Kitchen Table Talk a Break The Stigma Inc Podcast
by Break The Stigma Inc
Join us for real, unfiltered conversations about first responder mental health and wellness. Each episode features voices from firefighters, paramedics, police, medical professionals, and more as we share stories, resources, and strategies for resilience. Together, we break down stigma, build awareness, and create a culture where mental health is just as vital as physical health. Pull up a chair, pour yourself a cup of coffee, and join us at the table. Together, we’ll laugh, reflect, learn, and most importantly, break the stigma around first responder mental health and wellness.
Episodes
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What First Responder Research Really Tells Us
What happens when science meets the firehouse? In Episode 14 of Kitchen Table Talk, Michael Long and Nick Robben sit down with Brittany Hollerbach, Associate Scientist and Deputy Director with the Center for Fire, Rescue, and EMS Health Research, to talk about the research shaping what we know...
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Summer of Gratitude: Men's Mental Health, Real Conversations, and Finding Beauty in the Chaos
It's Men's Mental Health Month — and Mike and Nick finally sat down for a morning session to talk about it. Real talk: men are 4x more likely to die by suicide than women, and most of us are still out here pretending everything's fine. In this episode of Kitchen Table Talk, Mike and Nick break…
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Raw, Authentic, Genuine: lets talk PTSD & Self-Care
Episode Description In this powerful episode of Kitchen Table Talk, Michael Long and Nick Robben sit down with longtime friend and fellow first responder advocate Mark Hanek for an honest conversation about PTSD, vulnerability, healing, and the reality of mental health in the first responder...
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Resilience or Discipline: Real Talk from the HoM Healing Center
In this powerful episode of Kitchen Table Talk, host Michael Long is joined by co-host Nick Robben and special guest Tim Husereau, owner of Hom Healing Center in Pacific, Missouri. Recorded on-site at Tim’s studio, this conversation dives deep into what it truly means to struggle, survive, and...
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Answering the Call Without Losing Yourself, Live from the first responder Mental Health Summit 2026
This episode of Kitchen Table Talk is a little different than usual. Recorded live at the First Responder Mental Health Summit 2026, hosted by the Aspen Network, this conversation brings you directly into a powerful and personal keynote focused on the realities first responders face every…
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Progress, Not Perfection
In this episode of Kitchen Table Talk, Michael Long and co-host Nick Robben reflect on the progress made in breaking the stigma around first responder mental health — and what it really means to keep moving the needle forward. As founder of Break the Stigma Inc., Michael shares how 2025 became a...
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Living in the “What If”
In this episode of Kitchen Table Talk, Mike Long and co-host Nick Robben sit down for an honest, deeply relatable conversation about anxiety, near-miss incidents, and how quickly life can change after a single moment. Joined by guests Heather and James Parmley, the discussion explores what…
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From Numb to Alive — Breathwork, Cold Exposure, and Recovery
In this powerful episode of Kitchen Table Talk, Michael Long and Nick Robben sit down with Josh Hildebrand, founder of Breath and Exposure STL, to talk about what happens when traditional coping strategies aren’t enough. Josh shares his raw journey through combat-related PTSD, suicidal ideation,...
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Saving Lives on Both Ends of the Leash, How Service Dogs Help Our Heroes Heal
In this episode of Kitchen Table Talk, we’re joined by Susan and Tim of Missouri Patriot Paws for an honest, eye-opening conversation about the powerful role service dogs play in the lives of veterans and first responders. We go beyond the surface to talk about what service dogs actually do, how...
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More Than the Job: How Firehouse Culture Can Save, or Cost, Your Mental Health
What happens when the firehouse stops feeling like home? In this episode of Kitchen Table Talk, the conversation gets real—uncomfortable at times, emotional at others, and honest all the way through. Host Michael Long, firefighter/paramedic and founder of Break The Stigma Inc., sits down with...
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“The Breaking Point: Culture, Ketamine, and Changing the Future of First Responder Mental Health”
In Episode 4, Michael Long sits down with co-host Nick Robben and special guest Teena Silkwood for one of the most powerful and raw conversations yet. Together, they break down the reality of mental health crises in first responders — from suicidal ideations and repeated attempts, to the...
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Leadership Starts at the Table: Mental Health, Crew Culture, and the First Responder Journey
In this episode of Kitchen Table Talk, Michael Long and Nick Robben sit down for a candid conversation about what it really means to lead in the fire service—long before the promotion, long before the badge, and long before you’re officially “in charge.” The guys reflect on their early episodes,...
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“Behind the Badge: Healing Relationships & Trauma with Dena DiStefano and Lindsay Simons”
In this powerful second episode of Kitchen Table Talk, hosts Michael Long and Nick Robben sit down with two exceptional clinicians — Dena DiStefano, LCSW, C-DBT, CCTP, founder of Balanced Therapy & Wellness, and Lindsay Simons, LCSW, founder of The Empowerment Spot. Together, they break down the...
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Welcome to the Table
: 🎙 Episode 1: Welcome to Kitchen Table Talk — A Break The Stigma Inc. Podcast Pull up a chair and join hosts Michael Long, Firefighter/Paramedic, and Nick Robben, Lieutenant/Paramedic, as they kick off Kitchen Table Talk — the official podcast of Break The Stigma Inc. In this first episode,...
About this show
Join us for real, unfiltered conversations about first responder mental health and wellness. Each episode features voices from firefighters, paramedics, police, medical professionals, and more as we share stories, resources, and strategies for resilience. Together, we break down stigma, build awareness, and create a culture where mental health is just as vital as physical health.
Pull up a chair, pour yourself a cup of coffee, and join us at the table. Together, we’ll laugh, reflect, learn, and most importantly, break the stigma around first responder mental health and wellness.
Hosted by
Break The Stigma Inc
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