Guns and Mental Health by Walk the Talk America
Walk the Talk America
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An honest and comprehensive discussion about guns and mental health. Two highly stigmatized cultures that have long stood across from each other, refusing to collaborate whenever tragedy strikes. That trend ends now. For firearms owners, clinicians, and the curious public.
Enjoy a new podcast every Tuesday! For this season, we will be mixing in traditional interviews and mental health conversations with our team of clinicians. The mental health podcast episodes will have green cover art, and the interviews will have blue background episode cover art.
Available episodes
Newest first
Oldest first
4 days ago
Episode 78: Isaac Richey (Part II)
A year after first appearing on the show to tell us about being victimized by the New York SAFE Act, US Army Veteran Isaac Richey returns to give an update on the injunctive releif lawsuit he has filed against the State of New York. The ins and outs of the story are enough to make any reasonable person's blood boil, but hope exists for all those who cherish freedom and respect the rule of law, as Isaac shares his optimistic take on his story. If successful, his legal action could send a message to others who would use a temporary mental illness to revoke someone's civil rights: that liberty infringements simply due to being sick are totally unacceptable.
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Sep 19, 2023
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: What is it?
CBT has been around for more than six decades and although it is well known in the clinical counseling community, very few people outside the profession truly understand how it works - and more importantly - that they can use these skills without even coming into the therapy office.
In this episode the clinical team explores the foundational concepts of this modality and shares why it works so well and underpins so many of the counseling techniques used in modern psychotherapy.
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Sep 12, 2023
Episode 76: Get the Scoop on Trauma Treatment
Brandon Covey leads this episode, teaching us about EMDR, or eye movement desensitization and reprocessing. Brandon is certified in EMDR and gives us a basic understanding of EMDR. Then he answers the group questions about this method that is commonly used to treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
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Sep 5, 2023
Episode 75: Jerah Hutchins
Returning to our traditional format in this episode, Mike and Jake interview Jerah Hutchins to discuss her work helping get women out of abusive relationships, being a 2nd Amendment actionist, and more.
Jerah is a firearms trainer, 2nd Amendment actionist, and entrepreneur. She began shooting when she was 11 years old, taught by her grandfather (a Sicilian immigrant who loved the 2nd amendment). She was a competition 3 gunner in her youth and began teaching firearms in 2008. Jerah consulted on several gun range projects from 2013 to 2019, then concentrated on speaking engagements and testifying in gun rights hearings beginning in 2019.
In 2018, she founded WADE (Women’s Awareness & Defense Endeavor), a non-profit that assists women in liberating themselves from abusive relationships and provides self-defense education. To date, 56 women have been through the WADE program, and 55 remain free from their abusers.
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Aug 29, 2023
Episode 74: The Power of Choice in Getting What We Want
In this episode of the podcast Walk the Talk America's clinical team dives into the importance of making conscious decisions in order to achieve fulfillment and really get what you want out of life. Jake Wiskerchen leads the first half giving you a background on Dr. Glasser's work and the five basic needs that all humans possess - and most importantly, how to get them met. Then the group explores how his five basic needs of survival, belonging, power, freedom, and fun relate to gun ownership.
To understand this concept in greater depth, please watch this brief video.
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Aug 22, 2023
Episode 73: Interview With Our Founder
Guest host Kevin Berry interviews Michael Sodini, the founder of Walk the Talk America, to shed light on the pressing issues that gun owners face today. During the interview, Sodini recounts his experience at the prestigious Aspen Ideas Festival, highlighting the key takeaways that resonated with him and how he was treated at an event where he was the only person from the firearms industry.
Sodini goes on to explain how Walk the Talk America has evolved since its inception and how he breaks many misunderstandings and stigmas associated with gun ownership by creating open dialogue and providing a platform for people to have honest conversations.
Michael Sodini also talks about potential positive legislation for gun owners that offer solutions to the issues in America but doesn't require restriction.
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Aug 15, 2023
Episode 72: Negative Impacts of Red Flag Laws
The team takes on the newly adopted SB23-170 in Colorado. The bill, which allows school counselors and mental health professionals to petition for Extreme Risk Protection Orders (ERPO), has sparked heated debates amongst supporters and detractors alike. In this episode, Walk the Talk America delves into the arguments of those who claim that the ERPO's expansion will lead to a reduction in suicides and homicides but warns of the chilling effect that the law may have on those who seek help. Listeners will gain a deeper understanding of "red flag laws" and their impact on gun owners as the group uncovers why many Americans hesitate to seek professional assistance.
