"You cannot choose your destiny, but you can create your legacy." - Randy Sutton

Balancing Relationship Dynamics in law enforcement goes far beyond romance. Host Tami Sharp is joined by Chris Zamora, Greg Nottingham, Ken Koch, and Special Guest - Randy Sutton to examine how trust, leadership, and human connection shape departments, communities, and individuals.

🎙️ Featured Guests

- Randy Sutton – Retired Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Lieutenant, Founder of The Wounded Blue, author of Rescuing 911: The Fight for America’s Safety
- Chris Zamora – Retired Detective, co-founder and co-host
- Greg Nottingham – Retired Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office Sergeant, Chief of Staff at Law Enforcement Coaching
- Ken Koch – Retired Flagstaff PD officer and former Chief of Police

🧠 What Gets Unpacked

- Why officers isolate—or emotionally dump—when they get home, and how both damage relationships
- The difference between not getting what you want and actual betrayal of trust
- How leadership decisions quietly shape culture for years
- Why broken trust inside departments leads to disengagement, resentment, and exits
- The hidden cost paid by injured officers when leadership turns away
- Why recruitment and retention aren’t a money problem
- What truly drives officers to stay—or leave—for another agency
- How compassion separates good cops from great ones
- Why legacy matters more than position
- How small, human actions build real camaraderie
- Why communities struggle to understand policing—and how departments can close the gap

📚 Resources & References Mentioned

The Wounded Blue – Support and advocacy for injured and disabled officers
🔗 https://thewoundedblue.org
Rescuing 911: The Fight for America’s Safety
Cops (now in its 38th season)
Cops Coffee Company – Mission-driven coffee company benefiting The Wounded Blue
Law Enforcement Coaching
🔗 https://lawenforcementcoaching.com

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If you’re feeling like the last few years have been a nonstop “whack-a-mole” of stress, chaos, and burnout… you’re not alone. This episode breaks down what it really takes to stay grounded in your goals when life (and the world) keeps throwing curveballs — especially in high-pressure careers like law enforcement, corrections, dispatch, and first responder work.

In this episode of the Blah Blah Blah…Something Wellness Podcast, Tami Sharp is joined by Mike Badgley, Greg Nottingham, Mike Lawson, Alex Mann, and Matt Domyancic for a powerful conversation wrapping up our series on Reframing Resolutions for Success — with real-world insight on mindset, discipline, goal setting, wellness, identity, and proactive self-care.

In this episode, we talk about:

✅ Why discipline looks different for everyone — and how to build it before life gets chaotic
✅ The “left of bang” mindset: building habits before everything falls apart
✅ How wellness becomes operational readiness (and why reactive models fail)
✅ The difference between reacting vs responding (and how to train it)
✅ Why goals without habits and goals without environment change set you up to fail
✅ How improv teaches the “Yes, And” mindset — and why it matters in communication + crisis
✅ The hidden importance of labs, HRV, sleep, stress, hormones, and performance longevity
✅ Why some “bad decisions” may be tied to unmanaged stress, fatigue, hormones, or untreated PTSD
✅ Why working out on duty isn’t a liability — it’s prevention
✅ How departments can shift culture in small steps (even when short-staffed)
✅ Post-traumatic growth: using adversity to grow instead of letting it destroy you
✅ Humor, laughter, and dark moments: why they’re normal under stress (and not “heartless”)
✅ The identity shift after retirement and how to build a life beyond the career

Books & Resources Mentioned

📚 Setting My Sights on Stigma: Thoughts from an Injured Mind — Marc Bouchard
📚 Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus — Dr. John Gray
📚 The Gift of Fear — Gavin de Becker
📚 Wade Neurosciences (EEG / neurofeedback resource)
📚 Oura Ring (HRV + sleep + recovery tracking)
🩺 Opt Health (blood panels every 3 months; first responder/veteran discount mentioned)
🩺 HeartFit for Duty (Arizona first responder wellness clinic)
🧠 Concepts referenced: post-traumatic growth, parasympathetic nervous system, HRV, functional/integrative medicine, TRT and hormone optimization

Connect With Us

If your department is short-staffed, burned out, or stretched thin — and you need a credible external wellness resource that understands the culture from the inside out, reach out and let’s talk.

