Tell This Story
Tell This Story
Podcast Description
My name is Doug White, a veteran and retired first responder with over 30 years of service. I wrote Hiding in Plain Sight: The Truth about Trauma, Service, and The Way Forward to ignite essential conversations on the unique challenges veterans, first responders, and their families face. Through my book and the Tell This Story platform, I aim to create a space for authentic storytelling and shared hope. Each week on Tell This Story, I’ll sit down with fellow veterans, responders, and their loved ones to discuss these challenges and explore paths forward.
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The podcast focuses on issues surrounding mental health, trauma recovery, and personal resilience among veterans and first responders. Episodes cover a variety of topics, such as the impact of PTSD on first responders, holistic approaches to mental health like Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS), and the roles of community support and leadership in mental health advocacy. For instance, a notable episode highlights the significance of culturally competent counseling in mental health support for first responders.
My name is Doug White, a veteran and retired first responder with over 30 years of service. I wrote Hiding in Plain Sight: The Truth about Trauma, Service, and The Way Forward to ignite essential conversations on the unique challenges veterans, first responders, and their families face. Through my book and the Tell This Story platform, I aim to create a space for authentic storytelling and shared hope. Each week on Tell This Story, I’ll sit down with fellow veterans, responders, and their loved ones to discuss these challenges and explore paths forward.
“This isn’t therapy. It’s truth.”
In this episode of Tell This Story, host Doug White sitsdown with Dennis Pishock—a firefighter, police officer, medic, peer support leader, and author of Demons & Angels.
Together, they talk about:
The hidden cost of a career in public safety
How trauma stacks up over thousands of calls
Why peer support and honest conversations matter
Suicide prevention and recognizing when someone is slipping
The role of gratitude, communication, and ego in relationships
Writing about trauma and getting your story out there
Daily practices that keep you grounded while you’re still on the job
If you’re a first responder, veteran, or spouse, this conversation will hit home.
Key Takeaways
This isn’t therapy—it’s truth.
You have to really want to grow from this.
You can’t out-drink or out-run your demons.
You’re not alone, and there is help.
Gratitude is a game changer.
You have to drop the ego and be willing to talk.
You have to be a defender—for yourself, your family, and your partners.
Episode Chapters (approx.)
00:00 – Introduction and background03:42 – Peer support and mental health initiatives06:21 – Experiences at mental health conferences09:13 – Writing and publishing personal stories12:11 – The impact of trauma on memory15:00 – The importance of peer support18:00 – Officer suicide prevention20:35 – Changing perspectives on mental health23:32 – Daily practices for mental health26:26 – Coping tools that actually work34:12 – Physical and mental resilience techniques40:02 – The importance of gratitude in healing46:30 – Trauma, relationships, and family54:55 – Officer wellness, awareness & final thoughts
Connect with Dennis Pishock
Website – Demons & Angels & resources: https://pishockbooks.com/Instagram – Pishock’s Patriots:
https://www.instagram.com/pishocks_patriots
Email: [email protected]
Connect with Doug White / Tell This Story
Tell This Story on Spotify:
Tell This Story YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/@Tell_This_Story
Doug’s website (book, speaking, media):https://www.dougwhiteofficial.com
All links (book, socials, podcast,etc.):https://linktr.ee/tell_this_story
If you’re in crisis or starting to slip reach out—to a peer, a friend, a spouse, your department’s peer support, or a crisis line in your area. You are not alone. Asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness.
Disclaimer
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