?
01:32:06.880 --> 01:32:08.640
If you can eat one food, what would you eat?
01:32:08.720 --> 01:32:09.600
I'm like, chicken.
01:32:09.760 --> 01:32:11.439
And I'm like, God, how many years later?
01:32:11.520 --> 01:32:12.239
I'm 48.
01:32:12.319 --> 01:32:13.359
So it's still chicken.
01:32:13.520 --> 01:32:15.520
That's the one constant thing in my life.
01:32:15.760 --> 01:32:16.399
I love it.
01:32:16.479 --> 01:32:16.960
Well, Dr.
01:32:17.119 --> 01:32:22.159
Maribel, um, thank you so much for taking the time to come on the podcast.
01:32:22.239 --> 01:32:31.119
Thank you for scaring me in front of my house while I was trying to get my trash cans
in, driving all the way out here, but also again, what you do for um my fellow first responders.
01:32:31.199 --> 01:32:31.680
It's very important.
01:32:31.840 --> 01:32:32.960
You're impacting lives.
01:32:33.119 --> 01:32:34.720
And um keep going.
01:32:34.960 --> 01:32:35.199
Thank you.
01:32:35.520 --> 01:32:36.399
Please keep going.
01:32:36.560 --> 01:32:39.680
You are such a genuine person, and I hope people reach out.
01:32:39.840 --> 01:32:44.159
And if people do want to reach out, what's the best way for them to um contact you?
01:32:44.319 --> 01:32:45.600
Social media or website?
01:32:46.079 --> 01:32:46.720
Find me Dr.
01:32:46.800 --> 01:32:53.840
Maribel on Instagram, or you can text me on my cell, 909-678-9700.
01:32:54.159 --> 01:32:54.880
That is my cell.
01:32:55.039 --> 01:32:55.760
Ghost Call Me.
01:32:56.239 --> 01:32:57.920
You are brave putting that on here.
01:32:59.039 --> 01:33:00.159
You can text me.
01:33:00.319 --> 01:33:03.199
Doesn't mean I will always answer you, right?
01:33:03.920 --> 01:33:06.800
And uh it is on Do Not Disturb right now.
01:33:06.960 --> 01:33:07.600
Oh shit.
01:33:07.840 --> 01:33:11.840
And I I tell people text because a lot of times people are afraid of making that call.
01:33:12.000 --> 01:33:12.239
Yeah.
01:33:12.399 --> 01:33:14.479
And so just text me, hey, do you have a minute?
01:33:14.560 --> 01:33:15.920
And I'm like, Yeah, yeah.
01:33:16.079 --> 01:33:21.279
Oh, you think my phone would be ringing off the hook, but it's not, it's not all the time.
01:33:21.600 --> 01:33:24.479
Oh, we are so we are downloaded globally.
01:33:24.720 --> 01:33:25.520
You're crazy.
01:33:25.680 --> 01:33:27.680
You are you are insane.
01:33:28.000 --> 01:33:29.359
I have two cell phones.
01:33:29.680 --> 01:33:30.319
Oh my god.
01:33:32.079 --> 01:33:33.439
Okay, you put it out there.
01:33:34.640 --> 01:33:35.439
Um it's public.
01:33:35.520 --> 01:33:36.239
Yeah, it is what it is.
01:33:36.640 --> 01:33:39.279
It's my therapy number, it's public, it's out there.
01:33:39.520 --> 01:33:40.560
There's no hiding it.
01:33:40.640 --> 01:33:44.640
If you want to find me, you know, you know, you can look me up and everything's there.
01:33:44.880 --> 01:33:45.199
I love it.
01:33:45.359 --> 01:33:50.960
And then also, uh, you maybe you know or don't know, but your book, when can we look for that?
01:33:51.199 --> 01:33:52.640
It should be out by September.
01:33:52.880 --> 01:33:53.359
By September?
01:33:53.520 --> 01:33:54.239
Yeah, August, September.
01:33:54.479 --> 01:33:54.800
Let me know.
01:33:55.439 --> 01:34:06.000
Um uh shoot me a text or whatever, and I will uh I'll put together an ad for you on here and talk about it and put a plug-in for you and we'll we'll put it out there for you too to help you out.
01:34:06.159 --> 01:34:08.640
And then your son-in-law works for Santa Monica?
01:34:08.800 --> 01:34:10.079
Yeah, Santa Monica Fire.
01:34:10.239 --> 01:34:11.439
So he doesn't fight any fire?
01:34:12.560 --> 01:34:13.359
I'm sorry, girl.
01:34:13.520 --> 01:34:14.159
I had to do it.
01:34:14.319 --> 01:34:15.199
I had to do it, dude.
01:34:15.359 --> 01:34:16.159
My guy, I had to do it.
01:34:16.399 --> 01:34:17.359
Santa Monica Fire.
01:34:17.439 --> 01:34:18.960
You know what I'll come together.
01:34:19.199 --> 01:34:21.359
Just like you guys go, I'm a firefighter.
01:34:22.159 --> 01:34:22.880
No, that's dope.
01:34:23.199 --> 01:34:23.840
Or a fireman.
01:34:25.039 --> 01:34:25.920
We can't say that anymore.
01:34:26.239 --> 01:34:27.199
Fireman sexist.
01:34:27.279 --> 01:34:36.640
We can't say that we're I always know when someone calls me and says, I'm a fireman, I'm like, okay, I have to be a little political correct and be five minutes early because the guy's gonna be like, You were late.
01:34:37.039 --> 01:34:38.000
You were right on time.
01:34:38.560 --> 01:34:39.279
Super serious.
01:34:39.520 --> 01:34:43.439
Well, hey, at the end of this podcast, we always do a let's go on the count of three.
01:34:43.520 --> 01:34:43.840
Are you ready?
01:34:44.000 --> 01:34:45.119
Yeah, let's do this.
01:34:45.279 --> 01:34:46.800
Um, by the way, you're coming back.
01:34:46.960 --> 01:34:48.000
You have no choice.
01:34:48.720 --> 01:34:49.680
Appreciate you being here.
01:34:49.920 --> 01:34:50.319
Okay, you ready?
01:34:50.479 --> 01:34:51.119
Let's go on three.
01:34:51.359 --> 01:34:52.319
One, two, three.
01:34:52.560 --> 01:34:53.279
Let's go.
01:34:54.079 --> 01:34:55.359
Hi, everybody.