Behind The Shield

Marcus Waugh is the World's Strongest Firefighter and Ohio's Strongest Man. We discuss college football, his journey into law enforcement, his experience in the jails, powerlifting, his path into the fire service, strongman competition, training the tactical athlete, fitness standards, the firefighter marriage, the powerful spiritual experience that bolstered his faith and so much more.

Alex Douglass was an 11 year veteran of the Pennsylvania State Police when his station was ambushed by a psychotic gunman. His brother trooper Bryon DIckson was murdered and Alex suffered near fatal wounds.We discuss his journey into law enforcement, the horrendous attack, the manhunt that followed, his mental health journey, the decision to amputate his leg, Operation Enduring Warrior, the healing power of community and so much more.

Josh Brolin is a former wildland firefighter, actor and the author of his upcoming book "From Under the Truck" . In this second interview, we discuss social media, fame, family, kindness, trolls, adventure, writing and so much more.

Amanda Testa is a Sex, Love and Relationship Coach and the founder of Find Your Feminine Fire. We discuss the impact of childhood on sexuality, how open conversation improves your childrens' safety, body dysmorphia, tantric sex, the negative impact of porn, sex and marriage and so much more."Something I often see in working with busy women as a Sex and Relationship Coach is that on the outside it may appear they are thriving, but inside they really struggle with balancing the passion they have for their work, with the passion they have for their partners, much less themselves.They’re busy all day. Taking care of everyone else’s needs… their family, their business, and then, very last on the list becomes their relationship with their partner. And their own desires? Often not even on the page.They struggle because they feel disconnected, and they’re really missing that connection, that deep connection that they had at one time in their intimate relationship.After burning both ends of the candle all day long, they come home and pretend to be asleep when their partner comes to bed because they don’t want to have sex… or worse, they don’t want to get into an argument about why they’re not having sex.There’s nothing worse than the feeling being extremely alone and disconnected when there is a warm body lying right next to you in bed. The good news is that life absolutely doesn’t have to be this way.And I know this is true because I was that woman.A woman feeling so disconnected, waking up in the morning, super resentful before my day even began, lashing out at my poor little family because I was just miserable inside and I thought I was doing all the right things for myself. I was working out, I was involved in the community, I was doing all these things, but something deep was missing.I remember one snowy morning stumbling into the bathroom and looking in the mirror, thinking who IS this woman looking back at me? I had no connection with her at all. I promised myself I would do whatever it took to find her again. I would follow whatever crumbs came my way.Thankfully I stumbled upon The Tantric Institute For Integrated Sexuality, that taught me how to connect with myself, how to communicate, how to have amazing intimacy, and it became my life’s work to help others in this way.It was like I had come back from the dead.I felt alive again.Feeling that joy of waking up with energy and excitement for my day. I had forgotten what that was like.I just remember after doing this work, I thought to myself, WHY?? Why haven’t women been taught these tools?! We’re never taught about how to have relationships. We’re not taught about how to have amazing sex and thankfully, these are learned skills (and the education we do have is so fear and shame-based so it’s no wonder we have issues.)I decided at that moment to make it my life’s mission to help women turn things around, and that is why I created my signature Feminine Fire Method.I believe deep in my soul is that sexuality is the missing key in personal growth and development. I believe your sexuality and sexual energy fuels your creativity, confidence, and power. It is a vital part of your holistic health and vitality.When women own their sexual power their pleasure and creativity flourish. Their confidence and body image soar.Their relationships deepen.And when you can connect to that power and yourself as a woman, it’s life-changing.

Chuck DeSmith is a 35 year veteran of the fire service and the Deputy Fire Chief at Renton Regional Fire Authority. We discuss his early life, his journey into the fire service, the evolution of Fire/EMS, 911 abuse, the recruitment crisis, sleep deprivation, peer support and much more.

David Vaux began his career working as a London Firefighter, serving for 15 years on fire rescue operations and as physical education officer until he suffered a career ending injury. He subsequently retrained as an Osteopath and threw himself into the world of academia. He successfully applied strength and movement research to his own rehabilitation from long-term pain and disability.As one of the UK’s leading Osteopaths, David uses his lived and clinical experience to provide injury prevention and conditioning advice within the performing arts and international sports. In addition to this, David provides strategic advice on therapy and exercise for a UK arthritis charity. He is an authority on older age strength and resilience, providing his expertise to healthy ageing projects for the government, private, and third-party sectors.David is a vocal advocate for breaking down barriers to strength focused activity in middle age and promoting strength as a reservoir on which our later life health relies. David’s new rescue mission is the democratisation of strength for all, in the fight for optimal immunity, independent aging and resilience for an aging population.He is a regular contributor to magazines, journals and podcasts that focus on achieving strength and fitness in older age, the prevention of frailty and how to train optimally in middle age. STRONGER: HOW TO BUILD STRENGTH: THE SECRET TO A LONGER, HEALTHIER LIFE was published by Short Books, an imprint of Hachette, in March 2024.Bringing together the latest scientific research to explain why strength training in mid-life is the simplest and cheapest thing people is can do to transform their bodies, STRONGER provides a 10-step strength training plan readers can tailor to their own needs, and a clear roadmap to follow.