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Aug 8, 2023
Episode 71: Aspen Ideas Festival Recap
The Walk the Talk America clinical team talks with founder Michael Sodini to recap his experience at the Aspen Ideas Festival. In this conversation, Michael summarizes his trip experience and answers questions from the group.
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Aug 1, 2023
Episode 70: How To Improve Your Emotional Self-Awareness
The Walk the Talk America clinical team discusses the value of self-awareness with your emotions. The group discusses things like body language, de-escalation, and habits about themselves they've had to be mindful of.
Jake Wiskerchen, Dr. DB Palmer, and Eddie Davenport also talk about how these things can negatively impact important things like relationships, parenting, and kids.
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Jul 25, 2023
Episode 69: Overcoming the Lie of "Imposter Syndrome"
In this episode, the Walk the Talk America clinician team talks about imposter syndrome, therapists getting therapy, and more!
For those unfamiliar with imposter syndrome, Oxford Languages defines it as "the persistent inability to believe that one's success is deserved or has been legitimately achieved as a result of one's own efforts or skills." Jake Wiskerchen, Dr. DB Palmer, Brandon Covey, and Eddie Davenport talk about their experience with imposter syndrome and tips that have helped them deal with it.
This is the first episode of this new season, where we will be mixing in traditional interviews and mental health conversations with our team of clinicians. The mental health podcast episodes will have green cover art, and the interviews will have blue background episode cover art.
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Jun 20, 2023
Episode 68: A Shift in Direction
WTTA is proud to have added more clinicians to its board of directors and advisory board! Join Jake, DB Palmer, Eddie Davenport, and Brandon Covey as they introduce themselves and set the stage for what is yet to come in future podcast episodes.
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Apr 14, 2023
Episode 67: Rafael Del Valle
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Apr 14, 2023
Episode 66: CloverTac
Chris Dover is a lifelong gun owner, Second Amendment advocate, children's firearms instructor, and host of his own podcast and YouTube Channel, CloverTac Productions.
On his channel, Chris shares firearm education, reviews, interviews, podcasts and a whole lot more. He is a proud member of the Firearms Radio Network, Professional Outdoor Media Association, Southeastern Outdoor Press Association and National Shooting Sports Foundation.
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Jan 27, 2023
Episode 65: Open Arms TV Show
Brian Lockerman is the creator of Open Arms and the president of MB Studio Productions, a full-service production company specializes in all forms of multi-media, television, commercials, music videos, and films. MB Studio Productions has produced various commercials, pilots, reels, and reality based programs.
Today, Open Arms is the successor to “Shoot To Thrill” that he also created. Brian is a passionate firearms owner and a gun-collector over the years, and has a strong belief and respect for the U.S. Constitution, Bill of Rights, and the 2nd Amendment. His professionalism in front and behind the camera with Open Arms is safety-first with respect to actors and crew handling firearms.
Brian’s enthusiasm and charismatic likeability was highly noticed, back in the day, as a talented rock drummer who has since traded-in his quick-handed sticks for his first love weaponry; his increasing knowledge, experience, and passion over the years, and now as a skilled producer with Open A…
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Jan 9, 2023
Episode 64: Trey Miller
Trey Miller is a Marine Corps veteran who started Ghost Tactical Productions in 2017. He’s a 2A advocate who preaches on concealed carry, self-reliance, and all aspects of firearms training. Ghost Tactical is not just a home base for Trey’s podcast network- there are thorough product reviews, written columns, and much more. Trey is the host of a live podcast “The Armed Citizen Podcast” where he and his guests talk everything gun culture. It is a part of the Self Defense Radio Network. He also hosts “The Jarhead Podcast”, a part of the Veteran Podcast Network and Military Podcast Network, where he and his guests talk all things military and being prepared for civilian life after service.
Trey also prides himself on working with local and State politicians to improve quality of life and benefits for Active Duty military, veterans, and their families. He continues to push politicians to increase coverage and available resources to help with homelessness, injury care, and ment…
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Jan 8, 2023
Episode 63: Nathan Jones
Nathan Jones is president of the Bay Area Black Gun Owners Association. An unwitting leader, he saw a need in his community and seized on it.
