Psych Health and Safety Podcast USA

FlourishDx
undefined
Oct 20, 2023 • 49min

Leading Public Safety Workplace Mental Health, Across the Lines with Dr. Ed Sherman

We’ll continue our National Fire Prevention Month focus on this episode with a twist. This week, host Dr. I. David Daniels will speak with Dr. Ed Sherman, who has more than four decades of experience in fire /rescue, EMS, and law enforcement, in addition to his education in psychology. Conversations about psychological health and safety in emergency services can have a different cadence, mainly when focusing on the fire/rescue, EMS, or law enforcement experience. Though EMS, fire/rescue, and law enforcement personnel respond to some of the same incidents, emergencies, and disasters, they often walk away with different perceptions based on their roles and the work they are expected to do. The difference in their experience also results in different lasting impacts of these experiences. It is rare to find not only people who see these incidents from multiple perspectives but can add the view of someone who understands how these experiences impact how people think and act before, during, and after significant incidents and events. Dr. Sherman uses his unique perspective across the fire/rescue, EMS, and law enforcement lines when he works with leaders of various organizations, large and small, dealing with various issues, many of which have significant health and safety implications.
undefined
Oct 13, 2023 • 56min

Psychological Health and Safety in Fire Rescue and EMS - with the Center for Fire, Rescue, and EMS Health Research

This week, host Dr. I. David Daniels will speak with Dr. Sara Jahnke, Dr. Carlos Poston, and Dr. Ketih Haddock, the leaders of the Center for Fire, Rescue and EMS Health Research (CFREHR), one of the research efforts of the National Development and Research Institutes (NDRI) USA. In another episode focused on National Fire Prevention Month, CFREHR, the leadership of this research-based organization, shares their views on the state of psychological health and safety in the industry and their thoughts about the future. NDRI-USA’s research centers are focused on health outcomes research, epidemiology, and prevention science. Particular areas of inquiry include minority health and disparities, tobacco control, obesity, nutrition, physical activity, and occupational health, especially among the military and emergency responders. The mission of the (CFREHR) is to understand and improve the health of first responders through systematic research and evaluation. We have worked with and collected data from nearly 100 fire departments nationwide and have successfully solicited participation from more than 2,000 individual firefighters. Dr. Jahnke, Dr. Poston, and Dr. Haddock have been at the forefront of fire service-related research for 15 years and have a unique yet diverse set of views regarding the health and safety of those who serve.
undefined
Oct 6, 2023 • 58min

Sometimes Leading People is Difficult - with Chief Jerry Streich

The episode is the first in a series celebrating National Fire Prevention Month. This week our host Dr. I. David Daniels, speaks with retired Fire Chief Jerry Streich about his lived experience as a leader and his current focus as a coach and consultant helping others learn to deal with difficult people. The exact definition of a difficult person varies depending on who is doing the assessment. One Harvard Business Review editorial staff member, suggests that the examples include passive-aggressive, insecure bosses, pessimists, victim mentality, know-it-alls, tormentors, and biased or political operators. Another consultant adds interrupters, ignorers, bores, prima-donnas, work martyrs, whiners, negativity spreaders, rainmakers, and boundary crossers to the list. Chief Streich found his leadership interests blossoming after serving in the U. S. Army. While becoming a leader was extremely rewarding, he also experienced several challenges that have changed him as a human being. Undoubtedly the most significant challenge was one that made national news involving a person whose bullying behavior even caused the Chief to feel fear at work. He uses his experience as the foundation to help leaders identify and deal with difficult people and create a more psychologically safe culture for everyone.
undefined
Sep 29, 2023 • 58min

Safe Space for the “Safety Interested” - with Scott Cuthbert & Jamie Young

In this week’s episode, host Dr. I. David Daniels and the founders of Safeopedia, Scott Cuthbert and Jamie Young. Safety standards, best practices, innovation, and legislation are constantly changing. There are thousands of formal and informal safety committees, dozens of safety certifications, and thousands of courses. In 2010, Scott and Jason formed Safeopedia, a platform for EHS professionals to learn, collaborate, access FREE content, and feel supported. In 2019 they started a virtual conference to further this goal. During this episode, they will discuss the history of Safeopedia and the initiation of the Safeopedia Community, an online community established to create a safe space for safety professionals and the “safety interested” in supporting one another.
undefined
Sep 22, 2023 • 57min

Crisis, the Brain, and Decision-Making - with Deborah Needham

In celebration of National Preparedness Month, host Dr. I. David Daniels will speak with emergency management professional Deborah Needham about the focus of her research into neuroscience and the effect of stress, emergencies, and disasters on human decision-making. Since its inception in 2004, National Preparedness Month has been observed each September in the United States. It is sponsored by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) within the Department of Homeland Security and encourages Americans to prepare for emergencies in their communities. An essential component of emergency preparedness and response is the ability to make decisions focused on preserving life, property, and the environment. Often, decisions in emergencies are described as “split-second decisions.” Still, the basis of these decisions tends to be lived experiences, not only in similar situations but in dissimilar ones. These decisions can have a lasting effect on those impacted by the incident, emergency, or disaster and on the person who makes the decision. Sometimes, these decisions set up a lifetime of mental and emotional challenges for all involved. Ms. Needham will share her expertise in crisis decision-making from emergency management and neuroscientific perspectives.
undefined
Sep 15, 2023 • 1h 1min