Clint Malarchuk is an NHL veteran as both a goalie and coach, author and mental health advocate. Clint cheated death three times, one notoriously when he almost bled out on the ice after taking a skate to the neck. We discuss his childhood mental health challenges, outworking the competition, OCD, addiction, suicide, EMDR, recovery, post traumatic growth and much more.Hockey is notorious for its rough play even among a long list of contact sports, and the life of a professional athlete is demanding even at the best of times. For over a decade Clint was a National and International Hockey League goaltender, making his debut at just twenty years old. In 1989 he suffered a cut to his jugular vein from the blade of another player’s skate. Just ten days later Clint was back on the ice, continuing to play the game he loved while suffering from undiagnosed PTSD. After years of overcoming mental illness and surviving a suicide attempt, Clint is a mental health advocate dedicated to erasing the stigma surrounding mental health and sharing his story to help those who need hope and a voice. Clint was born in Alberta Canada, where he played junior hockey in the Western Hockey League. He then went on to play professionally in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Quebec Nordiques, Washington Capitals, and Buffalo Sabres, and in the International Hockey League (IHL) for the San Diego Gulls and Las Vegas Thunder. After retiring as a player, he went on to serve as both head coach and goaltending coach for several teams. Throughout the decades he dedicated to the game, he was awarded the Punch Imlack Award and was inducted into the New York Hockey Hall of Fame.After recovering from his suicide attempt, Clint turned to public speaking, shining a light on mental illness. He has spoken at a Canadian Mental Health Association meeting and the International OCD Foundation conference in Boston, MA. In 2014 he released his book The Crazy Game - How I Survived the Crease and Beyond, which talks about OCD, alcoholism recovery, trauma, and suicide prevention. He now resides in Carson Valley, Nevada, where he lives on his ranch and practices equine dentistry.Clints story is singular, showing not only the trauma that rises from a life-threatening injury but also the relentless strength of one individual to face mental illness and help others do the same. As a mental health advocate and renowned public speaker, Clint tells his heartfelt life story, discussing his battles with mental illness and the stigma that those who suffer it face. He focuses on motivating people to keep fighting, speaking to the importance of team building, goal setting, personal development, and leadership.

Peter J. Forcelli is a recently retired Deputy Assistant Director of the Department of Justice’s Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), where he served as head of training. Before becoming a Special Agent for the ATF in 2001, Forcelli was a NYPD homicide detective and survivor of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. Forcelli became widely known as a whistleblower for the highly publicized Operation Fast and Furious scandal. He suffered retaliation at the hands of highly placed individuals in the Department of Justice for shining a light on their mistakes, but ultimately prevailed in seeking justice in a settlement through a lawsuit he filed with the United States Office of Special Counsel.Forcelli is a respected investigator noted for developing complex criminal investigations targeting armed gangs and criminal organizations. He has made over one thousand arrests and has served over three hundred search warrants. He is well regarded by those who have worked with him for his unwavering commitment to what he calls “investigative excellence.” His work in the investigation into the Neese Bello Organization led to members of the group pleading guilty to over 145 home-invasion-style robberies. Still, Forcelli is best known for his efforts to fight for justice in instances where he has uncovered injustice. He has been involved in the exoneration of eight people who were wrongfully arrested and convicted in the Bronx, New York, for murders they did not commit.Forcelli is also a cancer survivor—he developed lung cancer from the rescue and recovery efforts at Ground Zero. He is a recurring guest speaker at the 9/11 Memorial & Museum in New York City.

Thaer Ahmad, MD is a board certified emergency medicine physician in Chicago. Dr. Ahmad is the assistant program director for the emergency medicine residency program at Advocate Christ Medical Center. He also serves as the global health director and medical ethics director for the emergency department at Advocate Christ. Dr. Ahmad is a clinical assistant professor at the university of Illinois at Chicago and a board member for MedGlobal, a medical humanitarian NGO that works at building healthcare capacity at reducing health inequities globally.In this second conversation, we discuss the harrowing dispatch tapes from the attempted rescue of Hind Rajab, how divisive American politics have forced polarisation on Gaza, the deliberate blocking of both aid workers and humanitarian relief, the starvation and violence that continues to claim young lives, how a ceasefire can prevent the US being dragged into additional wars and so much more.

Brandon Harding is the man behind the incredibly successful “Veterans in the Wild”, a wilderness program that has been embraced by the US Military. Anthony Droz is a Marine Veteran, Spartan Instructor, and wilderness guide. He aided Brandon in his quest to bring this wilderness program to life, as it was also his goal to provide wellness to Marines and Sailors.We discuss their journeys into uniform, the tragedy that shook Brandon's faith, the motorcycle accident that almost claimed Anthony's life, mental health in our military, chaplaincy, community, the healing power of nature, Immunity to Change and much more.Brandon Harding is a recently retired military chaplain with nearly three decades of service. He is a wilderness guide and leadership & relationship coach, holding multiple certifications and a degree in psychology. He fuses adaptive coaching with wilderness expeditions to facilitate change in individuals, couples, and leaders. Additionally, he is a certified Wilderness First Responder. Brandon has been married for 27 years, and he and his wife have seven children.Anthony Droz is a United States Marine Infantry Veteran, wilderness guide, and athlete. He has worked internationally for Spartan Race and in the United States for Outward Bound. He co-created the Navy and Marines' first wilderness-based personal growth program with Chaplain Harding, and he continues that service to this day.