The Bay Area chapter of the Black Gun Owners Association is a gun rights advocacy group assisting law abiding citizens of the Bay Area in becoming safe and effective firearms owners. They partner with certified firearms instructors to provide a wide variety of firearms training courses, member range days, and community service events.
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Dec 16, 2022
Episode 62: Anthony Anderson
Anthony Anderson is an Operation Iraqi Freedom Veteran and small business owner. After his military service, Anthony worked with Veterans struggling to successfully reintegrate after their service ended.
In 2013, he and a fellow Veteran walked across the United States in an effort to heal themselves and raise awareness to the host of issues impacting Veterans and their families. Their walk and work is featured in the award winning documentary, Almost Sunrise, in which they reveal and detail the concept of moral injury. As co-founder of LiT Beard Company, Anthony supports Veterans and their families with charitable donations from each sale.
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Oct 27, 2022
Episode 61: Sandy Richardson (Part II)
Sandy Richardson, a victim of the New York SAFE Act, is back to update us on her absurd and blood-boiling experience with getting falsely reported and having her rights restricted. She has since pursued multiple Freedom of Information Law requests and obtained overwhelming information that suggests the NY SAFE Act not only doesn't help people, but it actually keeps hundreds of thousands from seeking care.
Please share this episode as widely as you can, and particularly with healthcare workers.
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Oct 19, 2022
Episode 60: Rob Pincus & GunPRO
For more than two decades Rob Pincus has taught all aspects of firearms across the globe. Since 2018 he has served as a board member for Walk the Talk America and in 2022 he launched GunPRO, a Pledge of Responsible Ownership, to invite firearms owners to take an affirmative step toward even more mindfulness regarding their involvment with the guns that they own.
This is his pitch to gun owners to engage in this totally voluntary and competely decentralized accountability mechanism with their friends and colleagues. This is the gun community "doing something" to curb unnecessary negative outcomes with firearms and Walk the Talk America is proud to support the effort.
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Sep 25, 2022
Episode 59: Isaac Richey
Isaac is a former infantryman in the US Army and, due to seeking help at the right time when he needed it, is now no longer allowed to own firearms.
But the story gets nuttier: after discharge from the hospital and completing his care, he was returned to duty and used all kinds of firearms for quite a while longer while working for the Army. Yet now, as a civilian, he has had his career opportunities limited, all because of an activist hospital staffer in New York.
Born and raised in Oregon and grew up shooting, hiking, fishing and all other sorts of outdoorsy stuff, he is pursing a cybersecurity degree in Texas. He has long-term goals of working in federal cyber security/federal law enforcement, as he believes that would be the best way to use his skills to help people.
This is his testimony.
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Sep 8, 2022
Episode 58: Brandon Covey
Brandon Covey is a licensed mental health counselor, professional musician, and avid shooter.
In his counseling work, Brandon specializes in dealing with anxiety and depressive disorders, as well as helping his clients find meaning and purpose through life's most challenging circumstances. Brandon takes a cognitive behavioral approach to correct negative thinking patterns, combined with reality and existential therapies to promote sound choices and decision making. Brandon believes healing and resilience can be found by anyone with desire, an open mind, and a willingness to learn.
Outside of counseling, Brandon works as a freelance bassist in various settings; church, rock bands, recording sessions, etc. In addition to playing professionally, Brandon has a passion for composing his own music; finding personal meaning in turning his personal struggles into art that can be appreciated by others.
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Aug 11, 2022
Episode 57: John McClain
John McClain is a member of Team Armscor as a Pistol/MultiGun Competitor. He also worked 8 years in Las Vegas as an EMT responding to all kinds of 911 calls. He credits firearms, and the 2A community for being one of the main reasons why he was able to fight though one of the darkest times in his life.
In this episode he offers insight into what he witnessed and experienced in the world of medicine and discusses some of the issues that we all are facing in the battle for those that need/want help when it comes to mental health.
Also, he feels "elevator sexy" after listening to our intro music.
Thank you to our Platinum sponsors, Armscor and Ruger, for their incredible support.
