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  • Inside ILEETA: Exploring International Law Enforcement, Mental Health, and Family Support

    Inside ILEETA: Exploring International Law Enforcement, Mental Health, and Family Support
    2026/02/25

    Hosts:

    Dr. Ashlee Gethner, LCSW – Child of a Police Officer

    Jennifer Woosley Saylor, LPCC S – Child of a Police Officer

    Episode Overview

    In this episode, Jennifer and Ashlee dive into an exciting new adventure as they prep for their involvement with ILEETA - the International Law Enforcement Educators and Training Association. They share behind-the-scenes details about being invited to present and record live at the upcoming conference, their hopes for connecting with first responders from around the globe, and what it means for their podcast community.


    While Jennifer reveals a bit of FOMO about missing the conference because of family commitments, Ashlee discusses the nerves and honor of representing the show in a live podcasting arena. They reflect on their show's growth, the importance of including first responder families in the conversation, and how culture and location shape the first responder experience from Texas to Wisconsin to Sweden!


    This episode is filled with humor, heartfelt stories (like cowboy boot adventures and clever firefighter date tricks), and genuine curiosity. Jennifer and Ashlee encourage listeners to send in questions and feedback, making this a truly interactive season for "When The Call Hits Home."


    Key Topics Covered

    • The honor (and anxiety) of presenting and podcasting live at ILITA’s international conference

    • ILEETA explained: what it stands for and why it matters for law enforcement education globally

    • The vital role families play in first responder mental health and community

    • Contrasts and similarities across first responder experiences from different U.S. states to international cultures

    • The importance of wraparound wellness: addressing not just mental health, but physical fitness, financial well-being, and more


    Send in your questions, topics, and experiences!

    Jennifer and Ashlee want to include listener voices in their conference coverage—don't be shy!


    Grab your show merch and represent When The Call Hits Home as the podcast steps onto the global stage!


    Share the show with friends, family, and anyone in the first responder community.


    Got questions or feedback for the live episodes? Reach out via our usual channels or social media!

    Interested in learning more about ILEETA or getting your organization involved? Let us know, and we'll provide information during our live coverage.


    Thank you for being part of our community. From hard-hitting topics to laugh-out-loud moments, we’re here with you because when the call hits home, you’re never alone.

    Follow Us:

    - Facebook: When The Call Hits Home Podcast

    - Instagram: @whenthecallhitshome

    - Whenthecallhitshome.com

    ---

    This podcast does not contain medical / health advice. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice, diagnosis or treatment and should not be relied on as health or personal advice.

    The information contained in this podcast is for general information purposes only. The information is provided by Training Velocity LLC and while we endeavour to keep the information up to date and correct, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the Podcast or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained in the podcast for any purpose. Any reliance you place on such information is strictly at your own risk.

    WE ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE NOR LIABLE FOR ANY ADVICE, COURSE OF TREATMENT, DIAGNOSIS OR ANY OTHER INFORMATION, SERVICES OR PRODUCTS THAT YOU OBTAIN THROUGH THIS PODCAST.

    Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on this podcast.
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    不明
  • Breaking The Stigma: EMDR, Leadership, & Mental Health for First Responders

    Breaking The Stigma: EMDR, Leadership, & Mental Health for First Responders
    2026/02/11

    Hosts:

    Dr. Ashlee Gethner, LCSW – Child of a Police Officer

    Jennifer Woosley Saylor, LPCC S – Child of a Police Officer


    Guest:

    Chief Deputy Justin Miller, Kenosha Sheriff’s Office

    Episode Summary

    In this heartfelt episode, Chief Deputy Justin Miller returns to talk with Ashlee and Jennifer about leadership, mental health, and breaking stigma in first responder communities. The conversation dives deeply into Justin's personal journey using EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) therapy, how sharing vulnerability can transform departmental culture, and exciting news about their upcoming presentation at the International Law Enforcement Educators and Trainers Conference (ILEETA).

    Key Topics & HighlightsLeadership & Vulnerability: Chief Deputy Miller emphasizes leading by example, sharing his own mental health journey, and the importance of vulnerability in building trust within his department.

