10_Hidden Battles with Founder Scott Hyder

Matt Domyancic is a Medically Retired Officer, SWAT, Chaplain, Former Police Officer and Strength Coach, Police Chaplain, Spiritual Director, & Peer Support and Wellness Advocate.

Social Media:

• Website: https://www.tacticalchaplain.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thinbluelinespirituality/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-domyancic-b7203b6/
• Profile: https://www.globalassociates.org/matt-domyancic/

Matt Domyancic is a medically retired police officer that worked patrol, Peer Support, SWAT, and as full-time police academy instructor for fitness and officer survival. While a police officer he was also concurrently a D1 strength and conditioning coach at Yale and Georgetown universities and led campus ministry for athletes. After his retirement, he was a strength coach and sports psychology consultant for professional and Olympic athletes at Velocity Sports, including NFL combine preparation for top round draft picks. 

Now Matt is also a Chaplain and Peer Support for various nonprofits that proactively support first responders dealing with stress and trauma. Police psychologists refer officers to Matt to do wellness activities along with peer support such as cold plunge, sauna, breath work, and sensory deprivation float tank. His approach integrates fitness, nutrition, sleep, self-regulation, and holistic self-care as a path to proactively grow mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually - rather than the common reactive-only approach to after someone has begun experiencing breakdown with PTSD, addiction, divorce, or suicidal ideation. 

This is a cool story. I’m so grateful to have been connected to Matt. His father challenged him academically and athletically growing up, leading to him developing discipline and structure that would become the core of what is Matt. This led him to be a D1 football player at the Air Force Academy, later graduating from Colgate. Then forensics, SWAT, strength and condition coach at Yale, chaplain and now a mentor and advocate for our first responders.

I love it when I meet someone who has a life I admire. I want to know how they did it. What cheat code did they use? The more people I talk to that have lives I admire the more I realize the cheat code is simple: Being disciplined, prioritizing mental and physical health, being mindful of what you fuel your body with, and having a goal. The other little commonality is how they view challenges. The cheat code is to see challenges as a positive thing - don’t fear failure. If you fail, you still learn, you still grow, and you become more enlightened or knowledgeable. Chase those dreams. The more I talk to the amazing people, the more that I’m only afraid of living an unchallenged life.

Resources Mentioned:

• Meditation
• Discipline, consistency, and passion in the things you do
• Have goals
• Working out
• Journaling
• Having someone you trust to talk with
• Therapy or a spiritual leader…have an objective perspective to check you and tell you when something seems off or is off
• Train your unconscious competence
• Have the tools to endure rough waters in place before you find yourself in rough waters. Be proactive.
• Artwork
• Dancing
• Get outdoors
• Fast from technology 
• If something resonates with you, write it down and do more of it tomorrow
• Breath work

We would really appreciate a share and like on IG, FB, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Twitter. I am always looking for veterans or first responders who have PTSD to share how you have raised the quality of your life t

I wanted to thank everyone who has helped with the podcast this year and since the beginning. If it wasn’t for the hard work and awesome support of Adore Digital Marketing, I would have reached only a fraction of the supports that I have. I have crushed all the expectations I had for the size of this podcast and the reach. I just assumed it would be my family and a few of those EOD brothers and sisters. 

Thank you to all the first responders, NGOs and leaders that have joined the podcast to share their stories and resources out there to help others find peace or raise the quality of their lives. I cannot wait until this podcast is my only job because it has been so much fun and has allowed me to connect with people really changing the landscape of mental health. 

I hope you have the most wonderful holiday season. If you are feeling isolated, alone, or depressed, reach out to friends and family that you haven’t talked with in a while. If no one pops to mind, feel free to shoot me a DM or email. Next year is looking to be another impactful year for the podcast and me personally. 

Happy holidays; see you next year!

