This episode of the Bend Don't Break podcast features a role reversal, with Brian Willis of the Excellence in Training Academy interviewing Neil Dubord, about the lessons and insights gained from the first 70 episodes of Bend Don't Break. The podcast explores the resilience of first responders, touching on critical incidents, mental health challenges, and strategies for overcoming adversity.

In this episode of Bend Don’t Break, host Neil Dubord sits down with Jake Suelzle, a seasoned corrections officer with over a decade of experience, to delve into the challenges faced by those working in one of the most demanding fields. Together, they explore the often-overlooked realities of life behind the fence, the emotional toll it takes, and the resilience required to thrive.

In this powerful episode of Bend Don’t Break, I sit down with Dr. Nolan Beise, neuroscientist and CEO of Circle—a groundbreaking Canadian neurotechnology company. Dr. Beise shares how first responders can proactively strengthen their brain health using innovative brainwave sensing technology.

On this episode of "Bend Don't Break," host Neil Dubord speaks with Jess Flores, a former police officer who has navigated the challenging journey from law enforcement to becoming a transition coach.

In this compelling episode of Bend, Don’t Break, host Neil Dubord sits down with Lieutenant Brian Murphy, a survivor of the Oak Creek Sikh Temple shooting. On August 5, 2012, Brian responded to a distress call, confronting a gunman who had already claimed multiple lives.

In this powerful episode, host Neil Dubord sits down with Jim Nixon, a seasoned community safety professional from the UK, to explore the deep and personal challenges that first responders and law enforcement officers face.

Join us for an eye-opening conversation with Jeff Wenninger, a former LAPD veteran and law enforcement consultant, as he dives into the heart of police culture and the challenges of creating resilient, well-rounded officers in today’s world.

This episode of the Bend Don't Break podcast features Katie West, a civilian transcriptionist for the RCMP, who opens up about her journey through chronic stress and PTSD. Often overlooked, civilian staff like transcriptionists and 911 operators are regularly exposed to traumatic content, yet lack the same mental health support systems available to front-line officers.

In this powerful episode of the Bend Don't Break podcast, we sit down with Daniel P. Smith, a seasoned journalist and author with deep personal ties to law enforcement. Daniel shares intimate stories from his life growing up in a family of Chicago police officers and explores the emotional toll the job takes on those who serve.

In this episode, we sit down with Chief Chad Martin to explore a powerful story of resilience, redemption, and leadership. From overcoming a turbulent childhood and the scars of early trauma, Chad’s journey is one of perseverance in the face of adversity. He shares candidly about his military and early law enforcement career, where unresolved personal challenges surfaced, leading to setbacks, including addiction and job loss.

Join us as we listen to the story of Diane Taylor, a former victim turned victor, who faced unimaginable loss and battled the depths of despair before reclaiming her life. Diane shares her profound experiences of grief and survival, including three suicide attempts, and the powerful journey that gives us all hope.

In this conversation, police commander Eric Tung discusses the importance of wellness and resilience in law enforcement. He shares his personal journey of recognizing the need to address sleep issues, chronic stress, and mental health in order to optimize his performance as a police officer. Eric also talks about the role of his podcast, Blue Grit Radio, in promoting wellness practices and building bridges between law enforcement and the community.

Bob Stenhouse, a former undercover police officer, shares his journey from undercover work to being a whistleblower and the impact it had on his mental health. He emphasizes the importance of maintaining balance, avoiding cynicism, and surrounding oneself with good people.

Constable Josh Harms shares his experience of being shot while on duty and his journey to resilience and mental health. He discusses the court process and the challenges he faced in seeking justice. Josh emphasizes the importance of accessing mental health resources and creating a supportive community for police officers.

Brad Savage, a police officer, shares his journey of resilience and self-care after experiencing traumatic incidents. He discusses the challenges of seeking help in a profession where there is a stigma around mental health. He highlights the impact of participating in peer-to-peer programs and attending courses like the Trauma Resiliency Program and Save a Warrior.