If This Episode Hit Home…

👍 Like
💬 Comment your biggest takeaway
🔔 Subscribe for weekly conversations that help you stay grounded, sharp, and steady through the pressure

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This episode delivers unfiltered, boots-on-the-ground insight from active law enforcement officers working across Nevada, Washington, and Arizona. Tami Sharp, Chris Zamora, Greg Anton, Jed Cates, and Thomas Bolen share real-world truths pulled straight from the street—what’s working, what’s broken, and what officers are actually facing right now.

While every agency and jurisdiction has its own challenges, this conversation highlights the universal principles that apply across law enforcement: mindset, standards, accountability, adaptability, and the leadership styles needed for the next generation.

This isn’t about traditional resolutions—it’s about recalibrating how officers think, lead, and operate under pressure to build sustainable careers and stronger teams in a profession that continues to evolve.
No theory. No buzzwords. Just real experience shaping the future of law enforcement leadership.

💡 What You’ll Learn

- Why short-term and daily goals outperform traditional New Year’s resolutions
- How to reframe failure, missed promotions, and setbacks without becoming bitter or disengaged
- The connection between professionalism, appearance, and officer safety
- How senior officers and supervisors shape culture—intentionally or not
- Why call stacking fuels chronic stress and how leaders can reduce it
- The importance of ownership, accountability, and pride in the profession
- How proactive use of coaching, therapy, and peer support changes department culture
- Why “recalibration” beats burnout, avoidance, or resignation

📚 Resources & Mentions

- Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey
- Law Enforcement Coaching – Proactive leadership and mindset recalibration support

If you’re entering a new year feeling burned out, frustrated, stuck, or questioning your path—this conversation offers perspective, practical tools, and a reminder that sustainable success doesn’t require breaking yourself to prove commitment.

🎧 Listen & Subscribe:
Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube

New episodes drop regularly with real conversations for law enforcement professionals navigating real careers, real pressure, and real life.

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Your mind isn’t sabotaging you — it’s trying to protect you.
The problem is, protection can quietly turn into self-limitation.

In this episode of Blah, Blah, Blah… Something Wellness, Tami Sharp is joined by Chris Zamora, Mike Brown, and Rayne Gray for an honest, wide-ranging conversation about goal-setting, imposter syndrome, fear of failure, discipline, and why so many capable people stall right before real momentum takes hold.

Using real coaching stories, first-responder experience, and the unexpectedly accurate metaphor from The Waterboy, the group breaks down how the subconscious mind operates like an overprotective parent — well-intentioned, but often keeping us from growth, leadership, health, and long-term fulfillment.

This conversation is especially relevant for law enforcement, fire service, first responders, leaders, and anyone navigating change, promotion, retirement, or identity shifts, but the insights apply far beyond the badge.

💡 What You’ll Learn

• Why traditional New Year’s resolutions fail — and what actually works instead
• How imposter syndrome shows up in high performers and leaders
• The difference between motivation, discipline, and sustainable consistency
• Why “recalibration” is not failure, but self-awareness and maturity
• How fear of what’s next quietly derails promotions, health goals, and retirement readiness
• Why small, repeatable actions outperform big, all-or-nothing goals
• How to recognize when your subconscious is protecting you — and how to move forward anyway

👥 Panel Guests

Host: Tami Sharp — Law Enforcement Coaching
Chris Zamora — Retired Detective, Clinical Hypnotherapist, Law Enforcement Coaching
Mike Brown — Federal Special Agent, Coach, Law Enforcement Coaching
Rayne Gray — Assistant Fire Chief, Endurance Athlete, Leader & Mentor

📚 Books & References Mentioned

• The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse — perspective on taking the next right step when the path isn’t clear
• The Waterboy — a surprisingly accurate analogy for how the subconscious operates
• Coaching and hypnotherapy principles related to subconscious protection, fear responses, and identity

🎬 Bonus at the End

👉 Stay tuned until the very end for bonus footage, laughs, and a special thank-you shout-out to Rob Schneider for participating in one of our retirement ceremonies filled with fun and laughter — and for being a vocal supporter of Law Enforcement.

Your subconscious isn’t broken.
It just needs better instructions.

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In this powerful and unfiltered episode of the Blah Blah Blah…Something Wellness Podcast, Tami Sharp and Chris Zamora sit down with Eric Tung, Jeff McGreevy, and Jason Lehman to confront one of the most uncomfortable truths in public safety:

👉 Alcohol isn’t the real problem. It’s what we’re trying to escape.