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Jun 30, 2022
Episode 56: Locked & Loaded Latinos
Rolo and Jo are a husband-and-wife team working to expand and normalize the fiream and freedom movements through education, entertainment, and exposure After Florida's Republican-led government enacted gun control laws in 2018, they knew they needed to become advocates for their rights and the Locked & Loaded Latinos came to fruition.
Each week on their live podcast they discuss topics from the 2nd Amendment advocacy, politics, pop culture, gaming, current events, and also have bilingual discussions about our rights and Founding Documents.
Find Rolo and Jo on YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter, as well as wherever podcasts are found.
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Jun 18, 2022
Episode 55: Sharyn Hinchcliffe
Sharyn works in IT by day, but by night she is a civil rights advocate, mental health proponent, and fits neatly in no boxes of any kind. Prepare to have your worldview expanded.
IG: s.a.hinchcliffe
Twitter: @sacrebleu141
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May 11, 2022
Episode 54: Kevin Berry
Kevin Berry joins the Guns and Mental Health Podcast to discuss how social media is affecting our mental health. We also discuss how firearm content and individuals working in the industry are purposely suppressed on social media.
Kevin is a father of one and husband who enjoys getting outdoors and sports. He has been working in marketing for over seven years and started his small marketing agency in 2018 to help smaller businesses. He works in multiple areas, including advertising, branding, digital marketing, and website design. Kevin is passionate about educating people about marketing and social media.
Follow Kevin on Twitter or LinkedIn
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Apr 28, 2022
Episode 53: David Yamane
David Yamane is Professor of Sociology at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. For the first 20 years of his academic career, he specialized in the sociology of religion, a field in which he authored, co-authored, or edited 6 books and 2 major scholarly journals. Since 2011, Professor Yamane has studied guns, especially the new self-defense oriented core of American gun culture that Michael Bane calls Gun Culture 2.0. Among his publications in this area is a short history of concealed carry in the U.S., Concealed Carry Revolution: Liberalizing the Right to Bear Arms in America, and a review essay on “The Sociology of US Gun Culture.”
As he continues to work on a book combining his personal experiences and sociological observations of Gun Culture 2.0, Professor Yamane shares his thoughts on two blogs, gunculture2point0.com and guncurious.com, and on Twitter at @davidyamane and @gunculture2pt0. In 2022, he launched a YouTube channel, “Light Over Heat with Profe…
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Apr 6, 2022
Episode 52: Tony Simon
Tony Simon is United States Marine Corps veteran, certified firearms instructor and certified range safety officer. He founded and hosts the 2nd is For Everyone: Diversity Shoot and the 2nd is For Everyone podcast.
The 2nd is for Everyone is dedicated to welcoming people of all races, religions, genders, sexual orientation and backgrounds into the firearms community, educating them on their civil rights and on the human right of self defense while introducing them to 2A advocacy organizations.
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Mar 21, 2022
Episode 51: Samantha Mann
Samantha is a practicing psychologist and professional counselor in West Virginia who actively writes for the NRA, along with being a certified firearms instructor. Living in both worlds gives her a unique perspective on both cultures and in this episode, she discusses the role and evolution of women in the gun community, the concept of "gun bunnies," and of course, mental health.
For those who are curious about how clinical practitioners handle suicidal firearms owners, this episode should help shed some light on the often-misunderstood process.
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Jan 21, 2022
Episode 50: Cam Edwards
Cam Edwards is the editor of BearingArms.com and the host of the long-running 2A show Cam & Co. A husband and father of five, Cam grew up in a gun-free household before purchasing his first firearm for self-defense and defense of his family after he became a husband and insta-dad to two stepchildren almost 25 years ago. Since then, he's become passionate about ensuring access to the right to keep and bear arms, as well as making sure that gun owners have the tools they need to be safe and responsible.
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Jan 14, 2022
Episode 49: Dylan Sessler
Dylan Sessler is an author, mental health advocate, speaker, and US Army Veteran. He survived parental suicide, PTSD, child abuse, bullying, war, life-changing injuries along with depression and anxiety.
At one point Dylan was going to take his own life but (literally) wound up not pulling the trigger. Today he coaches others into better lifestyle choices and creates inspirational content for social media, YouTube, and also has his own podcast. With more than half a million subscribers on TikTok, Dylan has re-engineered his life into one of meaning, purpose, and encouragement.
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Dec 27, 2021
Episode 48: Jesse Bugarin
Jesse Bugarin was raised in the Los Angeles area where homeowners owned guns for security reasons with little access or knowledge of safes to lock up their firearms.
He joined Cannon Security Products in 1989. During this time the company was small in volume and consumer reach. Jesse realized early on that safes were a necessary item for every home in America, which led to adopting “A SAFE IN EVERY HOME” as the company BHAG or, "Big Hairy Audacious Goal."
The growth and success of the company has been attributed to promoting and environment where people are challenged to learn, grow, and contribute to society. He has dedicated his career to helping customers secure what they value, to help prevent injury or death by promoting education and providing product for proper gun storage, and working with retailers to make safes both accessible and affordable.
Throughout his 32-year career, he has held various executive management level roles with responsibilities in logistics, customer…
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Sep 22, 2021
Episode 47: Ashley Hlebinsky
What is Bipolar II Disorder and what does it have to do with this podcast?
For the past 15 years, Ashley Hlebinsky has been immersed in the study of firearms history, technology, and culture becoming one of the nation’s foremost authorities on the subject. Hlebinsky has researched and worked in several nationally recognized firearms and weapons collections, including the Smithsonian Institution’s National Firearms Collection and the Buffalo Bill Center of the West’s Cody Firearms Museum. For the past decade, she worked for and ran the Cody Firearms Museum, one of the largest and only accredited firearms museums in the country.
Ashley has accomplished a lot during her relatively short career - achieving all of these milestones before her 30th birthday. While many have described her as the "energizer bunny" and "overly passionate," juggling multiple high stress, high level projects, that level of energy is often punctuated with behind-the-scenes exhaustion and depression.
In Nov…
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Sep 8, 2021
Episode 46: Deborah Alexander
Deborah Alexander is the widow to the late Frank Alexander, former bodyguard for rapper Tupac Shakur. Frank was seemingly torn between two worlds and Deborah bore witness to all of the torment, joy, frustration, pain, triumph, and chaos that Frank endured, all the way through the moment where he took his own life - in front of Deborah, in their home - with his own gun.
Deborah's story is full of tears and hope, confusion and inspiration. She shares her story with us in an effort to improve awareness related to mental illness, firearms, and suicide. Her book, The Private Life of Big Frank: Bodyguard to the Greatest of Gangster Rap is available for purchase on Amazon.
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Aug 19, 2021
Episode 45: Sherry Molock
Dr. Sherry Molock is an associate professor of psychology at the George Washington University and also holds a Master of Divinity degree. She works with faith-based communities to educate on sexual matters, HIV/AIDS, and suicide prevention. Mike met Sherry through their work together with Convergence, a group of disparate leaders across the firearms, violence, and suicide prevention communities across the United States.
When she began her involvement she lacked any knowledge of guns whatsoever and has grown to understand the reasons that people own guns and advocate to protect that right. Her work in multiple arenas to bridge the gap between seemingly divergent and incompatible viewpoints and cultures contributes mightily to the conversation about guns and mental health. We hope you find this conversation as enjoyable as we did.
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Jul 4, 2021
Episode 44: Mychael Waller
Perhaps best known in the gun community for successfully defending his life against an armed attacker, Mychael is also a gun store owner, follower of Jesus, and father of three young children. He is also the first African American under the age of 25 in the state of Illinois to obtain a FFL and also the youngest FFL holder in the country to date.
In this episode Myke shares his story of self defense, some insights on entrepreneurship, his strength in spiritual faith, his journey through counseling after the shooting, and what he plans to do in the future to help gun owners prepare better. He believes his story can inspire responsible gun owners to avoid falling victim to gun violence.
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May 31, 2021
Episode 43: Sandy Richardson
Sandy RIchardson lives in New York and has owned guns her whole life. She also works in health care. Those two world collided in 2020 when she sought some counseling for pandemic- and other life-related stress, only to discover that she was "flagged" in a state health database designed to prevent law-abiding citizens from obtaining firearms after receiving mental health treatment.
This is her story.