Resources Mentioned:

• Social network that allows you to talk openly and freely about mental health. I have a group of people I text, video chat with that help me stay accountable, as well as allows me to bounce my ideas off them to develop my internal dialogue better. Helps me challenge my perspective and become a better person. 
• Educating myself on topics I want to learn more about. Gives me confidence and helps me feel like I’m not wasting my time. 
• Challenging myself. When I challenge myself, I realize that I am not as sensitive to discomfort. The things that once felt challenging are no longer intimidating. 
• Being companionate with myself. It has been a challenging year. I have had moments this year where I really struggled to stay on the path. I have been in a few high-pressure situations and found myself slipping into old habits. Becoming a better person isn’t like turning on a light switch. It’s a constant disciplined approach toward betterment. 

We would really appreciate a share and like on IG, FB, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Twitter. I am always looking for veterans or first responders who have PTSD to share how you have raised the quality of your life to hopefully shorten that journey for others. Additionally, if you support, provide services for these groups, or have extensive knowledge of benefits available for these groups please reach out. I would love to have a chat and share that knowledge with the community.

Deborah Green is a retired 911 dispatcher, mental health advocate, and memaw of 10.

Social Media:

• LinkedIn : http://www.linkedin.com/in/deborah-green-202781237/
• Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/d911green/
• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/deborah.green.790/
• TikTok: Deborah Green (@d911green)

Deborah Green is a former 911 dispatcher who developed PTSD after a horrific call where she lost her officer. She is now a mental health advocate hoping to change the support provided to first responders. When she is not wrangling one of her TEN grandchildren, she is on a podcast or talking to all that will listen about her story and those like her. 

Deborah was a wonderful guest. My mother was a dispatcher. I remember we were too small to stay at home and babysitters were not free. Thankfully my mother was able to take us to work when she worked the night shift. We would sit there and listen to her officers get into some hairy situations. I was pretty good at looking up license numbers on the microfiche. I still remember how she would end a transmission: KR441. Talking with Deborah had me walking down memory lane. Even back then I would worry for the officers, and when the silence was over and they came across the radio saying all was good to go, it was such a relief. I hope you enjoy her story as I did and find something positive to take with you. 

Resources Mentioned:

• Meditation
• Exercise, going for walks outside
• Being outside
• Be present in the moment
• Therapy
• Gratitude posts every day on Facebook for two years
• Discipline and holding herself accountable
• Positive support structure

 We would really appreciate a share and like on IG, FB, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Twitter. I am always looking for veterans or first responders who have PTSD to share how you have raised the quality of your life to hopefully shorten that journey for others. Additionally, if you support, provide services for these groups, or have extensive knowledge of benefits available for these groups please reach out. I would love to have a chat and share that knowledge with the community.

Matt Quackenbush is a trauma therapist, public speaker, researcher, a writer, and a teacher. Matt is the Director of Education and Training for Deer Hollow Recovery and host of the Finding Strength Podcast.

Social Media:

• Website: https://deerhollowrecovery.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/deerhollow/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/57638957/admin/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deer_hollow/
• Matt's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mattquackenbush.lcsw/?ref=py_c
• Finding Strength Podcast Instagram: https://instagram.com/findingstrengthpodcast

Matt has been a prominent advocate for change within the mental health community for nearly two decades, an exceptional public speaker with over 300+ hours of on-stage speaking experience. Renowned for his captivating presence, thought-provoking ideas, and impeccable delivery, Matt has become a sought-after expert. He is currently engaged in a national speaking tour with Deer Hollow Recovery & First Watch Wellness, where he educates First Responders, Veterans, & their families on the profound impact of stress, trauma, & PTSD. This highly requested training program showcases the most up-to-date best practices that are currently being utilized to address the mental health crisis within the First Responder and Veteran Communities. 

In addition to his speaking engagements, Matt serves as the esteemed host of the critically acclaimed Finding Strength Podcast. Through this platform, he explores various topics related to mental health, resilience, & personal growth, providing valuable insights to thousands of listeners.

