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‘We are anti-fragile’: How firefighters can get stronger through challenges

Dr. Derrick Edwards – a firefighter, professor, counselor and chaplain – details psych concepts that impact firefighter work and home life

Today’s episode digs into a variety of psychological concepts that impact firefighter work and home life, all courtesy of Dr. Derrick Edwards, a nearly 20-year fire service veteran who also serves as a professional counselor and a mental health service provider. Dr. Edwards introduces a lot of new terms and concepts, including anti-fragile, psyche ache, urge-surfing, the end-of-days fallacy, and his favorite, the white bear, all to help us better understand ourselves – our emotions, reactions, stress and coping skills. Edwards – aka “Father ’Stache” – also shares how he became a fire service chaplain and why chaplaincy is so similar to counseling.

  • Don’t miss: The two root causes of anger
  • Episode power quote: “There’s more than one way to help someone, and no one way is for everyone.”
  • Hot seat sneak peek: Edwards’ favorite karaoke song

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Previously on the Better Every Shift Podcast
After decades of work in the firefighter counseling space, Leto shares what he’s learned about resilience, relationships and the healing power of doing good
Fire Chief Robert Logan and Battalion Chief David Picone detail how SDFR shows its members ‘we’re focused on you’
Lautz describes extreme diets as “trying to get to a second-story window without a ladder,” which she combats through pro tips for making better choices on scene and at home
The CEO of the Spartan endurance sports brand wants to help 100 million people get fit – now 101 million with his offer of a free race for all firefighters
The co-founder of HeartFit for Duty shares the common risk factors for cardiac and cancer challenges – and the simple exercise with the greatest impact