Understandable Training; An Essential Strategy - with Doug Castro

This week, Dr. I. David Daniels will speak with Doug Castro, an experienced safety trainer with Channel 4 Training and a Veriforce Strategic Advisory Board member. Among his many certifications and qualification as a safety professional and trainer, he is also bi-lingual, which is worthy of mention, given the country’s National Hispanic Heritage Month celebration. It’s hard to argue that there is any more effective strategy to address physical or psychosocial hazards than providing training. Often, workers get exposed to psychosocial hazards due to a lack of understanding of the hazard, an underestimation of their degree of vulnerability, and the extent of harm they will experience. A lack of information or training to support work performance is in and of itself a psychosocial hazard. In fact, training, specifically understandable training, maybe one of the essential strategies to improve an organization's physical or psychological safety. Many OSHA standards require that employees receive training so that work will be performed in a safe and healthful manner. Some of these standards require "training" or "instruction," others require "adequate" or "effective" training or instruction, and still others require training "in a manner" or "in language" that is understandable to employees. It is OSHA’s position that, regardless of the precise regulatory language, the terms "train" and "instruct," as well as other synonyms, mean to present information in a manner that employees receiving it can understand. Unfortunately, organizations consider training more of a luxury than a strategy when addressing safety and organizational performance. Also, some training programs are well-funded but poorly executed in that that there is an assumption that every worker learns the same way. This is particularly important as it relates to the language in which the training is delivered. Doug will share some of his lived experience and passion for focusing on safety and training as an essential safety strategy.
undefined
Sep 8, 2023 • 1h 5min

Psych Health and Safety USA LIVE! - with Kahlilah Guyah, Ken Clayman and Dr. Allensandria Pollizi.

This episode went live on the 09/08/2023 and is a follow-up to Episode 51 with Kahlilah Guyah, Ken Clayman, and Dr. Allensandria Pollizi.
undefined
Sep 1, 2023 • 51min

A Cannabis Conversation - with Adilah Anwar Holivay

This episode host, Dr. I. David Daniels, will speak with Adilah Anwar Holivay about her interest, activism, and writings regarding cannabis. This is another in our series of conversations regarding therapeutic approaches to psychosocial hazard exposure. In this case, we are discussing Cannabis. There are probably some right now who are asking, “What does weed have to do with Psychological Health and Safety?” This is not intended to be a conversation about legal vs. illegal or benefit vs. potential harm but an acknowledgment that 23 states have legalized recreational use, and 38 states, three territories, and the District of Columbia allow the medical use of Cannabis. People use it, and many do so as a direct response to exposure to psychosocial hazards. Though it is still a Schedule 1 drug in the United States, the reality is that there are millions of people in this country who use cannabis or cannabis-related products for both recreational and medical purposes. There are also thriving business enterprises based on Cannabis. There are ongoing discussions in the business community about substance use testing and how to address potential impairment from cannabis and other substances in the workplace. However, many workplaces have very different work rules for those that use cannabis for stress and pain relief as opposed to other substances, including legal substances like alcohol and opiates. Adilah will share her observation that is based on discoveries she has come to understand in her pursuit of technology solutions to cyber criminality in the financial industry and the inconsistent ways in which the industry as a whole, business owners, and users of cannabis are treated in workplaces in different places in the country.
undefined
Aug 25, 2023 • 53min

Coping with Life’s Challenges through Art - with Deb Griffin

In this episode, Dr. I. David Daniels will talk with Deb Griffin, a therapist, non-profit board chair, and art enthusiast, about art, culture, their therapeutic value, and connection to safety. This continues our conversations about therapeutic responses to exposure to psychosocial hazards. The therapeutic potential of art is vast and applicable to individuals of all age groups. Art therapy, formally established in the 1940s, allows clients to express their inner thoughts, feelings, and experiences creatively. A literature review on art therapy reveals that therapists frequently assign patients' freeform art expressions to help discuss the images and encourage introspection. When combined with talk therapy, art therapy aids individuals in managing intense emotions, fostering self-awareness and self-worth, and decreasing stress and anxiety. This therapeutic approach encompasses various creative expressions, such as dance, music, drawing, painting, coloring, sculpting, and more. Ms. Griffin has built on her natural interest in people, her training, and her experience as a therapist, combined with her love of the arts and her role as chair of the Board of Directors of the South Fulton Institute to share and facilitate the introduction of art into places and spaces that have traditionally been left out to the conversation. https://www.oneworkplace.com/blog/art-at-work-measuring-its-impact-and-value https://theconversation.com/brain-research-shows-the-arts-promote-mental-health-136668
undefined
Aug 18, 2023 • 49min

New Paths from Pain to High Performance - with Dr. Jim Feng

In this episode, Dr. I. David Daniels will talk to Dr. Jim Feng, a mission-driven serial entrepreneur who founded Phyxable Inc. Phyxable is an end-to-end virtual pain and prevention platform that uses machine learning, augmented reality, and gamification to coach people out of pain while empowering them with tools to produce better performance. Alongside his Chiropractic degree, Dr. Feng is also a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and Medical Acupuncturist. He has directed medical teams for world championship and Olympic Level competition in mixed martial arts and wrestling. This episode is the first in a series that will focus on how people cope with being exposed to psychosocial hazards in the workplace. Often, workers become acquainted with a physical therapist in the aftermath of a workplace injury. This practice is also known as physiotherapy. This conversation will include a variety of strategies that Dr. Feng uses to help people address everything from chronic pain to high Caliber athletic competition, including telemedicine, virtual physiotherapy, and medical technology platforms. Dr. Feng believes that attention to the mind and body are both essential components to addressing psychosocial hazards in the workplace in the pursuit of a safe and healthy work environment.

The AI-powered Podcast Player

Save insights by tapping your headphones, chat with episodes, discover the best highlights - and more!
App store bannerPlay store banner
Get the app