15. Burn The Stigma with Matt Ballard

Matt Ballard, a 23-year fire service veteran, shares his personal journey with mental health and the importance of addressing it in the fire service. He discusses his own experiences with anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation, and how he sought help through therapy and medication. Matt emphasizes the need for peer support and the role it played in his recovery. He also highlights the alarming suicide rates among firefighters and the importance of breaking the stigma surrounding mental health. Matt's mission is to raise awareness and provide resources for first responders struggling with mental health issues. In this conversation, Matt Ballard discusses the importance of mental health in the fire service and the need for peer support teams. He emphasizes that everyone's journey is different, but the outcomes are usually the same, such as anxiety, depression, and suicide ideation. Matt highlights the role of culture in mental health and the need for education and normalization of mental health issues. He also discusses coping mechanisms and the importance of finding healthy avenues to process information. Matt shares resources such as Free Burn and Next Rung, which provide education, advocacy, and support for first responders. He encourages departments to reach out to Free Burn for presentations and support. Article Matt Referenced - https://www.fireengineering.com/fire-life/why-am-i-not-enough/ Moral Injury White Paper - https://www.ffbha.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Moral-Injury-White-Paper-2-9-23.pdf Free Burn Website - www.freeburn23.com --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Find us on Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/tailboardmisfits?igsh=MTh0OGY5aXFqZDRwZA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr Find us on Apple Podcasts : https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tailboard-misfits-podcast/id1655527203 Find us on Spotify : https://open.spotify.com/show/5a3KDGvZeUXmFDQIfVLsSd?si=Mwf_LdBDSfeQPfxo_gL8SA Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100086924711632&mibextid=LQQJ4d