Behind The Shield

Courtney Starkey is a Hypnotherapist and the author of "Cornflower". We discuss her turbulent childhood, her pursuit of mental health tools, the journey into hypnotherapy, hypnosis myths, the spiritual realm, alternative realities, healing, high performance and so much more.

Rob Ramirez is a veteran South Florida firefighter, USAR TF2 team member and National Rescue Consultants instructor. We discuss his journey into the fire service, responding to special need patients, entering special operations, Hurricane Katrina, the Parkland attack, the Surfside collapse, Hurricane Ian, firefighter fitness, realism in training, mental health and so much more.

Noah Galloway is an Army Airborne Veteran, amputee, author and altruist. We discuss his father's amputation, Noah's journey into the military, the IED that took his arm and leg in Bagdhad, his powerful physical and mental rehabilitation journey, obstacle racing, his book "Living with no Excuses", his non-profit and so much more.

Al Kavadlo is a strength and conditioning coach, author and one of the leaders in calisthenics training. We discuss his journey into fitness, bodybuilding, his introduction to coaching, the incredible power of bodyweight training, the importance of mobility, training the aging athlete, music and much more.

Lee Jeffries is an accountant and photographer who work spans from the homeless poulation to Metallica. We discuss his journey into accounting, the importance of mentorship, the chance encounter with a homeless woman that began his photography journey, catching a person's soul through film, how he ended up working with one of our generation's greatest bands and so much more.

Steve Gillespie is a retired FDNY Special Operations Firefighter and the man behind "Surviving the Job". We discuss volunteer firefighting as a teen, his journey into the FDNY, training diligence in Special Operations, his harrowing 9/11 story, The "Black Sunday" fire, the Deutsch Bank fire, processesing multiple LODDs, his own mental health story and much more.

Chance Burles is a Canadian Army veteran and the host of The Collective. We discuss childhood trauma, his journey into the military, his deployment in Afghanistan, transition, horsemanship, the healing power of equine therapy, podcasting, jiujitsu and so much more.

Alan Stott is an entrepreneur, author and the wife of British Special Forces soldier Dean Stott. We discuss the accident that left her horrendously burned as a child, the physical and mental rehabilitation journey, banking, the 2008 crash, eating disorders, the Mrs World competition, the challenges of the military spouse, her new books "She Who Dares" and "How to ask for Money", human trafficking and so much more.

Matt Hesse is an Army Veteran, Bullrider, Entrepreneur and the founder of The University of Health and Performance. We discuss childhood trauma, chasing adrenaline, grief, strength and conditioning, the supplement industry, how he grew his business, veteran transition, training coaches and so much more.

Andy Millar is a Social Worker, Athlete and cancer survivor. We discuss his Leukemia diagnosis at 2 years old, the physical and mental toll of chemo on a child, social work in the ER, his work in Hospice, finding Crossfit, the immense price tag of a cancer diagnosis, fighting a brain tumor during the pandemic, how his fitness saved his life and so much more.

Chief John Norman is a 50 year veteran of the fire service including 27 years with the FDNY. He is the author of multiple books including "Working with Giants". We discuss his father's teachings on service, his journey into fire prevention, joining the FDNY, notable rescues, the inability to save, 9/11, the WTC collapse, firefighter fitness, mental health, diligence in training and so much more.

Ken Corigliano is a world record holder athlete, 20 year service member and the man known as "Air Force Ken". We discuss trauma and homelessness as a child, his journey into the military, his perpective on war, the failure that drove him to physical excellence, the TBI that left him with Synesthesia, leadership, artificial intelligence and so much more.

Kelsi Sheren is a Canadian Army Veteran and the founder of Brass and Unity. We discuss her childhood martial arts story, the dark side of parental trust, her journey into the military, losing brothers in arms, compassion fatigue, her powerful mental health story, art therapy, entrepreneurialship, catharsis through podasting, her new book and so much more.

Jessie Gould is a former Army Ranger and the founder of Heroic Hearts Project. We discuss his journey into finance, 9/11, joining the military, his perspective on war, traumatic brain injury, his powerful mental health story, finding plant medicine, the healing power of psychedelics and so much more.

Katheryn Basso is a Marine and the founder of KADRI Clothing. We discuss her journey into sports medicine, joining the Marines, the female tactical athlete, the injury risks from ill fitting military equipment, international cyber threats, the obesity epidemic, entrepreneurialship, the genesis of KADRI and so much more.

Chris Irwin is a former Navy SEAL, musician and the creator of "Rare Sense". We discuss his journey into the Navy, his Crossfit evolution, his powerful mental health story, holistic medicine, leadership, catharsis through music, mind fitness and so much more.

A native of Riga, Latvia, Vlada Parrott grew up in a household influenced by Russian Ballet and Gymnastics. Her mother was a gymnastics coach to elite athletes, and her father was a world-renowned ballet dancer and director. We discuss her childhood in Eastern Europe, her journey into dance, touring as a professional performer, the injury that sent her down a holistic wellness path, the healing power of movement, pelvic floor health, motherhood, military families, the Human Performance Project and much more.

