Austin Pederson & Brad Shepherd
Austin Pederson & Brad Shepherd
Liz Pol - Resilient Heroes
Liz Pol - Resilient Heroes
Liz Pol - Resilient Heroes
Tuesday 11th June 2024
Liz Pol discusses suicide prevention in first responders, shedding light on mental health and the impact of her non-profit, Resilient Heroes.
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57 minutes
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challenging
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Austin Pederson & Brad Shepherd
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Body & Mind
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Get the buttons here!Resilient Heroes: Tackling Suicide in First Responders
Episode Overview
- Liz Pol, founder of Resilient Heroes, shares insights on suicide prevention.
- Exploring the role of medications in mental health challenges.
- Discussing the importance of suicide autopsies in understanding causes.
- Building trust in sensitive situations with affected families.
- Highlighting the need for mental health education for first responders.
These are such an enormous negative, heavy, devastating impact on a person's life. When individuals are experiencing high levels of pain emotionally, mentally, it's hard to understand how they would be able to do such a thing.
In this enlightening episode of the No One Fights Alone podcast, host Brad Shepard engages in a heartfelt conversation with Liz Pol, a seasoned Chicago Police Department officer and the founder of Resilient Heroes. Liz has dedicated over 20 years to law enforcement and holds a master's degree in forensic psychology. Her unwavering commitment to addressing suicide in the first responder community is evident through her non-profit organization, Resilient Heroes.
The discussion begins with Liz sharing her experiences and the genesis of Resilient Heroes, which aims to lower suicide rates among first responders. Liz emphasizes the importance of suicide autopsies—a process that helps uncover the underlying causes of suicide by examining the deceased's life comprehensively. This approach, although not commonly discussed, provides crucial insights into the mental health struggles faced by first responders.
Liz touches on the delicate nature of medications like Xanax when mixed with substances such as alcohol, which can exacerbate mental health issues and potentially lead to suicidal ideation. She advocates for filling the knowledge gap regarding trauma and mental health, stressing the need for education among first responders to better understand and cope with their experiences. Building trust and connection with affected families is another critical aspect of Liz's work.
She shares her approach to gaining the trust of families who have lost loved ones, ensuring they feel comfortable sharing intimate details for suicide autopsies. As the conversation unfolds, Liz highlights a disturbing statistic: law enforcement officers are more likely to die by suicide than in the line of duty. This stark reality underscores the urgent need for intervention and prevention strategies. Liz invites listeners to support her cause and learn more about Resilient Heroes by visiting the organization's website.
She concludes by expressing gratitude for the opportunity to share her insights, urging everyone to contribute to the fight against suicide in the first responder community. Overall, this episode provides a compelling look at the challenges faced by first responders and the critical work being done to support their mental health. Liz Pol's dedication and passion serve as an inspiring call to action for listeners to get involved and help make a difference.