Mind-Body & Brain Health (Back to Basics Series)

Join trauma therapist and host, Lindsay Faas, alongside Olivia from Yoga For First Responders for this conversation about the applications of yoga and the value of strengthening the mind-body connection for those facing persistent stress. We talk about research-based benefits for your brain, and the ways this translates into being your best you.

Show Notes

Show Notes:

Thanks so much to Olivia Mead from Yoga for First Responders – check out YFFR and learn more here.

I am grateful for our conversation and the chance to dig into the brain science behind yoga and insights into training our brains to offer their best back to us. I so value Olivia’s background and deep-rootedness in the research as well as her commitment to supporting our community heroes who serve and sacrifice. 

We talk in this episode about taking yoga out of the chic studios and getting back to gritty training that we can use in real life. We talk about the essential aspects of mind-body connection and use of breath work and related yoga tools to support life in high stress. We also dig into the research and rant a bit about the system…you’ll love it!

Olivia Mead is the Founder and CEO of the non-profit organization YogaShield® Yoga For First Responders® (YFFR). Olivia is a life-long yoga practitioner and has studied Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Human Performance, and Trauma-Sensitive Yoga for Veterans. She has taught yoga since 2003 and has focused primarily on public safety since 2013 starting at Los Angeles Fire Department and Los Angeles Police Department. Since then Olivia has taught thousands of first responders and military personnel around the country and has spoken at several trade conferences, events, and public safety agencies. Olivia is a member of the Law Enforcement Educators and Trainers Association and the International Society of Fire Service Instructors.

Olivia shares about YFFR’s app which you can find by clicking here or by searching for YogaShield (YFFR) in google play or app stores. 

You can also find YFFR on social media @yogaforfirstresponders on Facebook, and Instagram.

Episode Challenge:

Choose at least one takeaway from today’s episode and work on applying in your life! And if you’re brave enough, tell us about it – reach out on Facebook and Instagram (@lindsayafaas), or email me at [e-mail] and share what you’re up to, how you’re making use of what you are learning during our Back to Basics for Brain Health Series and how it’s going. 

Additional Resources:

Absolutely do go and check out YFFR and learn more here. They have a ton of resources and supports and are genuinely trying to help make a difference for those who sacrifice so much on the front lines. 

And if you haven’t checked it out yet, or it’s been awhile since you used this tool to self-assess and check in with your wellness, grab our free Beating the Breaking Point Indicators Checklist & Triage Guide to help assess where you’re at on the burnout spectrum and to get proactive in course correcting.

Connect, Rate, Review, Subscribe & Share!

Connect with me on Facebook and Instagram, or email me at [e-mail]. I love hearing from you! Subscribe and share this podcast with those you know. I appreciate every like, rating and review – every single one helps this podcast to be seen by other First Responders & Front Line Workers out there. Help me on my mission to help others just like you to not only survive, but to thrive – both on the job and off.

What is Behind The Line?

Created for First Responders and Front Line Workers to tackle the challenges of working on the front lines. Dig into topics on burnout, workplace dynamics, managing mental health, balancing family life...and so much more. Created and hosted by Lindsay Faas, clinical counsellor and trauma therapist. View the show notes, and access bonus resources at https://my.thrive-life.ca/behind-the-line.

Hey there and welcome back to Behind the Line.
I’m your host Lindsay Faas. If you are new to Behind the Line, what you should know about me is that I am a clinical counsellor specializing in trauma therapy, and after over a decade working with First Responders and Front Line Workers around issues like burnout, compassion fatigue, PTSD and related OSI’s, I have become a passionate wellness advocate and educator for those who sacrifice so much for our communities out on the front lines. Behind the Line is a place for us to talk about the real life behind the scenes challenges facing you on the front lines. I created this podcast with the hope of bringing easy access to skills for wellness – allowing you to find greater sustainability, both on the job and off.
You guys, I am so pleased to welcome Olivia from Yoga for First Responders to the show today. I hope you glean some awesome pieces from Olivia’s wisdom and experience working alongside first responders. Olivia Mead is the Founder and CEO of the non-profit organization YogaShield® Yoga For First Responders® (YFFR). Olivia is a life-long yoga practitioner and has studied Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Human Performance, and Trauma-Sensitive Yoga for Veterans. She has taught yoga since 2003 and has focused primarily on public safety since 2013 starting at Los Angeles Fire Department and Los Angeles Police Department. Since then Olivia has taught thousands of first responders and military personnel around the country and has spoken at several trade conferences, events, and public safety agencies. Olivia is a member of the Law Enforcement Educators and Trainers Association and the International Society of Fire Service Instructors.
Today Olivia and I are talking about the role of the mind-body connection and using tools like yoga and mindfulness practices to support our brains in being the best they can be, and helping us to be the best WE can be. I came away from this conversation with SO many gems, and I hope you do too. So without further ado, let’s jump in.
Intro to interview…
Questions
Tell me about your story and what led you to specializing in offering yoga training to first responders?
Talk to me about the common problems faced by those who work in high stress job and/or who are doing shift work – what do you see show up a lot as it relates to being mindful, slowing down and focusing in, as we tend to promote in yoga practices?
Revved up, tense, hypervigilant, racing, survival mode
Don’t know how, not sure what to do
Misconceptions about yoga, mindfulness/meditation, etc (not the absence of thought, trying to notice without judgment, etc.)
What are the impacts to our brain and to our capacity to be resilient and sustainably meet the demands of high stress work and life when our ability to slow down is poor?
What do you find to be the hardest about working with first responders as you coach them in a yoga practice?
So how do you address these kinds of concerns with someone who may feel uncertain about how yoga and slowing down practices might fit into their lives??
What have you found most helpful when supporting first responders in developing a yoga practice? What are the benefits to them?
What are some small things people can do to help make change? Like what would be a few “quick-win” kinds of things?
Where can people go for more support?
Outro from interview…
Another huge thank you to Olivia for taking the time to talk with me and share her insights.
We’ve talked in this series about making the information you are hearing throughout actionable, and I hope you have held onto some pieces from today’s episode that you will try out this coming week. If you do, I would love to hear about it – reach out, tag me or shoot me an email and tell me how it’s going.
As always, please reach out and connect if you have any questions or feedback. I love hearing from you and shaping this podcast to echo your needs and interests. You can find me on facebook and Instagram, @lindsayafaas, or you can email me at [e-mail].
Thank you to those who are supporting me in my mission to get wellness tools into the hands of every helper by sharing this resource with those you know, I really appreciate it.
Until next time guys, stay safe.