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Christmas Eve is supposed to feel magical. For a lot of first responders, it just feels flat.

In this solocast, I’m talking about the numbness that so many of you experience during the holidays and why it doesn’t mean you’re broken, ungrateful, or doing something wrong.

You’ll hear practical, doable tools you can use right now, including:
• How to use micro presence to gently reconnect without forcing feelings
• A simple pre entry reset to help your nervous system shift before family time
• How to adjust expectations so connection replaces perfection
• When taking a break is healthy regulation, not avoidance
• Why small moments of real presence matter more than one perfect day

If the holidays feel heavy, quiet, or emotionally distant this year, this episode is for you. You are not broken. You’re human. And sometimes the most honest thing you can do is show up for one real moment at a time.

🎧 Listen to Cinnamon’s solocast now.

DISCLAIMER:
After the Tones Drop has been presented and sponsored by Whole House Counseling. After the Tones Drop is for informational purposes only and does not constitute for medical or psychological advice. It is not a substitute for professional health care advice diagnosis or treatment. Please contact a local mental health professional in your area if you are in need of assistance. You can also visit our shows resources page for an abundance of helpful information.

ATTD Music Credits (Music from #Uppbeat):

• https://uppbeat.io/t/vens-adams/adventure-is-calling License code: ANJCYVHRMULSNKQR
• https://uppbeat.io/t/vens-adams/rise-of-the-hero License code: H4WTAGJZIXZCM8DM
• https://uppbeat.io/t/yeti-music/homewardLicense code: KO7FZAIJBAEAJLKE
• https://uppbeat.io/t/sonda/the-heart-grows License code: KAID0ITO96GJZAPS
• https://uppbeat.io/t/philip-anderson/achievement License code: XZ4PMCKHW94GUR74
• https://uppbeat.io/t/tobias-voigt/nexus
  License code: MVMDRGHKHTJRABVR
• https://uppbeat.io/t/paul-yudin/breakthrough
  License code: FYPM3OJF0NQ4OGTE

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Episode 136: From Crisis to Connection with Brad Shepard

What happens when the crisis isn’t on the call sheet, but inside you?

In this episode of After the Tones Drop, I sit down with retired Oklahoma Highway Patrol Captain Brad Shepherd for one of the most honest conversations we’ve had about what it really takes to survive the weight of this work.

Brad shares his journey through decades of law enforcement, building peer support teams, and eventually facing a personal reckoning marked by alcoholism, betrayal, loss, and isolation. We talk openly about the realities first responders don’t often say out loud. The cumulative toll of trauma. The danger of believing you have to carry it all alone. And the moment when surrender becomes the only way forward.

This conversation dives deep into the power of surrender, storytelling, and community. Brad explains how vulnerability became a lifeline, how peer support and recovery spaces quite literally saved his life, and why telling your story can open the door for someone else to find hope.

If you’re a first responder, a veteran, or someone who loves one, this episode is a reminder that strength isn’t found in silence and healing doesn’t happen in isolation.

You are not alone. And your story matters.

DISCLAIMER:
After the Tones Drop has been presented and sponsored by Whole House Counseling. After the Tones Drop is for informational purposes only and does not constitute for medical or psychological advice. It is not a substitute for professional health care advice diagnosis or treatment. Please contact a local mental health professional in your area if you are in need of assistance. You can also visit our shows resources page for an abundance of helpful information.

ATTD Music Credits (Music from #Uppbeat):

• https://uppbeat.io/t/vens-adams/adventure-is-calling License code: ANJCYVHRMULSNKQR
• https://uppbeat.io/t/vens-adams/rise-of-the-hero License code: H4WTAGJZIXZCM8DM
• https://uppbeat.io/t/yeti-music/homewardLicense code: KO7FZAIJBAEAJLKE
• https://uppbeat.io/t/sonda/the-heart-grows License code: KAID0ITO96GJZAPS
• https://uppbeat.io/t/philip-anderson/achievement License code: XZ4PMCKHW94GUR74
• https://uppbeat.io/t/tobias-voigt/nexus
  License code: MVMDRGHKHTJRABVR
• https://uppbeat.io/t/paul-yudin/breakthrough
  License code: FYPM3OJF0NQ4OGTE

Send us a text

Episode 135: After the Tones Drop with Michael Slocum of Frontline Freedom

In this inspiring episode, Cinnamon welcomes Michael Slocum—active Lieutenant with the Painesville Police Department and a leader at Frontline Freedom: Adventure Therapy. Michael shares how his passion for the outdoors and adventure has become a powerful tool for relaxation, resilience, and healing for himself and fellow first responders.

Discover how Michael’s journey through law enforcement led him to embrace backpacking as a way to decompress, reconnect, and process the unique stresses of the job. He discusses the mission of Frontline Freedom, a nonprofit dedicated to providing basically free outdoor adventure experiences for first responders and veterans, and how these trips help participants break out of routine, build confidence, and rediscover joy beyond the badge.

Packed with practical insights, stories from the trail, and a look at how adventure therapy is making a difference, this episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in wellness, leadership, and the power of nature to transform lives.

Learn more or get involved: frontlinefreedom.org

DISCLAIMER:
After the Tones Drop has been presented and sponsored by Whole House Counseling. After the Tones Drop is for informational purposes only and does not constitute for medical or psychological advice. It is not a substitute for professional health care advice diagnosis or treatment. Please contact a local mental health professional in your area if you are in need of assistance. You can also visit our shows resources page for an abundance of helpful information.

ATTD Music Credits (Music from #Uppbeat):

• https://uppbeat.io/t/vens-adams/adventure-is-calling License code: ANJCYVHRMULSNKQR
• https://uppbeat.io/t/vens-adams/rise-of-the-hero License code: H4WTAGJZIXZCM8DM
• https://uppbeat.io/t/yeti-music/homewardLicense code: KO7FZAIJBAEAJLKE
• https://uppbeat.io/t/sonda/the-heart-grows License code: KAID0ITO96GJZAPS
• https://uppbeat.io/t/philip-anderson/achievement License code: XZ4PMCKHW94GUR74
• https://uppbeat.io/t/tobias-voigt/nexus
  License code: MVMDRGHKHTJRABVR
• https://uppbeat.io/t/paul-yudin/breakthrough
  License code: FYPM3OJF0NQ4OGTE