Jodie Baulkham, a survivor of the loss of her police officer husband, shares her journey of overcoming grief and supporting another first responder with PTSD. She emphasizes the importance of personal growth, effective communication, and mental health awareness. Jody encourages listeners to reflect on their own lives, assess their feelings, and set goals for the future.

In this conversation, Mark Bouchard discusses the importance of addressing mental health and stigma within the police force. He shares his personal experience with psychological injury and emphasizes the need for proactive action and individual responsibility in maintaining mental health. Bouchard also highlights the concept of suicide by cop and the challenges faced by officers in making lethal force decisions.

Constable Peggy MacConnell shares her experience of losing her husband in a tragic accident and how she coped with the grief and trauma. She emphasizes the importance of being your own advocate and doing what feels right for you. Peggy found support from the RCMP and her family, and she prioritized her physical fitness and mental well-being.

In this episode of the Bend Don't Break Podcast, retired police chief Les Sylven and Garry Foster discuss the benefits of transcendental meditation (TM) for first responders. They explain that TM is a simple and easy practice that can help reduce stress and build resilience.

In this episode, we remember Ryan Masales, also known as Chopper, who was an undercover operator for the Delta Police Department. Ryan battled brain cancer and shared his inspiring story on Bend Don't Break in 2019. Today, we re-release his story to honor him on the fourth anniversary of his passing. We miss you Chopper.

In this episode of Bend Don't Break, Courtney Luxen from the Calgary Police Service shares her journey of overcoming functional neurological disorder (FND) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Calgary Police Service Sergeant Greg Linkert a Tac officer assigned to the Bomb Unit. He started to experience some problems with motor skills that really affected his walking. Link was diagnosed with MS. The diagnosis made Link appreciate the smaller things in life. Listen to Link's positive outlook and his amazing resilience.

In this episode, Mitch Hardington from the Calgary Police Service shares his experience with PTSD and his journey to recovery. Mitch recounts a traumatic call where he found a man who had slit his throat, and the impact it had on his mental health.

RCMP Sergeant Greg Toogood was at home enjoying an evening with friends and family when his chocolate labrador Abby started uncharacteristically barking outside.  He went to the back door of his house to check on the dog.  Greg, silhouetted in the door, was ambushed from afar and shot causing significant, permanent damage to his right arm.

Join Chief Neil Dubord as he speaks with Greater Sudbury Police Service officer James Jefferson. James was involved in a critical incident that had a profound impact on how he managed and functioned. Until he was ready to acknowledge this impact and do something to help himself, he spiraled to his rock bottom. But when James did acknowledge the impact, he started a road to recovery for himself, and now uses his experiences and outlook to help others with the GSPS.

Dr. Mark Davies believes organizational culture can reduce barriers and contribute to healthy mental well-being. In speaking about a study conducted at Harvard, Dr. Davies states, “Unit cohesion in the military was a negative predictor of PTSD by a 20% variance.” Essentially, having the proper mechanisms in place before trauma occurs, can reduce the chance and severity of trauma, if and when trauma does happen.

5 days before her wedding, RCMP Cst. Sande Higgins was scheduled to fly from her northern Manitoba posting to Winnipeg. The plane crashed on take-off, leaving Sande to aide in the rescue of other surviving passengers. Sande talks about the growing anxiety and onset of PTSD following the crash, and how she was worked to understand her diagnosis and regain her health.

In this episode, Chief Neil Dubord speaks with RCMP Constable Ryan Moore about his struggle with PTSD and how he ended up helping others due to his own healing journey.

In this episode, Chief Dubord speaks with Kendra Devor, a Licensed Clinical Psychologist out of Orange County, California. Her professional experience has focused on treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, grief, and loss. Dr. Devor has extensive experience working with first responders and their family members.

Kyle Stubbs' life took a sudden shift in 2018 with the premature birth of his daughter. Kyle openly shares how his entire family was affected by this and especially the impact that the vulnerable health condition of his baby girl had on him as a father, a husband, and a cop. Kyle shares how he struggled to find the support he needed but, fortunately, ran into a therapeutic group that changed his life forever.

This week, Chief Neil Dubord is joined by Jonny Morris, CEO of the BC office of the Canadian Mental Health Association.