This conversation goes far beyond drinking. It dives into the silent addictions destroying careers, families, and identities in law enforcement and first responder culture—overwork, ego, cynicism, constant connectivity, and the belief that you’re irreplaceable.

Guests:

- Eric Tung (Commander | Blue Grit Radio / Blue Grit Wellness)
- Jeff McGreevy (First Responder Wellness)
- Jason Lehman (Retired LBPD | Founder, Why’d You Stop Me)

In this episode, we cover:

- Alcohol as a symptom: what it’s masking (sleep, stress, trauma, emotional dysregulation)
- The “little stuff” that takes people out: ego, overfunctioning, always-on work culture
- Cynicism vs. healthy skepticism (and why cynicism can become addictive)
- The hidden addiction no one wants to talk about: phones + doom scrolling
- Why “the department is family” can become a dangerous lie
- How to course-correct without shame: awareness, boundaries, trust, and real support
- A powerful, honest conversation about suicidal ideation, fear-based anger, and the systems that save lives

Resources & references mentioned:

First Responder Wellness (trauma-focused residential treatment for public safety)
https://www.firstresponder-wellness.com/
Victory Mindset Leadership & Resilience Summit (Tombstone Courage)
https://www.victorymindset.com/
Why’d You Stop Me (WYSM) (from duty to desire leadership + legitimacy training)
https://wysm.org/
Blue Grit Wellness
https://www.bluegritwellness.com/
Echelon Front (Jocko Willink & Leif Babin’s leadership company)
https://echelonfront.com/
Law Enforcement Coaching
https://lawenforcementcoaching.com/

If you’re struggling:
You’re not weak. You’re not alone. If alcohol (or anything) is impacting your sleep, relationships, parenting, or career—reach out. If we can’t help directly, we’ll help connect you to someone who can.

👍 Like, subscribe, and share—because this message reaches the people who need it most when you pass it along.

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What happens when addiction doesn’t start with a bad choice… but with a legitimate injury, a prescription, or simply the desperate need to sleep?

In this episode of the Blah, Blah, Blah… Something Wellness Podcast, host Tami Sharp is joined by Ken Koch, Cory Sack, and Mike Badgley for a raw, first-responder-specific conversation that moves beyond alcohol and into the realities of opiates, sleep-driven self-medicating, and the “softer” addictions many high performers hide behind—like adrenaline, perfectionism, performance, and chaos.

You’ll hear:

How on-the-job injuries can quietly turn into opioid dependency (even when taken as prescribed)

Why sleep struggles are a major driver of addiction (and why so many first responders self-medicate just to shut their brain off)

The difference between hard addictions (substances) and soft addictions (achievement, overworking, overtraining, constant stimulation)

What isolation does to recovery—and why connection is the antidote

Practical ideas to start shifting your nighttime routine and nervous system without shame, stigma, or “just try harder” advice

If you’re a law enforcement professional, dispatcher, firefighter, EMS provider, corrections, military—or a spouse who’s watching someone you love struggle—this one is for you.

🎧 Listen + Subscribe
Follow @somethingwellnesspodcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon/Audible, and YouTube for weekly roundtable conversations built for first responder life.

💬 Want to share what’s working for you?
Drop your best sleep or recovery tools in the comments—what actually helps you shut your mind off and get real rest?

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Some conversations cut straight to the heart of what’s really happening behind the badge—and this is one of them. In Episode 23, Tami Sharp and Chris Zamora sit down with Brian Gillespie and Jeff Daukas to explore the complicated, often unspoken relationship first responders have with alcohol. From the culture that accepts heavy drinking as normal, to the trauma and burnout that feed it, to the moments of clarity that finally push change—this episode is a raw, honest look at recovery, identity, and rewriting your story.

