Episode 9: Elise and Hayley; Current and Former Australian Police Officers, Trauma Informed Yoga Instructors

Welcome to I Will Hold Space For Your Darkness; a First Responder Mental Health Podcast hosted by Erin Jane.  A former Australian Police Officer and Detective, wife of an American Firefighter, previous crisis counsellor for a suicide prevention organization and current CISM trained, certified Life Coach for First Responders, Emergency Services Members, Spouses and Loved Ones. This episode is a first! We have a double treat with returning guests Elise (Detective Sergeant with Australian State Police Force, Trauma Informed Yoga Instructor, Domestic Violence Advocate - Episode 4) and Hayley (Former Senior Sergeant with Australian Police Force, Trauma Informed Yoga Instructor - Episode 7) jumping on together to talk about all things yoga related and suicide in the world of policing. If you haven't listened to their individual episodes, I encourage you to go back to Episodes 4 and 7, respectively and understand the context of some topics mentioned in this episode, pulled from our previous conversations. Elise and Hayley are the founders of Frontline Wellness, a mental health advocacy organisation for First Responders and they are both qualified, trauma informed yoga instructors, specialising in classes dedicated to the First Responder community. They discuss how they both were introduced to yoga, what it's meant to them in their lives and how they decided to become instructors, including their specialisation in being trauma informed/aware. Elise and Hayley also discuss with Erin Jane how suicide amongst police officers has increased since they all began their careers, particularly in the last ten years and how it affects morale of the members in the organisation. They also all talk about their individual experiences of receiving and engaging with therapy, both the good and the bad encounters. They both discuss how yoga can offer something different for everyone, especially people in the First Responder, Emergency Services and Frontline Worker realm, who can struggle to slow down, take a well-deserved breath and do something comforting for themselves. How being curious is the best place to start and they even discuss Hayley's initial reluctance to the practice that has transformed her life and mental health. It was such a delight to speak with Elise and Hayley together and we all hope you enjoy listening to this episode! Don't forget to check out and follow Frontline Wellness! You can find their Instagram page here: https://www.instagram.com/frontline_wellness_aus/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA== Please feel free to reach out if you'd like a topic discussed, would like to be a guest or are interested in receiving coaching services from Erin Jane. Email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.erinjanecoaching.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/erinjanecoaching⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Call or Text: +1 617 396 4695 You can watch the episodes as video on YouTube here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://youtube.com/@Erin-Jane-Coaching?si=XI8q0z3mhmzO_a7_⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Feel free to watch, listen, subscribe and share!