May 1st marks the start of Mental Health Awareness Week. In this episode, Chief Dubord speaks with Jonny about mental health, the work done by the CMHA, the importance of creating a psychologically safe workplace, and how the DPD has built a culture of care for their organization, as well as their community. A serious mental health related incident that closed an area bridge for several hours, and how the DPD managed that incident kicks of this episode.

This week, Chief Neil Dubord is joined by Grayson Hawkings and Joel Thirsk from the Delta Police Department as they speak about a critical incident that they were involved in.

This week, Chief Neil Dubord is joined by Todd Mason from the Victoria Police Department. In this episode, Chief Dubord speaks with Todd about two tragic incidents that changed his career and affected him deeply, impacting his physical and mental health profoundly.

Less than three years into her career she was shot in the leg while executing a search warrant at the home of a sex offender. Laurie shares her incredible story of losing her leg, her physical and mental recovery and her heroic return to work

Retired LAPD Chief Psychologist Dr. Kevin Jablonski discusses how, in 25 years with the LAPD, he observed policing distort and skew how police officers view their world - becoming increasingly negative.

Steve and Dave talks about how they put together a course for police officers to help face the stress and anxiety that come with their very challenging jobs.

This week, Chief Neil Dubord is joined by Nathan Kapler of the Ten Thirty-Three podcast. Nathan went into his career in the RCMP as a positive, motivated and compassionate person.

This week, Chief Neil Dubord is joined again by James Hardy who has been in policing for more than 4 decades, he was with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police then over to the Calgary Police Service, and later developed a consulting career.

This week, Chief Neil Dubord is joined by James Hardy who has been in policing for more than 4 decades, he was with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police then over to the Calgary Police Service, and later developed a consulting career.

Giselle discusses her drive for a life of service, the toll answering 9-1-1 calls took on her wellbeing and a traumatic incident that occurred outside of work where her life saving efforts to save a baby were unsuccessful.

Chief Dubord and Jenny speak about how being injured on the job led to the end of her beloved 12 year career.

In this episode, Shelby shares her story from her time in the RCMP’s Sex Crimes section investigating child sexual assaults and child pornography.

Chief Dubord speaks with Aaron about how his career and life were completely altered in 2019 after he was a victim of a serious on-duty pedestrian hit-and-run motor vehicle incident.

Dave shares key lessons he has learned as a Homicide Detective, impactful moments in his career that have changed his perspective on policing, and the coping strategies he leverages to protect his mental health.

Mike Bloxham, Dave Fouche, and Dave Teboul are all experienced Crisis Negotiators here to talk about the critical incident that brought them all together.

This week, Chief Neil Dubord is joined by Mark Bouchard. Mark first joined the Delta Police Department in 2007 and worked on patrol from 2009-2014 and then served on their Lower Mainland District Emergency Response Team from 2014-2019.

Chris shares his experience assisting with the wildfire effort in 2011 in Slave Lake, AB, and how it impacted his mental health in the years that followed.

RCMP Cpl. Deepak Prasad story about taking care for a community and fellow officers after a tragic event

Vancouver Firefighter Lieutenant Jenn Dawkins

RCMP Cst. Glen Fenimore's story of resilience

RCMP Sgt. Major Sebastien Lavoie's approach to leading through critical incidents

Las Vegas Police Department Lt. Joshua Bitsko recounts the months and years after the tragedy

Last Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Lieutenant Joshua Bitsko' moment-by-moment account of the ....

Abbotsford Police Cst. Mike Willford's story of compassion fatigue.

Edmonton Police Service members, Colleen Mooney and Glen Klose,

On this episode of Bend Don’t Break, host Chief Neil Dubord speaks to the founder of the Vancouver chapter of Beyond the Blue about the need for more peer support for family members of police officers.

Metro Vancouver Transit Police Constable (Cst.) Josh Harms joins the podcast to discuss his recovery after he was shot while on duty in early 2019.

A 20 year RCMP officer, Rob Farrer recognized the need for more awareness associated with post-traumatic stress disorder amongst first responders.