    EMDR Therapy: Ashlee and Jennifer discuss the impact of EMDR and how it’s not just for job-related trauma, but often for deeply personal experiences. Chief Deputy Miller shares his powerful story processing grief and trauma through EMDR, describing the emotional catharsis and lasting changes.

    Breaking the Stigma: The group addresses common fears around mental health programs for first responders -especially the worries about confidentiality, losing a job, or being seen as weak. Chief Deputy Miller advocates open dialogue, personal storytelling, and changing the culture to make wellness "the norm."

    Department Initiatives: Launching "neck up checkups"- annual mental health check-ins. High participation reflects growing trust and normalization of mental wellness.

    Upcoming Conference: Chief Deputy Miller and Ashlee (Dr. G) will co-present at ILEETA, sharing their department’s model for clinical and administrative partnership in crisis response.

    Bonus: "When The Call Hits Home" will be podcasting live throughout the week at the conference, expanding their reach to thousands of international law enforcement professionals.

    Thank you for tuning in! Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review "When The Call Hits Home" on your favorite podcast platforms!


    Follow Us:

    - Facebook: When The Call Hits Home Podcast

    - Instagram: @whenthecallhitshome

    - Whenthecallhitshome.com

    ---

    This podcast does not contain medical / health advice. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice, diagnosis or treatment and should not be relied on as health or personal advice.

    The information contained in this podcast is for general information purposes only. The information is provided by Training Velocity LLC and while we endeavour to keep the information up to date and correct, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the Podcast or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained in the podcast for any purpose. Any reliance you place on such information is strictly at your own risk.

    WE ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE NOR LIABLE FOR ANY ADVICE, COURSE OF TREATMENT, DIAGNOSIS OR ANY OTHER INFORMATION, SERVICES OR PRODUCTS THAT YOU OBTAIN THROUGH THIS PODCAST.

    Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on this podcast.
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    45 分
  • Dark Nights of the Soul: From Tragedy to Post-Traumatic Growth

    Dark Nights of the Soul: From Tragedy to Post-Traumatic Growth
    2026/01/28

    Hosts:


    Dr. Ashlee Gethner, LCSW – Child of a Police Officer

    Jennifer Woosley Saylor, LPCC S – Child of a Police Officer


    Guests:

    AJ DeAndrea - Retired Police Officer

    Madalena DeAndrea - Senior Manager of Strategic Projects, Recovery, and Resiliency for Jeffco Public Schools, Child of a Police OfficerEpisode Overview

    In this powerful episode, hosts Ashlee and Jennifer welcome father-daughter duo AJ DeAndrea and Madalena DeAndrea for a conversation that weaves together generational lessons on resiliency, mental health, and the impact of trauma both personally and professionally.

    AJ DeAndrea, a retired deputy chief from Arvada, Colorado, shares his experience as a first responder involved in multiple high-profile incidents, including three school shootings. His career reflections highlight not only the professional complexities of law enforcement but the lasting effects these events have on families.

    Madalena DeAndrea gives listeners a deeply personal account of surviving the Borderline Bar and Grill shooting in Thousand Oaks, California. She discusses how growing up as the daughter of a police officer shaped her own resiliency, practical safety skills, and approach toward post-traumatic growth. With openness, she details her healing journey—how agency, small actionable steps, and the support of her family and trusted professionals helped her move from trauma toward recovery and growth.

    Together, the DeAndreas discuss the importance of age-appropriate openness with family about traumatic events, the evolution of mental health support within law enforcement, and their commitment to sharing these insights across the country.

    Thank you for tuning in! Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review "When The Call Hits Home" on your favorite podcast platforms!


    Follow Us:

    - Facebook: When The Call Hits Home Podcast

    - Instagram: @whenthecallhitshome

    - Whenthecallhitshome.com

    ---

    This podcast does not contain medical / health advice. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice, diagnosis or treatment and should not be relied on as health or personal advice.

    The information contained in this podcast is for general information purposes only. The information is provided by Training Velocity LLC and while we endeavour to keep the information up to date and correct, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the Podcast or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained in the podcast for any purpose. Any reliance you place on such information is strictly at your own risk.

    WE ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE NOR LIABLE FOR ANY ADVICE, COURSE OF TREATMENT, DIAGNOSIS OR ANY OTHER INFORMATION, SERVICES OR PRODUCTS THAT YOU OBTAIN THROUGH THIS PODCAST.

    Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on this podcast.
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    57 分
  • Post-Traumatic Stress & Growth: Healing, Resiliency, and Hope for First Responder Families

    Post-Traumatic Stress & Growth: Healing, Resiliency, and Hope for First Responder Families
    2026/01/14
    Hosts:Dr. Ashlee Gethner, LCSW – Child of a Police OfficerJennifer Woosley Saylor, LPCC S – Child of a Police OfficerEpisode OverviewIt's the kickoff to 2026 for "When The Call Hits Home"! Jennifer and Ashlee reunite after the holidays each with a few survival stories to share about sick kids, hospital visits, and football games. This episode takes a deep dive into mental health in the world of first responders, focusing on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and the concept of Post Traumatic Growth.Key Topics DiscussedPTSD: Clinical & Real-World DefinitionsWhat PTSD means according to the diagnostic manual, how its definition and understanding have evolved.Early understanding of trauma as mainly war or abuse, contrasted with today’s broader view (cumulative events, “big T” and “little T” trauma).Common symptoms: not just flashbacks & nightmares also avoidance, numbness, irritability, concentration issues, and impulsivity.First Responders & Mental HealthUnique challenges faced, stigma around seeking help, and how even “expected” work-related trauma can have serious mental health impacts.Barriers to mental health support historically, and how policy is slowly catching up (e.g. recognizing PTSD as a compensable injury).The Power of Resilience & GrowthResilience as “bouncing back” – Rocky Balboa style!Introduction to Post Traumatic Growth: moving beyond survival to genuine transformation.Five domains of post traumatic growth:Appreciation of lifeRelationships with othersNew possibilitiesPersonal strengthSpiritual changeReal-world examples of first responders not just surviving trauma, but thriving and inspiring meaningful change in themselves and their communities.Family MattersHow PTSD and growth impact the family dynamics of first responders; encouragement for family-wide healing and mutual support.Personal stories, including the hosts’ own experiences as children of first responders.Therapy: Beyond DiagnosisThe importance of not just earning diagnoses, but focusing on recovery, growth, and positive psychology.Shout-outs to the transformative process of therapy and the courage it takes to seek help.A Symbolic ReflectionThe Japanese art of Kintsugi, repairing broken pottery with gold, serves as metaphor for healing: your flaws and brokenness can become strengths and sources of beauty.Don’t ForgetShop the merch store for some WTCHH swag!Stay tuned for exciting announcements and new episodes in the new year.If this episode resonated with you, please share your thoughts and stories with us - we love hearing from you!For questions or more info, reach out to the hosts, and remember: When the call hits home, Jennifer and Ashlee are here for you.Thank you for tuning in! Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review "When The Call Hits Home" on your favorite podcast platforms!Follow Us:- Facebook: When The Call Hits Home Podcast- Instagram: @whenthecallhitshome- Whenthecallhitshome.com---This podcast does not contain medical / health advice. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice, diagnosis or treatment and should not be relied on as health or personal advice.The information contained in this podcast is for general information purposes only. The information is provided by Training Velocity LLC and while we endeavour to keep the information up to date and correct, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the Podcast or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained in the podcast for any purpose. Any reliance you place on such information is strictly at your own risk. WE ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE NOR LIABLE FOR ANY ADVICE, COURSE OF TREATMENT, DIAGNOSIS OR ANY OTHER INFORMATION, SERVICES OR PRODUCTS THAT YOU OBTAIN THROUGH THIS PODCAST. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on this podcast.
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    30 分
  • Coping with Holiday Stress: Real Stories & Tips for First Responder Families

