Outside the Bay - Outside the Bay - Episode 5 - Dr. Kenneth Yeager

Outside the Bay - Episode 5 - Dr. Kenneth Yeager

02/18/20 • 50 min

On this 2nd episode discussing mental health, I sit down with special guest, Dr. Kenneth Yeager. Dr. Yeager is the Director of the STAR program, short for Stress, Trauma, and Resilience, at The Ohio State University James Cancer Hospital. He has also contributed to the OAPFF Behavioral Health program and Peer Group Support training. Dr. Yeager is uniquely dedicated to the mental well-being of first responders having both a son as a police officer and nephew as a Fire Captain.

Throughout our discussion on first responder mental health, we dig deeper on:

How to spot mental illness amongst peers and how to offer help,
Asking the question: ‘how has your work changed you?’ Fact: 1 in 4 Americans has a mental health issue at some point in life.
What to expect in a counseling session.
And the fascinating life-story of Winston Churchill.

If Dr. Yeager has struck a chord with you and would like to connect with the STAR program, they can be reached at:

614-293-7827 (STAR)
Hours: Mon. - Fri., 8 am – 5 pm

And additionally, the OAPFF Peer Support can be found www.firefightermentalhealth.org/ The page has a full list of peers by district with their direct phone number. If you, or someone you know, needs, or just wants to talk with a trained PEER in absolute confidentiality, please look them up.

Throughout our discussion on first responder mental health, we dig deeper on:

How to spot mental illness amongst peers and how to offer help,
Asking the question: ‘how has your work changed you?’ Fact: 1 in 4 Americans has a mental health issue at some point in life.
What to expect in a counseling session.
And the fascinating life-story of Winston Churchill.

If Dr. Yeager has struck a chord with you and would like to connect with the STAR program, they can be reached at:

614-293-7827 (STAR)
Hours: Mon. - Fri., 8 am – 5 pm

Previous Episode

Outside the Bay - Episode 4 - Firefighter / Peer Supporter Heith Good

Heith Good is a 22+ year veteran Firefighter-Paramedic serving at Norwich Township in Central Ohio. At Norwich Township, Heith was instrumental in developing the Peer/CISM or Critical Incident Stress Management Program. And In 2017, he became an IAFF-trained Peer Supporter, where he assists departments throughout the United States and Canada in developing their own Peer support programs.

In true-to-Heith fashion, when we contacted him for this interview, he immediately responded by saying ‘YES.’ As you’ll hear, he’s fully-committed, anytime and anywhere, to the well-being of every first responder that he comes into contact with. I have to give a big shout-out to his wife Pamela and their three children- Hayley, Hannah, and maybe the best name ever for a son of a fireman... Blaze! When Heith’s off-duty and a brother or sister in need calls, they share their family time, so I thank you for your sacrifice.

As a first reminder, you can get more info on the OAPFF Peer Support at www.firefightermentalhealth.org/ The page has a full list of peers by district with their direct phone number. If you, or someone you know, needs, or just wants to talk with a trained PEER in absolute confidentiality, please look them up.
IF YOU ARE HAVING A CRISIS AND IN NEED OF IMMEDIATE ASSISTANCE, PLEASE CONTACT THE NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION LIFELINE 1-800-273-8255. AVAILABLE 24 HOURS A DAY, 7 DAYS A WEEK.

Next Episode

Outside the Bay - Episode 6 - Retired Assistant Chief Dave Whiting

On this episode, I get to sit down with a living legend of the fire service and genuinely great guy- Retired Assistant Chief Dave Whiting from the City of Columbus Fire Department. He brings a wealth of leadership knowledge from a long, decorated career and shares easy-to-understand life lessons about: teamwork, honesty, and respecting others opinions to achieve the team’s goals.

Throughout our sit down, we cover a lot of ground, but get Dave’s perspective on: