Ep 162: Emotional Safety at Home in Law Enforcement Families
Code4Couples
Law enforcement officers are trained to survive chaos. But at home, survival mode is not enough. Officers and their spouses need emotional safety in order to stay connected, healthy, and resilient. Without it, communication breaks down. Compassion becomes scarce. And what started as a strong bond slowly begins to erode. The home should be a place of rest, connection, and stability. Yet, for many first responder couples, it feels tense, distant, or even emotionally unsafe. This is not because the relationship is broken. It is because the job has conditioned responses that, if...
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Ep 161: Beat The Burnout: Prevention and Recovery Solutions for Frontline Burnout
Code4Couples
When AK Dozanti started her career in law enforcement at 19 years old, she never imagined that the job she loved would nearly destroy her. Like so many officers, she embodied the mission, working out twice a day, meal prepping, and chasing excellence. By the time she was awarded Officer of the Year in 2015, she was already unraveling. Burnout, depression, PTSD, adrenal fatigue, and suicidal ideation were silently creeping in. Her story isn’t just about what took her out of the job, it’s about how she gave herself permission to choose something different and how that choice saved...
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Ep 160: Mindset Matters: Resilience, Relationships, and Law Enforcement Mental Health
Code4Couples
When Richard Crimi’s 14-year law enforcement career came to an unexpected halt due to a debilitating back injury, he didn’t just recover physically, he rebuilt his mindset from the ground up. Now, through his work with first responders, federal agencies, and military personnel, Richard helps others harness the power of the mind to improve performance, enhance resilience, and strengthen their relationships. And yes, mindset matters in marriage too. LinkedIn:
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Ep 159: The Top Ten Things Every Law Enforcement Spouse Should Know
Code4Couples
Navigating a law enforcement marriage isn’t for the faint of heart. Behind the uniforms, long shifts, and high-stakes calls are couples trying to hold on to connection, communication, and a sense of normal. And while there’s plenty of talk about police mental health and first responder burnout, there’s not nearly enough said about how this job quietly rewires relationships from the inside out. Whether you're brand new to this life or a seasoned spouse who's mastered holidays solo, there's a learning curve no one warns you about. So, I pulled together a list, rooted in the lived...
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Ep 158: The Wounded Blue: Never Forgotten. Never Alone.
Code4Couples
When Lieutenant Randy Sutton first put on the badge in 1976, policing looked a lot different. Officers could do their jobs without the constant scrutiny of a body camera or the looming fear of public backlash. They were respected. Supported. And even though the job was always dangerous, the culture surrounding officers, both inside and outside the department, wasn’t laced with suspicion and hostility. Fast forward to today, and that landscape has shifted dramatically. And for law enforcement families, the weight of that shift is deeply personal.
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Ep 157: Sleep Hygiene for First Responders: Why Sleep Health Matters in First Responder Relationships
Code4Couples
Sleep can feel like a luxury in law enforcement. Between shift work, court schedules, overtime, and home responsibilities, rest often gets pushed to the bottom of the priority list. But here's the truth that people don’t frequently discuss. Your sleep (or lack of it) impacts EVERYTHING: your mood, your health, your safety, your marriage, and even how long you’ll be around to enjoy retirement. Sleep psychologist and author Leah Elizabeth Kaylor breaks down the importance of sleep health for first responders. Leah’s been the go-to sleep expert for the FBI and is...
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Ep 156: Breaking Down The Armor and The Mental Health Stigma in Law Enforcement
Code4Couples
Law enforcement teaches officers how to handle chaos, make quick decisions, and keep emotions in check to get the job done. But what happens when that same skill set that keeps officers safe on duty starts to create distance at home? For Zachary Saenz, that emotional armor was a survival tool, something he didn’t even realize he was putting on. It helped him push through the hard calls, the trauma, and the stress of being a police officer. But over time, the same armor that protected him from the job started shutting out the person he loved most. His story is one that many...
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Ep 155: Undercover Junkie: When the Job Becomes the Rush
Code4Couples
When Brent Cartwright became an undercover narcotics officer, he told his wife, Wesley, that it would be safer. "Bad guys don’t want trouble. They just want your money and to get out of there," he reassured her. After years of unpredictable patrol work, undercover assignments seemed like a shift toward stability, more controlled environments, fewer calls involving guns. Wesley trusted him. She believed he was making the best decision for his career and their family. But what Brent didn’t realize at the time was that he wasn’t just doing the job, he was becoming it. The rush of working...
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Ep 154: Breaking the Silence: How Copline Supports Law Enforcement Officers and Their Families
Code4Couples
In the world of law enforcement, the weight of the job extends far beyond being on duty. Officers carry the burdens of the job home, often struggling with the effects of trauma, hypervigilance, and emotional exhaustion. Yet, despite being problem-solvers for others, many find it challenging to seek help for themselves. That's where Copline steps in, a totally confidential, genuinely non-profit, 24/7 peer support line designed exclusively for law enforcement officers, retirees, and their families. 1-800-COPLINE (267-5463) For more information, visit .
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Ep 153: Dumpster Fire Days: Navigating the Chaos Together in Law Enforcement Relationships
Code4Couples
Ideally, officers coming home would be able to have 20 to 30 minutes to decompress before engaging with the family, but we all know that sometimes that's just not realistic. Your spouse has a life, a full -time job, manages the household and when you're not there, your family has their own business and their own chaos. Heck, maybe the officer parent is the parent who's doing all the parent pickups or bath time, or maybe your spouse travels for work. Real life dictates that as a couple, you're not always going to be able to put the officer's need to decompress ahead of life. Real life dictates...
info_outlineIn this podcast episode, host Cyndi Doyle interviews John Blumenthal, a Retired Master Sergeant (Ret.) with the Oklahoma City Police Department. Blumenthal shares his personal journey of struggling with trauma and making poor choices, which led to the deterioration of his relationships with his family. He emphasizes the importance of prioritizing wellness and seeking help. He discusses his involvement in peer support and wellness programs, including his work with the Warriors Rest Foundation and the National Cops Program. Blumenthal encourages law enforcement officers to seek support and make positive choices to improve their well-being and relationships.