    Coping with Holiday Stress: Real Stories & Tips for First Responder Families
    2025/12/17
    Jennifer [00:00:00]: There is so much pressure on us to get so much done and so many more demands. And sometimes it's just saying no. That ability to say, like, hey, I can't go to the 12 Christmas parties. Welcome back to the podcast. Ashlee [00:00:16]: This is Jennifer and I'm Ashlee. It's us again. Jennifer [00:00:19]: It is us again. Jennifer [00:00:21]: Holiday season. Jennifer [00:00:23]: It is. It's a busy holiday season, but as usual, I'm glad it's just us. And we're excited for our special guests that we'll have back on the pod. But we were debating in terms of, like, gosh, it's the busy season, and I think we should talk about the seasons of the holidays and what that represents for us. Just kind of go from there, I think, is what we're going to start with. Jennifer [00:00:44]: Yeah, absolutely. It's a hard poll. We were both a little bit like, do we make everyone wait till the new year for some new episodes? Or then we were both sitting here talking about our experiences in terms of the holidays, how. How it relates to us working. And we both realize that, well, the holidays are actually. They're not just a stressful time for us. They're a stressful time for probably every single one of our listeners. And more so our first responders. Jennifer [00:01:09]: Right. They don't get that day off. Some of them don't. They don't get to be home with their families. I think there's a lot that goes into that. Jennifer [00:01:15]: There is. And I don't know, I mean, I just think from, like, inside baseball, I feel like that I always get a little bit busier as a therapist around the holidays, be it the approaching holiday or people's New Year's resolutions in January. And I think that the holidays bring up a lot of different things for people. You know, I think that there's plenty of holiday cheer and we always want to celebrate that. But I also think the reality of sometimes that there are things that the holidays brings that is hard. For example, I think something that can be hard with the holidays is if we're a new grieving family, like, if we've lost a family member and this is our first holiday, holiday season without them. Like, it kind of can feel so foreign and different, and traditions that we were looking forward to can be sad and can be hard. Jennifer [00:02:09]: Absolutely. Jennifer [00:02:10]: I think it's also the aspect which, you know, you pointed this out, Ashlee, is that not all our first responders get to celebrate the holidays. And sometimes it's just another day because they have work and trying to cover down time where a lot of people are Asking for time off. Yeah. Jennifer [00:02:27]: Oh, that's true too. Right. I guess I didn't even think about the shift changing, the people who do want time off, not being able to either get it or people being forced because of that. Right. Like, so there's a little bit of negativity that can sometimes come along with that. I do think that there is some truth to. Like you said, I do want to hit on this positive aspect of it too, because as you were talking about that something that came to my mind was my very favorite thing. Well, I feel nervous about saying this, so I'm going to have to pivot a little bit, but like, oh, okay. Jennifer [00:02:56]: Right when I was about to say it, I was like, maybe I shouldn't say this. My very favorite thing was shop with a cop. My dad let us be very active in that. My dad played a very big role in shop with the cop with his department. And he often was the big man, if you know what I'm saying. Like, my luck, someone's listening. And I'm not looking to. I'm not looking to destroy lives today. Jennifer [00:03:15]: Right. Looking to. To give it how it is all still believe. Jennifer [00:03:20]: And so that was one of my very favorite things because my dad would allow us girls to go and then my, My niece actually got to participate in it too. And it was such a learning experience for me as a child of a first responder. One, just to be so grateful for everything that I do have and how to give back to the community. But two, to see my dad in that role. Because again, we think of our first responders a lot of the times. Police. Jennifer [00:03:42]: Right. Jennifer [00:03:43]: We see them as their uniform. But if there's one thing about my dad is like, he loves so hard and so like, him being able to do that and to give back, especially with kids, like, it was so touching to see and it was something that I know he loved very, very much. Jennifer [00:03:57]: Yeah. Jennifer [00:03:58]: And so I, I do want to give a shout out to that because I do think there is a little bit in December where we see, like, more positive news about first responders because of the awesome things that they're trying to do for, for their communities around the holiday. Jennifer [00:04:11]: Right. Well, and I think about that too, in terms of when you're responding to people on their worst days and getting to have a moment of just getting to do ...
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    26 分
  • Understanding EMDR: A Therapy Approach for First Responders