In This Episode

- How alcohol becomes woven into first responder identity and culture
- The quiet descent into “functioning” addiction
- What surrender actually looks like—AA, faith, brotherhood, and support
- The danger of over-investment: when the job becomes the addiction
- What culturally competent support REALLY means for police, fire, EMS, veterans
- Why traditional AA isn’t always a fit—and alternatives that do work
- Healing the family side: kids, spouses, legacy, breaking generational cycles
- The spiritual disconnection behind addiction (and how to reconnect)
- Guidance for leaders, peers, and departments on supporting their people

Meet Today’s Guests
Brian Gillespie
Marine Corps veteran • Retired NJ police officer • 10+ years sober • Peer support & recovery advocate
Contact:
📩 Email: shoremarines@gmail.com
🌐 Healing Heroes Outpatient Program: https://www.center4heroes.com/

Jeff Daukas

25+ years in law enforcement • Investigator • Instructor • Faith-based mentor • Speaker
Contact:
📩 Email:jdaukas@live.com
🌐 Mission First Alliance: https://missionfirstalliance.com


Chris Zamora

Retired Gilbert PD Detective • Creator of Duty Driven Deterioration • Co-founder of Law Enforcement Coaching
🌐 https://www.lawenforcementcoaching.com
Hosted by Tami Sharp
Founder of Law Enforcement Coaching • Mental Wellness Specialist • Speaker • Advocate
🌐 https://www.lawenforcementcoaching.com
📩 Email: tami@lawenforcementcoaching.com

Additional Mentioned Resources

- Boulder Crest Foundation (Warrior PATHH / Post-Traumatic Growth)
https://bouldercrest.org
- HeartFit for Duty / Kim Cairns (First Responder Health & Fitness)
https://www.heartfitforduty.org/
- AA / Bottles & Badges / First Responder AA Meetings
Local meeting finder: https://www.aa.org/find-aa
- Bouldercrest/Struggle Well Training
https://bouldercrest.org/program/struggle-well/

**Looking for Support? You’re Not Alone.**
Whether you're questioning your relationship with alcohol or trying to support someone you love—help exists, and it’s culturally competent, confidential, and built for you.

Reach out to any of us. One conversation can change everything.

If this episode resonated with you, hit FOLLOW & SUBSCRIBE to the
@SomethingWellness Podcast on:
🎧 Spotify
 Apple Podcasts
📚 Amazon Audible
▶️ YouTube
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When alcohol becomes the “miracle drug” that takes away the nightmares, the headaches, and the rage… what happens when it stops working?

In this powerful episode of the Blah, Blah, Blah…Something Wellness podcast, host Tami Sharp sits down with Vance Row (retired public safety professional, yoga teacher, and peer recovery specialist) and Officer Mike Martinez (San Diego PD & wellness-unit team member) to talk openly about alcohol, trauma, PTSD, and what real recovery actually looks like for first responders and their families.

From multiple officer-involved shootings and suicidal ideation to first-responder-only treatment, peer support, yoga, and post-traumatic growth, this conversation is raw, honest, and packed with hope—and practical resources.

In this episode:

- How alcohol becomes the “miracle fix”… until it doesn’t
- Cumulative trauma, PTSD, and culture-driven silence
- Functional addiction: thriving at work, collapsing at home
- Getting sober vs. staying sober
- How spouses, partners, and departments can support real recovery
- Resources you can use right now, no matter where you work

About the Guests

Vance Row – Retired police officer/dispatcher, yoga teacher, and Peer Recovery Specialist. Six years sober and dedicated to helping first responders heal.

Officer Mike Martinez – San Diego PD. Survived four OIS incidents, entered first-responder treatment, repaired his family, and now serves on SDPD’s wellness unit while speaking nationwide.

Host: Tami Sharp – Founder of Law Enforcement Coaching and holistic wellness practitioner supporting officers, first responders, and their families.

Resources Mentioned

Crisis Support
COPLINE (24/7 confidential hotline for LE): https://www.copline.org

Treatment & Wellness
- First Responder Wellness: https://www.firstresponder-wellness.com
- Harbor of Grace FR Wellness Center: https://harborofgracerecovery.com/first-responders
- Warriors Heart: https://www.warriorsheart.com
- Institutes of Health – First Responder Institute: https://institutesofhealth.org/first-responder-institute
- Boulder Crest – Struggle Well & Warrior PATHH: https://bouldercrest.org
- Vance Row - 410-726-2469 vancerow@gmail.com

Law Enforcement Coaching
https://lawenforcementcoaching.com

⭐ CALL TO ACTION ⭐

If this episode hit home, make sure to follow and subscribe to the @somethingwellness podcast on all platforms:

Spotify
Apple Podcasts
Amazon Audible
YouTube
TikTok

Your follows, reviews, and shares help us reach more first responders, spouses, and families who need this conversation. 💙

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