Staying Power 09-03-25 Healing is Hard, Healing is Worth It

Episode 089: “Healing is Hard, Healing is Worth It” First responders see and experience trauma daily — and often carry those wounds long after the sirens fade. In this episode of Staying Power, JD Wyneken and Ashley Knebel talk with trauma psychologist Dr. Denise Haselwood about how trauma rewires the brain, why it changes thoughts and behavior, and most importantly, how it can be healed. Denise shares practical insights, science-based therapies, and real stories from her work with firefighters, police, EMTs, and more. If you’re a first responder — or someone who loves one — this episode offers knowledge, hope, and proof that healing is possible, even if it feels a little “weird” along the way.