    Understanding EMDR: A Therapy Approach for First Responders
    2025/12/03
    Jennifer [00:00:00]: First responders will say, I was just in the parking lot at Walmart and I needed to go in and I'm having this large physical reaction. That's because that amygdala talk about not being online, that amygdala has this kind of memory and this connection immediately with their body. And so EMDR does this great job and I say speaking amane, speaking to our amygdala through, through our physical body. You know, with emdr, you're doing a lot of check ins of notice what you notice in your body doing body scan, starting of the top of your head to the bottom of your toes. You know what do you notice? Do you notice tension? Do you notice relaxation? Do you notice numbness? Do you notice nothing? Like all those things are ways in which we're trying to get that to not let ourselves go offline. To use your. Hi, welcome back to the podcast. I'm Jennifer. Ashlee [00:00:55]: And I'm Ashlee. We hope everybody had a really great Thanksgiving. Jennifer [00:00:59]: Yes, we do. We do hope everyone has a good Thanksgiving and we appreciate you checking out our thankful episode. And it's just us again. We are doing things a little bit different here lately, but I like it when it's just you and I sometimes. Ashlee [00:01:13]: I know I kind of love it. I think people forget like everyone has lives and of course scheduling and things like that. But we are blessed. I mean we are super blessed. We have some really cool things lined up and honestly, like, it's really nice over the holidays not to have to worry about 1 million schedules. And just us too. Jennifer [00:01:31]: That is the truth. I was on a text message chain about people trying to meet and I'm like, we're really going to try to meet before January. No, like that's just not going to happen. So. And we have a specific thing we wanted to talk about today, which is emdr. Ashlee [00:01:49]: Yeah. And I think that I want to preference something that came to me when we were trying to brainstorm. Hey, what do we talk about today? Right? Like what do we give our audience? Something that I think we fall short on when we're talking about therapy in general is that a lot of people have one thought process and if there is something that I can say is that both of us are making waves and changing the stigma, especially with first responders coming to therapy. I still almost every day get the cliche of like, well, I thought therapy was, hey, tell me how this makes you feel over and over again. The whole come in my office, all my officers, my firefighters too. But I feel like my firefighters give me A little bit less grief. But hey, my police for sure will be like, oh, where's the big comfy couch that I get to lay on? And I'm like, okay, this, this is not, you know, But I've also been doing a heck of a lot of ride alongs, which is beautiful because one thing I always strive for in this, I guess, this career is that I never want to stop Lear from them too. So one way I do that is to ride along with them. Ashlee [00:02:53]: And in that ride along, I am doing nothing clinically. Of course, if we're stuck in a squad together for eight hours, I'm going to talk to you because I'm just a talker, but I'm there to learn from you. I'm there to just be excited about what's going on. I'm not there to diagnose or evaluate or what have you the person I'm riding with. And I get that every single time. They'll be like, doc G is coming with me. Oh, they must think I need an evaluation. They must think. Ashlee [00:03:17]: And I'm like, what? Like, that is not true. So that does often lead me to this discussion of what do you think therapy is? And while there's some truth to therapy being a lot about talking. Jennifer [00:03:28]: Right. Ashlee [00:03:28]: And a lot about processing, digging, connecting things, there's also different ways that we do therapy now. And I think we could spend six years, Jennifer, like, talking about all these things. But the one thing that I know both you and I kind of specialize in you more so than me. So I'm going to pass this mic a lot is emdr. And I think it's important to talk about. And I think this episode, we're just going to bring it to light and then probably expand upon it in like a follow up episode, only because there is so much. But why don't we break down what that is? I think it's important for people to know that there's different things out there that we can do. EMDR being one of them. Jennifer [00:04:05]: Yeah. Well, I think first is like, what is EMDR stand for? Yes. Which is eye movement desuscitation reprocessing. I always struggle. Ashlee [00:04:14]: Okay, I was just about to say I can never. I can never say that either again. Jennifer [00:04:20]: Yes. And the Francis Shapiro is the. I wouldn't call her the inventor, I guess the discoverer of EMDR and kind of move things forward with this therapeutic intervention. She said she wished to come up with a different name and I kind of wish that she had as well. But it really is just a ...
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    22 分
  • How Practicing Gratitude Builds Resilience for First Responder Families

