S2/E11 Guest #17 (Voices of Valor: Sarah Branson)

In this episode of Midwest Mayhem’s Voices of Valor, we sit down with Sarah Branson — a critical care paramedic, EMS educator, program director, mother of four, and passionate advocate for mental health in emergency services. Since entering EMS in 2015, Sarah has worked across ground EMS, flight EMS, and EMS education, dedicating her career to both patient care and shaping the next generation of providers. This conversation goes far beyond medicine and dives into the emotional realities many first responders silently carry. Sarah opens up about losing a student to suicide, the guilt that followed, and the realization that while trying to support everyone around her, she had neglected her own mental health. We also discuss postpartum mental health in first responders, and how previously compartmentalized trauma resurfaced after becoming a mother. Sarah shares how one specific call continues to impact the way she cares for her children today, even after years of therapy and healing. As an educator and leader in EMS, Sarah talks about how teaching helped her better understand people, personality differences, and the importance of giving grace to others. The episode also explores living with OCD, breaking misconceptions surrounding mental health, and the struggles of being misunderstood in professional environments. This episode is raw, emotional, honest, and incredibly important — not just for first responders, but for anyone learning how to carry trauma, support others, and still find purpose through it all.