Behind The Shield
by James Geering
Bringing the greatest minds in mental and physical wellness to the men and women who serve our communities.
Podcast episodes
Brandon Young (Army Rangers, Leadership and the Power of Perseverance) - Episode 1063
Brandon Young - Brandon is a former U.S. Army Ranger and current business leader who leads with passion and integrity. He has spent over 25 years building and leading teams to achieve mission and business objectives in complex environments. In this conversation, we discuss his journey into the military, Ranger selection, the horrors of war, leadership, the power of perseverence, moral injury, his book and so much more. Brandon was also: Co-Author of the Enriched Life Scale (used by The DOD) As Director of Development with Team RWB, 450% overall revenue growth from $2M to $9M/ yr. over 3 years; developed strategic partnerships with Nike, Walmart, Starbucks, Microsoft, Amazon, The Schultz Family Foundation and The Marcus Foundation. Quest Diagnostics Regional Excellence Awardee for Commercial Leadership 3rd in the 2006 Best Ranger Competition Assessed, mentored and trained over 1,000 Ranger leaders (75th Ranger Regiment) Jumpmaster for a combat parachute assault into Afghanistan (4 Total Rotations) MDiv. - Leadership, Denver Seminary https://www.appliedleadershippartners.com/
Joey Scrivani (Fire Service PTSD, Hollistic Healing and the Power of Coaching) - Episode 1062
My name is Joey Scrivani I’m 34 years old and a happily married father of two young boys. I am offering this course as a way to give back and teach skills I wish I would’ve had when I started my fire service career. After 10 years in the fire service, I was diagnosed with PTSD. My symptoms included panic attacks, disassociation, suicidal ideations, sleep issues, anxiety and depression. As I began my treatment, I found it lacking as the conventional treatment was aimed at giving pharmaceuticals to help my symptoms while failing to address the nervous system and the body. This approach placed me in a victim mindset and has been ineffective for me. After trying the conventional approach, I started to experiment with things outside the mainstream. Ice baths, saunas, breath work, meditation, journaling, TRE, float tanks, EMDR, neurofeedback, plant medicines and many other non-conventional approaches ended up being what gave me relief and allowed me to pull myself out of despair. Fast forward 3 years from my initial treatment and I am now working to give people skills before pills. Through Conscious Movements, participates are introduced to the language of body and taught how to use their breath and movement to regulate themselves. Conscious Movements works on a physical, mental, emotional, and energetic level and encourages the practitioner to tune into the body and allow the mind to settle back. Through conscious attention, breath and movement we are able to connect to deeper parts of ourselves and encourage healing in a way conventional medicine doesn’t offer. https://conscious-movements.com/
Mark Sewell (The Gambino Family, Strip Clubs and the FBI) - Episode 1061
Since 2019, Mark has worked for the FBI as an Instructor while a Time Solutions LLC (Chenega) employee, specializing in Human Intelligence. Before, Mark was an Atlanta FBI Agent from 1997 – 2017, spending his career investigating violent criminal organizations, such as the LCN and both street and motorcycle gangs. Simultaneously, Mark was the Stolen Valor coordinator for the FBI’s Atlanta Office, having successfully investigated and prosecuted multiple cases. Mark is a published author, Investigating America’s Most Notorious Strip Club: The FBI, The Gold Club, and the Mafia (Rowman & Littlefield). https://i68books.com Before joining the FBI, Mark served 9 years, 7 months, and 8 days as a U.S. Marine, both enlisted and commissioned, leaving the Corps in 1997 as a Captain in the Signals Intelligence community. "Retired FBI Special Agent Mark Sewell was a rookie in 1997 when he was assigned to investigate mafia associate Steve Kaplan and his enormously successful Atlanta strip club; the largest single money maker for the Gambino Crime Family. Accompanied by a small team of investigators, the hand-picked unit followed a money trail, that wound up implicating a Gambino Captain, police officers, strippers, and many of the most recognized professional athletes in America. The subsequent 2001 trial was covered nationally by the leading media outlets, from television newscasts to late night talk shows and nationally published magazines pushing new, sensational headlines daily. Sewell was at the center of the storm that dominated media headlines in the summer of 2001 and provides a never-before seen inside view of the FBI’s most successful financial win against an organized crime family in the agency’s history."