    How Practicing Gratitude Builds Resilience for First Responder Families
    2025/11/19
    Jennifer [00:00:00]: The purpose of gratitude is to help that other part of this, which is literally our mindset. Right. Our cognitive distortions and. And trying to change those to feel better. Jennifer [00:00:10]: Yeah, And I agree with that. And I think, you know, I do want to hold space. When you are seeing humanity at its worst or responding to a horrible accident or just seeing those things, it is going to leave an impression on your mindset. And I think that's why that work to kind of skill build and, man, it might feel really hard is so important. And, you know, skill building isn't. Well, I did that once, and I didn't change anything, so I'm done with it. No, skill building is doing something over and over and over again to really build that skill. Welcome back to the podcast. Jennifer [00:00:51]: I'm Jennifer. Ashlee [00:00:53]: And I'm Ashlee. Jennifer [00:00:54]: With a different voice this week at. Right, Ashlee. Ashlee [00:00:57]: Sorry, everyone. I don't know what's going on. So we're just. Jennifer [00:01:00]: It wasn't from screaming for the Bears, so we can, like, rule that out because, man, you've had some victories. Ashlee [00:01:06]: It didn't help. Well, we are on another victory. Well, now. Yeah, no, it's Monday still victory Monday. So that never does. That never helps. But, yeah, we're losing it. The voice is just not wanting to stay these days. Ashlee [00:01:20]: Welcome to the winter weather. Jennifer [00:01:23]: Yeah, but you're gonna make it. It's just us today. Our special guest is ourselves. So that's our special guest today. And in prep, I was like, oh, you know, what are we going to talk about? And then. Oh, duh. Next week is Thanksgiving. So I am. Ashlee [00:01:39]: Wait a minute. It's next week. Jennifer [00:01:40]: It is next week. Ashlee [00:01:41]: Oh, okay, everybody. I thought we had two weeks or something like that. That's wild. Jennifer [00:01:47]: Oh, my gosh. Ashlee [00:01:49]: Wait a minute. Yeah, because it's Monday. Jennifer [00:01:52]: Wow. Ashlee [00:01:53]: Welcome to the show. Okay. Yes. Jennifer [00:01:56]: I'm sorry, I might need to do a quick. Can you tell your name, your date of birth? Like, can I do a real quick assessment? Like, are you. Ashlee [00:02:04]: So, like, I feel like I have to tell everyone that I've been gone. Like Earth. Like, yeah, just gone. So, like, I. I feel like I'm so behind in everything. I don't even know what's happening right now. But I did not think I was next week. So, like, gratitude. Ashlee [00:02:20]: I'm thankful you told me. Jennifer [00:02:22]: There you go. Well, and you traveled on a Monday and a conference on a weekend. It is kind of like, what's up, down? Like, it's hard to. I could understand that for sure. Ashlee [00:02:31]: Who does that? Jennifer [00:02:32]: Yeah. I will say Thanksgiving is My favorite holiday. I love Thanksgiving. It's not just because of the food. Like, I just think thankfulness, gratitude is just a really incredible thing and tool, especially when it comes to resiliency. So I wanted to talk about that. And then I think you had some other stuff like from your conference that you wanted to talk about. So I think that's just kind of it for us today that we were going to cover. Ashlee [00:02:59]: Yeah. And that's what I love, is that like when our worlds collide like this. So one of my very favorite speakers at this conference, this was all he talked about was gratitude and our perception. Even as law enforcement. Right. And first responders in general, our perception going into every day really controls a lot of the outcome to things. And yet a lot of us decide to have a negative perception on stuff and then wonder why life around us is negative. Jennifer [00:03:25]: Well, and that's one thing that I'm sure everybody's probably sick of me talking about my military resiliency training. But one thing is I think sometimes we're not even trying to have a negative mindset. It's just a negative bias. Like our brains are wired, you know, to look out for the saber tooth tiger, to not eat the poisonous berries. That's why all the news is bad news. That is kind of a natural like survival instinct wiring. And so it takes takes a step to do that, to have that more like gratitude positive mindset, if you will. And one thing that like again is from the MRT training is hunt the good stuff. Jennifer [00:04:06]: I feel like maybe I've talked about that on here before though. Ashlee [00:04:08]: We'll retalk about it because we've been on this for a while, so people need to hear it. Right. Jennifer [00:04:12]: Like, but hunt the good stuff is always like a great thing. And again, Thanksgiving is of that where you just name what you're thankful for and hunt the good stuff. You're just looking about what you enjoyed about your day. And the goal is to actually like sit. It's not just to like, well, I had a good cup of coffee, traffic wasn't bad. I got my work done, I got home. The goal is actually to kind of sit...
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    33 分
  • Behind the Headset: 911 Dispatchers, PTSD, and Mental Health