Moreover, Matt holds the distinction of being a Certified Mind-Body Bridging Therapist, specializing in a diverse range of evidence-based trauma treatment models. With extensive experience encompassing over 15,000 hours of trauma-focused therapy, he employs therapeutic approaches such as Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Internal Family Systems (IFS), Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), Psychodrama, & mindfulness techniques.

Matt's dedication to his field and his extensive expertise makes him a highly respected professional within the mental health community. He was recently honored at the Health 2.0 International Healthcare Conference receiving the "Outstanding Leadership Award" due to his innovative work that is creating wide-spread change across the landscape of healthcare. 

Matt Quackenbush, The Quackstack, Sir Quackattack, The Quack is back… I had so much fun meeting Mr. Quacktastic, and it wasn’t just because he has such a fun name to say. This guy is knowledgeable and passionate. It was an amazing combo. Addiction has been a topic I wanted to discuss, and I hope to discuss more. I find it interesting how we can grab onto things for comfort and ignore the consequences that are sometimes deadly. I really enjoyed how Matt broke addictions down and put it in a perspective that clicked for me. I have always been fascinated on how an addiction isn’t always drugs, it can be an action like too much working or excessive exercise. It could be eating or most popular in the Veteran and first responder community…. alcohol. You can, and many do, love an addiction to death. Matt breaks down ways to identify if you are struggling, steps and resources to try if you are struggling and lets you know there is hope. I hope you enjoy this episode as much as I did. 

We would really appreciate a share and like on IG, FB, YouTube, and Twitter. 

‘Tall’ Tim is a retired firefighter with 44 years in the fire service. Married 29 years, two adult kids, and now the Director of First Responders for Stronger Families, a non-profit that does relationship work for military, veterans and first responders.

Social Media:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/strongerfamilies/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/strongerfamilieslive
• Podcast: Heroes at Home Podcast
• Website: www.strongerfamilies.com
• Tim's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tim.sears.92
• Tim's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timgsears/

Stronger Families helps departments strengthen marriages, families, and personnel. They understand how important it is to have a strong support system, especially in the workplace and at home, there to provide that support.  

The support they provide is Department Wellness Block Training. This is 6 sessions, available in both on-site training and online training through their Dashboard, which includes videos, PowerPoint slides, scripts, and materials needed for the training.

For First Responders at home, they offer customized 8-hour Couples Retreats for departments, unions, and guilds. A Stronger Families OXYGEN Retreat is an experience designed for First Responder couples to receive life-changing relationship skills so they can be strong and thrive at home and at work. This weekend includes tools and opportunities for couples to connect with their partners and to laugh, learn, and become empowered to better navigate their relationships.

They also offer Date Nights where they help customize 6 different topics, each lasting about 90 minutes that you can bring to the couples in your department. These can be taught as “train-the-trainer” as well, so your own people from your department can host the events.

They have a newly created Spouse Support Network, where they assist in building a custom online dashboard for the PARTNERS of First Responders. The dashboard provides access to videos, podcasts, articles, and book suggestions, with new material added each month.

They are a non-profit organization whose goal is to bring life-changing relationship skills to military, first responder, and veteran families so they can be strong and thrive both at work and at home.

I really enjoyed talking with ‘Tall’ Tim. I know I say that about every episode, but I really do enjoy these stories. It reminds me of when I felt alone and isolated. I was trapped in my own mind assuming that everyone was judging me and seeing me in the warped negative light that I saw myself in. Hearing Tim’s story about getting help and not just getting it but wanting it. Wanting to be a better person - a better spouse - is so cool. Stories like these are my favorite to share because I know there’s a ton of us out there that feel exactly like he did. I know I did. Hopefully you all find something in this that is motivating and helpful. 