Greg Walsh is an athlete, martial artist and the founder of Wolf Brigade. We discuss his journey into extreme sports, the straight edge Hardcore scene, Crossfit, Jeet Kune Do, kettlebell training, youth athletes, mace work, strength and conditioning for the tactical athlete, the aging athlete and so much more.

Jack Carr is a former Navy SEAL, best selling author, outdoorsman and podcaster. In this second conversation, we discuss the creation of The Terminal List series, mental health, therapy dogs, leadership, his latest book 'Only the Dead" and much more.

Paige Figi's daughter Charlotte was only 3 months old when she started having regular seizures, ultimately being diagnosed with Dravet's Syndrome. By the time she was four, after a gamet of pharmceuticals have proven ineffective, Charlotte was on life support with only days to live. Desperate, Paige had begun researching plant medicine and found a high concentration Cannabanoid (CBD) from the hemp plant. She watched in disbelief as Charlotte began improving and the near constant seizures became infrequent. In this powerful conversation, we discuss Paige's early life as a rescue diver, her role as a military spouse, Charlotte's heartbreaking health struggles, how Paige began helping other families, the Coaltition for Access, the Major League Baseball team who is standing behind CBD and so much more.

Chris Macklin is a 20 year veteran South Metro firefighter and the head of one of the country's most progressive wellness departments. We discuss his journey into EMS, responding to the Columbine massacre, his own mental health journey, the genesis of Peer Support, training the tactical athlete, the importance of subject matter experts, injury rehab, fitness standards and so much more.

Paul Harris is a former Royal Marine who just completed a walk around the entire mainland Britain. We discuss the imact his childhood had in later years, his journey into one of the UK's most elite military units, his powerful mental health journey, teaching, the kindness and compassion that he found on his walk, the healing power of community and so much more.

Pat Byrne is a leader in sleep and fatigue management and the author of Inconvenient Sleep. We discuss his early work in Occupational Health and Safety, the tragedy that led him into sleep research, working with NHL athletes, the pros and cons of wearables, first responder sleep deprivation, AI in medicine and so much more.

Kevin Basik is a US Air Force Veteran, former Director of Character and Leadership Development and the current Chief of Leadership Programs at the Medal of Honor Institute. We discuss his journey into the military, the ROTC program, character, leading through the storm, some of the powerful Medal of Honor stories and so much more.

Joe De Sena is an athlete, author and the founder of Spartan. In this second conversation we discuss moving his headquarters to Orlando, the impact the pandemic had on both the athletes and his business, first responder recruitment, the health crisis, altrusim, community and so much more.

Evan Halquist is a veteran LA County firefighter, strength coach and Foundation Training instructor. We discuss the power of second chances, his journey into the fire service, training the tactical athlete, overcoming injury, back health, kettlebell training, contrast therapy and much more.

Meg Tucker is a US Army Major, athlete and the founder of the Valkyrie Project. We discuss her journey into the military, finding Crossfit, Nordic mythology, the physiological differences in the female tactical athlete, mentstrual cyles and training, pregnancy and so much more.

DJ Vanas is an Air Force Veteran, Native American voice and a member of the Ottawa Tribe. We discuss the Native American Warrior legacy within the US military, DJ's journey into the Air Force, homecoming ceremony, mental health, leadership, tribalism, honouring tradition, the power of storytelling and so much more.

The Antarctic Fire Angels are comprised of four British Firefighters who will undergo an expedition to the South Pole in November to raise money for The Firefighters Charity. The team consists of Georgina Gilbert, Becky Hinchley, Rebecca Openshaw-Rowe and Nikki Upton. We discuss their respective journeys into the fire service, the imortance of mentorship, firefighter fitness, mental toughness, their cold weather training in Norway, mental health and so much more.

Dr Kate Pate is a neurophysiologist and the founder of "The Way Back". In this second conversation, we take a deep dive into the world of breath, deregulating the nervous system, flow state, upregulating when needed, posture, efficiency and so much more.

Mike Goosby is a 31 Veteran LAPD Police Officer, Chief K9 Trainer and a Board Member of K9s United. We discuss his early life in Los Angeles, gang culture, the power of mentorship. his journey into law enforcement, entering the world of K9s, myths surrounding Police Dogs, the proactive, lifesaving application of a K9 program and so much more.

Emily Kaplan is an investigative journalist covering topics including violent crime, technology and health. She has also launched, run and sold four start ups. In this second conversation we discuss big sugar, diabetes and the obesity epidemic, menstruation and exercise, The Broken Science Initiative, The Crossfit book and so much more.

Emily Kaplan has spent over 17 years as an investigative journalist covering topics including violent crime, technology and health. We discuss her journey into journalism, women and research, the cancel culture, her 9/11 experience, Crossfit, Greg Glassman, the American health crisis and so much more.