    Behind the Headset: 911 Dispatchers, PTSD, and Mental Health
    2025/11/05
    Ashlee [00:00:00]: Law enforcement is huge on this podcast, but we're trying to hit everyone. And here you are saying, like, this was my life as a dispatcher and I do think there is a disconnect sometimes. And I think that's something that I have learned from working in this field. I do think dispatchers don't get recognized enough for these incidences, for the stuff that they hear, that they go through. And look at this. You're saying this was personal to me too. Like this was my own call that I, that I took. Right. Ashlee [00:00:25]: And. And ptsd. It doesn't matter who you are. It doesn't discriminate. You can get it no matter what. And I think that's so incredibly important to share and. Jennifer [00:00:35]: Hi, welcome back to when the Call Hits Home. Ashlee [00:00:37]: This is Jennifer and I'm Ashlee. And today we have an incredible guest. I'm going to change the word. Well, I'm just going to say I say special every single time, but we're going to say incredible. And we're extremely excited to have him on because we're finally covering an area in which we've been saying we were going to grab. So before I go way too deep into this, I'm going to allow you to introduce yourself. Larry Fraser [00:00:58]: My name is Larry Frazier. I am the 911 director of a newly formed River County 911. We just recently combined Ballard and Carlisle county here in Kentucky into 1911-center. We took them over almost a year ago and we are in the final steps of getting everything completely finished. Their 911s now roll over to our department. So we're covering two counties now. We was able to increase our staff a little bit too for this. So it's been a very challenging year over the last year. Larry Fraser [00:01:29]: But I've been the 911 director here for Carlisle county before we merged for the last five years. Jennifer [00:01:36]: That's awesome, Larry, and I appreciate you sharing that. And it is hard making mergers happen, isn't it? Larry Fraser [00:01:43]: It's been very fun, though. We got a nice $400,000 grant from the state to do the merger. Ashlee [00:01:49]: Hey, Kentucky. Larry Fraser [00:01:50]: And to let us update everything we've got. So now our little bitty county of population less than 5,000 has now taken over a county with about 15,000 residents. And that 400,000 has allowed us to upgrade everything to next gen 911. Jennifer [00:02:07]: Wonderful to hear. Larry Fraser [00:02:09]: We have video to 911. We have text to 911. We have translation on 911 that's live. So if we get somebody that calls in speaking Spanish. Our system automatically translates everything for us. Jennifer [00:02:22]: It's really wonderful. Those real communities need those things too, Larry. So that's great. So just got to jump in here and tell me a little bit how and how being a first responder, 911, how mental health kind of plays into that. Larry Fraser [00:02:38]: Well, when I first got started, I was the very first 911 director here in Carlisle county in 1991. Wow. When we. Ashlee [00:02:46]: I wasn't born yet. Larry Fraser [00:02:48]: We don't need you to say when we first got. We first got the little red phone that 911 calls came in on. I have left 911 got into the state. Back then, mental health was not something that was ever a forefront of it back there. That was early times where PTSD was really coming out with just being a soldier's problem. That's something that was never on the forefront. Never even thought it would cross my mind when I went to college, that I would. Those psychology classes I took in college, I'd actually put into action sometime in my life. Larry Fraser [00:03:21]: But I came back into 911 in 2019 after semi retiring from my other job. Been in first responder my entire life. My father was Sheriff in the 70s, early 70s, mid 70s. My brother, myself are both 911 directors, both in EMS. I've been in law enforcement. I've worked with fire departments. It wasn't until after my second critical incident that mental health even really came to my mind that it's something that first responders needed. Once I went to PCIs for the first time in 2022, that's when my eyes were really opened and I've kind of dove off the deep end since that point. Larry Fraser [00:04:03]: I've taken several training classes to keep up with pcis. I just joined Kentucky's kccrt, which is Kentucky Community Crisis Response Team. Wow. I'm also a vice president of Kentucky apco. And with that, it's offered me the opportunity to be chairman of a small work group study where we are currently writing the standards, the National Standards for Peer Support Training. Ashlee [00:04:33]: Ooh, that's incredible. Larry Fraser [00:04:36]: The help that I got through PCIs utterly changed my life. That's when it really got into me that this is something that I'm passionate about, something that I wanted to make sure that I could bring it back home, put it to work here in my local dispatch center, be able to go to other dispatch centers and help...
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