Resources Mentioned:

• Deer Hallow https://deerhollowrecovery.com
• First Watch Wellness , https://1stwatchwellness.com/
• Warrior’s Rest Foundation, https://warriorsrestfoundation.org/
• Mighty Oaks https://www.mightyoaksprograms.org
• No Bad Parts by Richard C. Schwartz

We would really appreciate a share and like on IG, FB, YouTube, and Twitter. 

Robert N. Cuyler, PhD serves as Chief Clinical Officer of Freespira, Inc. Dr. Cuyler supervises clinical operations of the company, heads research initiatives, and represents Freespira in conference, publication, and media outlets. His research on real world outcomes with Freespira was published in 2022 in Frontiers in Digital Health. Dr. Cuyler received his Ph.D. in Psychology from Louisiana State University and Post-Doctoral Fellowship at the Menninger Foundation.

Social Media:

• Dr. Cuyler's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-cuyler-phd-0618a62b/
• Freespira's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Freespira
• Freespira's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/freespira
• Freespira's YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@freespirainc
• Freespira's Twitter: https://twitter.com/Freespira_
• Freespira's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/freespira/

Robert N. Cuyler, PhD's consulting and management activities have focused on solving access problems in behavioral health, with a concentration on incorporating telemedicine and healthcare technology into clinical practice. He is the author (with Dutch Holland, PhD) of the book "Implementing Telemedicine: Completing Projects On Target On Time On Budget". He has authored or co-authored four textbook chapters on telemedicine, including the recent editions of Emergency Psychiatry and Textbook of Community Psychiatry.

As Freespira's Chief Clinical Officer, he is involved in their research activities. They have a randomized clinical trial underway at the University of Texas using Freespira as a treatment for a range of anxiety conditions. They are collaborating on a grant that will gain additional evidence on effectiveness with PTSD in veterans and active-duty military.  They are also collaborating with a VA psychologist looking at sleep apnea in veterans to determine if Freespira will help participants use CPAP therapy more effectively.

It was such a pleasure speaking with Dr. Cuyler. I love talking to people who are passionate about what they are doing. You can hear his enthusiasm as he talks about helping others. I always find myself learning something new when I have the opportunity to speak to these individuals with so much experience and knowledge working with people with PTSD. This was no different. 

I think the one that stood out the most to me was that deep breathing meditation may not be the best tool to use in a situation where you are being triggered or during a panic attack. This lines up well with what the doctor from Ukraine said to me. She mentioned that meditation can sometimes make the symptoms worse. I am not suggesting mediation is bad at all. I find that it is the best way to set me up for a successful day; I love doing a quick session following my cardio in the morning. I have noticed that if I’m in an intense situation I can maintain my calmness with controlled breathing. I would like to explore that topic more. Staying calm in highly stressful situations. Well, until next time…

Resources Mentioned:

• Freespira
• Learning to breathe properly and importance of your breath
• Doing things that make you feel uncomfortable.
• Don’t avoid or allow avoiding behaviors to take control
• Talk therapy
• Prolonged exposure therapy
• In-Vivo therapy

We would really appreciate a share and like on IG, FB, YouTube, and Twitter. 

Andi Ward, former Construction Electrical with the Navy Seabees; Director of Training and Resources for the non-profit Merging Vets and Players; Fitness coach and all-around health and wellness enthusiast

Social Media:

• Andi's Instagram: @andi.ward64
• Andi's Facebook: Andi Ward
• Andi's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andi-ward/
• Website: https://vetsandplayers.org
• MVP Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mergingvetsandplayers/
• MVP Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MVPMergingVetsandPlayers
• MVP LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/merging-vets-and-players/
• MVP the Movie: https://vetsandplayers.org/mvp-the-movie
• Watch now on iTunes, Prime Video, Verizon, Google Play, DirecTV, Microsoft Movies, Showtime and more!