Leigh Hosy-Pickett is a British Firefighter and the author of "Up in Smoke". We discuss his journey into the fire service, history vs tradition, the power of innovation, leadership, sleep deprivation, the Human Performance Project, mental health and much more.

Dr Ken Druck is a Clinical Psychologist, speaker and the author of numerous books. We discuss his journey into psychology, responding as a grief counselor to the Columbine massacre, 9/11 and Sandy Hook, losing his 21 year old daughter, his grief journey, aging, caring for an elderly relative, mental health, addiction and so much more.

Jamie Lissow is a comedian, writer and actor. We discuss childhood experiences that contributed to using humor, his journey into stand up comedy, the facade of "overnight success", mental health in entertainment, the dark side of Kratom, living in Alaska, his work with Rob Schneider and so much more.

Jadie Miller is a veteran Canadian firefighter and the founder of Pyroc. Dr Christopher Frueh is a Clinical Psychologist, co-founder of Pyroc and the man who created the diagnosis "Operator Syndrome". We discuss Jadie's traumatic childhood, being homeless at 8 years old, her journey into the fire service, Chris' journey into psychology, the holistic approach to mental ill health, "Firefighter Syndrome", sleep deprivation and much more.

Brendan Quisenberry is an Army Special Forces veteran and former 101st Airborne Division Parachute Demonstration Team member. He met his wife Nikki during war time and like many military and first repsonder marriages, they were exposed to the physiological and psychological traumas of service. We discuss Brendan's journey into the military, how they met, traumatic brain injury, mental health, infidelity, rebuilding trust, exogenous testosterone and health, the Human Performance Project, bodybuilding and so much more.

Amelia Lara spent over two decades in the Marines serving as a Military Police Officer, Criminal Investigator and was part of their boxing team. During her early career, she was stationed at Camp LeJeune and became one of over 500,000 servicemembers with catastrophic health issues from contaminated water. We discuss her journey into the Military, war and mental health, Marines Law enforcement, some of her career cases, her terminal cancer diagnosis, her fight for proactive change and so much more.

Heidi Chance is a veteran undercover Detective and the founder of "A Chance for Awareness". We discuss her journey into the Police Cadet program, her transtion into policing, the school resource officer, working undercover in the world of prostitution, sex trafficking, warning signs for parents, tools for first responders and so much more.

Josh Chase is an Army Veteran, fire service leader and author. We discuss his journey into Army aviation, transitioning from military leader to probationary firefighter, marriage, mental health, grief, leadership, his books, the rescue that earned him the Medal of Honor and much more.

Jason Van Camp is a Green Beret Veteran, author and the founder of Warrior Rising. We discuss his Westpoint experience, his journey into the military, serving in the Special Forces, Epilepsy, his transition out, entering the world of business, the genesis of his non-profit and so much more.

Kevin Hazzard is a Paramedic and the author of 1000 Naked Strangers and American Sirens. We discuss his journey into EMS, journalism, 911 abuse, burnout, career calls, mental health, the unknown story of America's first paramedics in Pittsburgh, racism and so much more.

Lee Sammartino is a BASE Jumper, musician and Marketing guru. We discuss his journey into extreme sports, his path into business, branding the fire service, his perspective on the drug industry, how to start a non-profit, leveraging marketing tools, social media, the power of relationships, the Human Performance Project and so much more.

Scott Chappell is a Florida Fire Captain, US&R/HazMat/MARC Program Coordinator and instructor. We discuss his journey into the fire service, responding to international incidents, special operations, firefighter fitness, shift work, sleep deprivation and much more.

John Doolittle is a former Navy SEAL Captain, Chief Revenue Officer for KAATSU and a public speaker. We discuss his journey into the Navy, the power of mentorship, his perspective on war, human performance, blood flow restriction, the Frogman Swim, transition, sleep and so much more. https://kaatsu.com/ https://johndoolittle.com/

Ben Bergeron is an author, podcaster and one of the world's most successful Crossfit coaches. We discuss his early life, coaching the youth athlete, his philosophy on mental toughness, seeking discomfort, Icelandic athletes, sleep and so much more.

Kegan Gill is and F-18 fighter pilot and the only man to survive an ejection at the speed of sound. We discuss his journey into aviation, entering the military, his near death experience, the physical rehabilitation road, his powerful mental health story, traumatic brain injury, psychedelics and so much more.

Whitney Lindsay is a former Army helicopter pilot and wildland firefighter. We discuss her journey into the military, training standards and safety, organizational betrayal, her powerful mental health story, Crossfit, the healing power of the wildland community and much more.

Chris Hauth is a world renowned endurance athlete, coach and podcaster. We discuss his shared childhood between Germany and America, physical education, mental toughness, Health Care, the importance of suffering, recovery, sleep, swimming, breath, the Human Performance Project and much more.