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May 30, 2021
Episode 42: Chris Cheng
Top Shot Chris rejoins Mike and Jake to discuss mental health in deeper detail, sharing his own path to recovery via counseling, as well as his perspective on the increase in violence crime perpetrated against Asian Americans. He also talks about home defense and the stress that has befallen many people due to the economic downturn.
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May 23, 2021
Episode 41: Tom Nguyen
Tom Nguyen bought his first gun intentionally to take his own life with it. In this episode we discuss masculinity, race relations, liberalism and conservatism, and a few other subjects.
Tom is a Liberal Gun Club certified Instructor, NRA certified Instructor & Range Safety Officer, and National African American Gun Association member. He offers private & group lessons at various locations throughout Los Angeles and Orange County.
As a refugee who fled a war, Tom understands that guns can be triggering and have traumatic associations in many BIPOC communities. He had to overcome his immigrant parents’ fear of guns to fulfill his childhood dreams of owning and shooting firearms. After witnessing a gun homicide in his 20s, he started taking his shooting and training seriously, from handguns to rifles and shotguns.
Upon seeing scores of new gun owners who would've never considered firearms before the pandemic and civil unrest, he founded L.A. Progressive Shooters in 2020 as a non-int…
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May 10, 2021
Episode 40: Erin Yeung
Erin Yeung has been in Public Safety Dispatch for 17 years and is the owner/host of the podcast "Your Oxygen Mask First", which is aimed at guiding people in "helping" roles and professions to resources for mental health and overall wellness. The podcast also shares stories of people who have overcome struggles and are now thriving, as well as interviews with experts in these fields. You can't help others unless you help yourself first!
Erin also serves on the board of directors of the Nevada Peer Support Network, a non-profit organization that works to provide training for peer support groups and members, as well as training and resources surrounding mental health and resiliency for members of the public safety, medical, and veteran communities in Nevada and Northern California.
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May 2, 2021
Episode 39: Kim Petters
Kim served in the United States Air Force and presently advocates in many areas for firearms owners, including as the Delaware delegate for DC Project.
In this podcast Kim shares multiple stories and opinions; using cannabis as a substitute for all psychotropic medication, women as targets for assault, self-defense with a firearm, and about how she leads community members to have their voices heard among elected officials.
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Apr 25, 2021
Episode 38: Jimmy Graham
Jimmy Graham spent more than a decade and a half as a Navy SEAL while earning multiple certifications and promoting several times. He has served overseas in combat missions in Iraq, Afghanistan, Lebanon, and Libya. He has trained federal, state, and local law enforcement as well as EMS, firefighters, and dispatch personnel, traveling across the nation to do all of the above.
Jimmy works closely with civilians and professionals alike to improve their knowledge, understanding, and preparation in both armed and unarmed responses to life-threatening situations including active shooter situations and terrorist attacks.
Find out more about Jimmy and his team at ableshepherd.com
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Apr 7, 2021
Episode 37: Gianni Pirelli
Mike and Jake affectionately refer to Gianni Pirelli as the "Godfather" of guns and mental health because he authored the book that formed the foundation of Walk the Talk America's work in the clinical realm . The Behavioral Science of Firearms is the seminal publication that gave WTTA the impetus to educate clinical practitioners in their gun community cultural competence.
Dr. Pirelli has experience in numerous clinical and clinical-forensic settings, many of which have included psychiatric and forensic-psychiatric centers and prisons, and his area of expertise is psychological assessment, particularly in the area of forensic evaluation. He has worked on cases at the county, state and federal levels, and he has conducted evaluations for matters in 19 of the 21 New Jersey counties, in addition to various other states, such as New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and California. Dr. Pirelli’s expertise and work has been highlighted in various media and press outlets: *click here for…
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Apr 1, 2021
Episode 36: Darin Balaam
Darin Balaam is the 27th person elected to serve as Sheriff of Washoe County since the Office was founded in 1861. He took the oath of office on January 7, 2019, a momentous step for a law enforcement career that began when he was 21 years old.
Sheriff Balaam’s career includes more than 21 years at the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office. He held every rank from deputy sheriff to third-in-command as an Assistant Sheriff. His experience encompasses all three bureaus: Operations, Detention and Administration.