Andi served as a Construction Electrician with the Navy Seabees and did deployments to Iraq and Africa. Knowing first-hand what it was like to struggle with the transition after leaving the service, Andi was drawn to working with other veterans and has been in the veteran non-profit space since 2017. In her role as the Director of Training and Resources for the nonprofit Merging Vets and Players, Andi designs and delivers training plans for staff, coaches and volunteers and connects members to resources in their area. She also co-authors MVP-PRO, a collection of concepts, topics, questions, and practices designed to move us all forward, increase our wellness, and build a stronger foundation of the people we deserve to be and the lives we deserve to live. 

Andi has a Bachelors in Kinesiology with an emphasis on Active Lifestyle Development and is a strength coach at Unbreakable Performance in West Hollywood, CA. In her free time, Andi enjoys working out, snowboarding, scuba diving, working with horses, and adventuring with her partner and their 90 lb. pit-bull.

I always like to try and formulate a concept of someone prior to recording or really starting to talk with a guest. I have heard of MVP but never really dove into the organization before. When I was first connected with Andi, I had a much different idea of the person as to the one I soon discovered. 

If you would like more info on her story, go check it out on the MVP website. She’s a real badass. I really enjoyed this conversation and talking with someone who is so passionate about what she does. I mean, she literally took time out her freakin WEDDING DAY to speak with me and share the awesomeness MVP is doing in our community. I hope you enjoy this chat as much as I did. 

Resources Mentioned:

• The Body Keeps the Score – Bessel Van Der Kolk
• In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts – Dr. Gabor Mate (anything by Dr Maté)
• Chasing the Scream – Johann Hari
• What Happened to You – Dr. Bruce Perry and Oprah
• Anything by Brené Brown

We would really appreciate a share and lik

Brainspotting and GHP with Dr. David Copeland, Licensed Mental Health Counselor-Supervisor in Florida, Licensed Clinical Pastoral Counselor, Certified Clinical Trauma Specialist, and Brainspotting Practitioner; Author of God’s Healing Process: An Everyday State of Grace Existence

Social Media:

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GHPCounselingServices/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdavidicopeland/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/dicopeland
• Website: https://www.ghpcounselingservices.com

Dr. David Copeland is a retired USAF veteran: started off front line Cold War, fall of the wall, Desert Shield/Desert Storm, over to the desert a number of times to include Kobar towers, and a remote tour at Kunsan Korea. After retiring from the USAF, he entered Youth Ministry for four and a half years and became a mental health counselor. 

His work has included both individuals & families with experience ranging from infants, children, & adolescents to Special Forces Combat Veterans (men & women). He's a former counseling director at Genesis House, where he worked with addiction issues and individuals coming out of prison or addiction centers. He has experience working in a clinical setting with a Medicated Assistant Treatment (MAT) program for opiate addictions.

Currently, Dr. Copeland is providing mental health counseling services in his private practice in Niceville, FL near Eglin AFB. His work includes helping individuals with trauma issues from adverse life experiences. His experience includes working with Combat veterans and their families on marital and attachment issues created from adverse conditions aka trauma. He has had several years of experience as a child and youth behavioral counselor with military families. 

Dr. Copeland is also a Christian Life Coach helping individuals with spiritual formation and has developed a unique and practical approach to trauma treatment by integrating science and faith that he calls God's Healing Process (GHP). 

I have always enjoyed my conversations with Dr. Copeland. I understand why people may have approached him with their problems in the days before he became a counselor. He is very approachable and has a depth of understanding that is easy to follow.

I listened back to our episode, and I noticed I didn’t ask a ton of questions in the early stages of the episode. I felt like every time I had a question, he just naturally transitioned into explaining that specific question I had. I feel like we could have talked for hours. I'm looking forward to the next time we chat and getting some experience trying brainspotting and self-spotting.

