First Responder Wellness Podcast with Conrad Weaver

What if the very thing you’ve been told is breaking you… is actually making you stronger? In this conversation, Conrad sits down with Dave Grossman to unpack what really happens inside the mind and body under stress. From the physiological effects of high-pressure situations to the misunderstood nature of PTSD, this episode challenges one of the most common narratives in first responder culture.

This conversation begins with a hard truth: most people will experience a handful of high-stress emergencies in their lifetime… but first responders live inside that stress—day after day. In this conversation, Rob Magao pulls back the curtain on what repeated exposure to use-of-force situations actually does to an officer’s mind. It’s not just the moment—it’s the aftermath. The second-guessing. The weight. The accumulation of stress that quietly builds until something breaks.

Need help? Check out these resources: www.firstresponderwellness.co/resources or Dial 988 for immediate help.  CODE RED Fundraiser: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/lightningdigital/code-red-a-cardiac-wake-up-call 129 - The Emotional Toll of Life in the Trauma Unit with Dr. Alicia Mangram What happens when the people trusted to save lives have nowhere safe to process their own pain? In this episode, Conrad Weaver talks with trauma surgeon Dr. Alicia Mangram about burnout inside hospital systems, the emotional toll of caring for the sick and dying, and why wellness in medicine has to become more than a buzzword. Together, they explore leadership, culture, work-life balance, COVID’s lasting impact, and Dr. Mangram’s vision for changing healthcare from the inside out. This episode will resonate with healthcare workers, first responders, leaders, and anyone who has ever carried the weight of caring for others while quietly neglecting themselves. ABOUT DR. MANGRAM Dr. Alicia Mangram is an accomplished trauma surgeon and critical care physician with more than 25 years of experience serving in high-stress hospital environments. Her work has placed her at the center of life-and-death care, where she has witnessed firsthand the emotional burden carried not only by physicians, but also by nurses, pharmacists, environmental staff, trainees, and every member of the clinical team. That experience has shaped her growing commitment to wellness, leadership, and long-term sustainability in medicine. Driven by a desire to change the culture of healthcare, Dr. Mangram created Compassionate Gift, a program designed to support surgeons, physicians, residents, advanced practice providers, and medical students in building what she calls “lifelong durability.” Through her GET Theory—God, Emotions, and Trust—she is working to create safe spaces where healthcare professionals can process hardship, reject stigma, and learn to stay whole while continuing to serve others. Her message is simple but profound: healthcare workers are gifted healers, but they also need healing communities of their own.   +++++ FIRST RESPONDER WELLNESS PODCAST Order the PTSD911 Film and Educational Toolkit here: https://ptsd911movie.com/toolkit/Web site:  https://ptsd911movie.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ptsd911movie/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ptsd911movie/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClQ8jxjxYqHgFQixBK4Bl0Q Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/first-responder-wellness-podcast/id1535675703 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2wW72dLZOKkO1QYUPzL2ih Purchase the PTSD911 film for your public safety agency or organization:https://ptsd911movie.com/toolkit/ The First Responder Wellness Podcast is a production of First Responder Wellness Solutions, LLC Copyright ©2026 First Responder Wellness Solutions, LLC - All rights Reserved.  

In part two of this conversation, Conrad Weaver and Taylor Montey get practical about sleep in the first responder world. They talk about how to create a better sleep environment in bunk rooms and at home, how alarms and abrupt wake-ups affect the body, whether sleep trackers help or hurt, how alcohol impacts recovery, when naps can be useful, and why even late-night phone scrolling can disrupt rest. This episode is full of realistic, actionable insight for first responders, leaders, spouses, and anyone trying to build healthier rhythms in a career that constantly disrupts them.

Special Edition - Code Red: A Cardiac Wake Up Call with Dr. Jonathan Sheinberg In this episode, Conrad Weaver sits down with Dr. Jon Sheinberg for a powerful conversation about one of the most overlooked threats to first responders: heart disease. What makes this discussion especially compelling is Dr. Sheinberg’s rare perspective. He has spent decades both as a physician and as a sworn law enforcement officer, giving him firsthand insight into the physical and physiological toll the job takes.