Kathryn, Nick and David (Ketamine's Success in Mental Health) - Episode 1060
Kathryn Walker is the CEO of Revitalist Lifestyle and Wellness (CSE: CALM) (OTCQB: RVLWF) (FSE: 4DO) which serves as a leading mental health and wellness company lead by a comprehensive team of speciality providers. Kathryn worked at a Level 1 Trauma Center in Tennessee for 9 years before attending anesthesia school at the University of North Carolina-Charlotte. She practiced anesthesia of all specialties for 8 years before opening the first Revitalist location in Knoxville, TN in 2018. Today Kathryn operates as a leading advocate for psychedelic medicine as she continues to advance her comprehensive skill set recently graduating with her second Master's degree in Psychiatric Nursing as a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. Recognizing the need for community access, Kathryn founded the national mental health 501c3 nonprofit, Community Change Foundation (CommunityChangeFoundation.org). This nonprofit foundation focuses on providing financial assistance to veterans, frontline workers, and the financially disadvantaged seeking help with psychedelic therapies. Kathryn incorporated Community Change Foundation in 2019. Recognizing the need for education and training advancements, Kathryn founded the American Association of Psychedelics (AAPsychedelics.org). This education non-profit 501c3 aims to continually bring high quality education and training to all disciplines of providers. Kathryn incorporated the American Association of Psychedelics in 2021. Nick Nowak: "I’ve spent years navigating the complexities of pharmacy from inpatient settings to compounding to leading teams. But recently, my experience with AI, particularly Perplexity, has fundamentally changed how I see the future of white-collar work, including pharmacy.For decades, pharmacists have been the gatekeepers of medication safety, drug interactions, and patient counseling. But as AI becomes more sophisticated, our role is shifting.The future of pharmacy won’t be about memorizing guidelines. It will be about leveraging AI to enhance clinical expertise and patient care." David Norris a retired senior officer from the British Military.
Oakland McCulloch (Peacekeeping, Military Leadership and Food Banks) - Episode 1059
During his 23 year career in the Army, Oak McCulloch held numerous leadership positions in the Infantry and Armor branches. He assisted in disaster relief operations for Hurricane HUGO in Charleston, SC and Hurricane ANDREW in south Florida. Oak's operational deployments include: Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm in Saudi Arabia and Iraq as a General's Aide-de-Camp; Support operations in Bosnia as a Congressional Liaison Officer; and A peace keeping deployment to Kosovo as an Operations Officer. He has also held instructor positions at the US Army Ordnance School, the US Army Command and General Staff College, the Australian Command and Staff College, University of South Alabama and Stetson University. His last position in the Army was a three-year tour as the Professor of Military Science at the University of South Alabama where he led the training and commissioning of Lieutenants and tripled the size of the program in his three-year tour. LTC McCulloch retired from the Army in September 2009 and joined the staff at the Bay Area Food Bank as the Associate Director. He was also the Vice Chair for Military Affairs on the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce and a member of the Mobile Rotary International Club. LTC McCulloch left the food bank in December 2010 to become the Senior Military Science Instructor and recruiter for the Army ROTC program at Stetson University in DeLand, Florida. In his 9 years at Stetson, the program grew from 15 Cadets to over 100 Cadets. In October 2013, he became the Recruiting Operations Officer for the Eagle Battalion Army ROTC program at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University where he has more than doubled the size of the program in 6 years. Cadet Command selected LTC McCulloch as the top recruiting officer, out of 274 recruiters, in 2019. LTC McCulloch earned a Bachelor of Science degree in History from Northern Illinois University in 1987 and a Master of Military Arts and Science in History from the United States Army Command and General Staff College in 2002. He received thirty-one military service awards including the Bronze Star, eight Meritorious Service Medals and the Humanitarian Service Medal. Oakland McCulloch was born in Loudon, TN and raised in Kirkland, IL. After graduating from high school, he attended the United States Military Academy at West Point for two years. He then graduated from Northern Illinois University and received his commission as an Infantry Officer through the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) in 1986. Oak McCulloch married Kelly Smyth at Fort Sheridan, IL in 1987. They now live in Daytona Beach, FL and have two children, Oakland Vincent McCulloch and Caileigh Nicholson. They also have a granddaughter, Ryleigh Jade Nicholson, and two grandsons, Christopher Bryce Nicholson and Oakland Maverick McCulloch. https://www.ltcoakmcculloch.com/