Resources:

•  Brainspotting: The Revolutionary New Therapy for Rapid and Effective Change by David Grand, PhD
• The Power of Brainspotting: An International Anthology by Gerhard Wolfrum Ed.
• This is Your Brain on Sports: Beating Blocks, Slumps, and Performance Anxiety for Good! by David Grand, PhD and Alan Goldberg, EdD
• Brainspotting with Children and Adolescents, An Attuned Treatment Approach for Effective Brain-Body Healing by Monika Baumann
• Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl
• Having connection with others

We would really appreciate a share and like on IG, FB, YouTube, and Twitter. I am always looking for veterans or first responders who have battled PTSD to share how you have raised the quality of your life to shorten that journey for others. Additionally, if you support, provide services for these groups, please reach out. I would love to have a chat.

John H. is Former EOD, a Combat Veteran, & the Author of Awakening of a Foot Soldier. He is a friend, father, soldier, sailor, and lover of life with a dash of pessimism and a hankering for shit-stirring. 

John served in the military in Somalia and Bosnia and has worked on the contracting side in the Middle East, East Europe, and Asia. 

In Iraq, he experienced a profound spiritual awakening which altered his life trajectory and consciousness. 

This was a fun episode for me. It was my first video recording; I don’t have the video, or I would post it. It was fun having a conversation about PTSD and life with a friend in a real setting. I enjoyed listening to how he identified internal signs that he was heading back to a war zone prior to his departure to Ukraine. I had also been identifying some changes within myself prior to coming to Ukraine. 

It was also interesting hearing him explain his personal journey to understanding his psyche, understanding it in his own way and in his own time. It may be hard to pick up on John's sarcasm, but it is so thick and constant. That is one of the reasons I find him hilarious. It really made for a fun episode. I remember when it ended thinking to myself, "how was that two and a half hours?" It felt like it went so quick. I hope you enjoy this episode as much as I did. 

Resources Mentioned:

• Exercise
• Outdoors
• Acupuncture
• Cranial Sacral
• Rolfing 
• Meditation 
• Energetic Therapy 
• Shamanism
• Psychedelics 
• Pursuing Truth
• Living open, real, and true to yourself

We would really appreciate a share and like on IG, FB, YouTube, and Twitter. I am always looking for veterans or first responders who have battled PTSD to share how you have raised the quality of your life to shorten that journey for others. Additionally, if you support, provide services for these groups, or have extensive knowledge of benefits available for these groups please reach out. I would love to have a chat and share that knowledge with the community.

Robin Collins is a Health Coach and founder of Pathway To Wellness With Robin. 

Robin educates, empowers and encourages Veterans and First Responders to learn ways they can support and balance their mind and body. 

Her passion is to help fill some of the gaps Veterans and First responders are experiencing in standard treatment options with compassionate coaching utilizing Holistic Health Principles.

Social Media:

• Website
• Instagram

Robin was such a lovely guest. She mentioned something that took me back to thoughts I had before seeking help for my mental health issues. I clearly remember thinking to myself that I wouldn’t get help for what I assumed was this PTSD thing everyone spoke about. I was so mad at myself for being weak and not being able to handle war better. I saw so many other guys who were over there with families, kids, normal lives and no anger issues or drinking problems. My pride kept me from healing for so long. Almost like if I pretended I didn’t need help then I wasn’t weak, and I didn’t have PTSD. Seeking help was the hardest thing I ever did. I believe it was so hard because it was the death of the idea of who I wanted and thought I should be. The projection of me I wanted others to believe was the real me. By getting help I was finally free to just be me. The peace that comes with just being free to be you and being a version of you that you are proud of, I cannot articulate accurately enough to give justice.

Resources Mentioned:

• Dynamic Neural Retraining System
• Neuroplasticity Coach 
• Structure
• Nutritionist
• Meditation by Joe Dispnza 
• Breathing Exercises 

We would really appreciate a share and like on IG, FB, YouTube, and Twitter. I am always looking for veterans or first responders who have battled PTSD to share how you have raised the quality of your life to shorten that journey for others. Additionally, if you support, provide services for these groups, or have extensive knowledge of benefits available for these groups please reach out. I would love to have a chat and share that knowledge with the community.