As Sheriff, he firmly believes in the importance of education. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice from the University of Nevada Reno and a Master of Science degree in Criminal Justice Administration from the University of Louisville. Additionally, he is a graduate of the Federal Bureau of Investigations Southwest Command College and the University of Louisville’s Southern Police Institute’s Administrative Officers Course. He is committed to supporting edu…
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Mar 28, 2021
Episode 35: Matt Miller
*Dr. Matthew Miller is an Air Force veterans and the Director for Suicide Prevention for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, where he leads a team dedicated to the implementation and reinforcement of evidence-based community and clinical interventions addressing suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention for the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). *
*Having previously served as the Director of the Veterans Crisis Line (VCL), under his leadership VCL became the world’s largest and most efficient suicide crisis call center. He began his VA career as the Chief of Mental Health at Aleda E. Lutz VA Medical Center in Saginaw, MI, where he later became the Deputy Chief of Staff. *
*Dr. Miller received his PhD from Michigan State University and a Master of Public Health (MPH) from the University of Michigan. He completed his professional residency in Clinical Psychology at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base Medical Center and served as the Chief of Mental Health at a Joint Servi…
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Mar 16, 2021
Episode 34: Brooke Cheney
Brooke Cheney is an accidental advocate. She had been around guns all her life but didn't really know anything about them. Once she had children, she decided to learn how to handle firearms safely. Learning how to handle firearms safely led her to competition, which taught her that a 10-round magazine ban is a gun ban.
Her first time testifying - against the 10-round mag ban - was in 2010 in front of the Connecticut legislature. On December 12th 2012, the Sandy Hook tragedy happened, and her kids were 5 & 6 years old at the time. Broken hearted, she started researching how to prevent violence. What she found is that there are many ways to approach violence prevention and none of the studies pointed to legislation, they pointed to programs that build communities. Looking at reports, programs, and statistics from the CDC, Department of Justice, the F.B.I., and more, she learned that all the "gun violence deaths" people talked about were not primarily violence, but 66% were suicides. Sin…
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Mar 11, 2021
Episode 33: Christy Butler and Ryan Hale
In this episode we discuss what it's like for mental health professionals to intervene in mental health crises with alongside law enforcement. Our outstanding guests come from two different programs in two different states, and they outline their experiences beautifully with regard to all the laws and policies that fold into and regulate this effort, including so-called "red flag laws."
Ryan has been a mental health co responder with the Estes Park, CO Police Department for two and a half years. He spent ten years working as an EMT on the Estes Park Health Ambulance Service before becoming a counselor. Ryan has also worked in education, both as a counselor and an instructor at Colby College in Kansas and continues to teach part time. He is also a PhD candidate in positive neuropsychology.
Christy is a military veteran currently licensed in Nevada as a Clinical Professional Counselor, and Clinical Alcohol and Drug Counselor, as well as being nationally certified as a Master Addiction…
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Mar 5, 2021
Episode 32: Christian Conte
Christian Conte, Ph.D., is a psychologist, author, Level 5 Anger Management specialist, former university professor, husband, dad, and creator of Yield Theory, which aims to revolutionize how we communicate with one another.
Dr. Conte has spent more than a dozen years helping people who have committed violent crimes and he is currently training the entire Pennsylvania Department of Corrections - including staff and inmates - in Yield Theory. In this interview he discusses violence, emotional functioning, the neuroscience of communication, and shares multiple tips and techniques for living a life of peace.
To learn about Yield Theory, pick up his book Walking Through Anger.
His incredible YouTube channel can be found by clicking here.
Also check out the Tackling Life podcast with co-host Ray Lewis.
Other books:
Mastering What you Practice
Zen Parent, Zen Child
Life Lessons
Teaching Stories
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Mar 2, 2021
Episode 31: Brandon Cassinelli
Brandon Cassinelli is a 5th generation Nevadan and a Reno native. Hailing from a law enforcement family, he followed his father and two uncles into work at the Reno Police Department beginning in 2007. Throughout his 14-year career he has occupied numerous roles within the Department, including Tactical Flight Officer in the region’s helicopter response unit, detective with the family and sex crimes divisions, and downtown enforcement officer focusing on bicycle patrol for focus directed issues.
While at the Department, he returned to the University of Nevada and received his bachelor’s degree in Human Development and Family Studies in 2015, followed by his Master’s in Marriage and Family Therapy in 2019 and began his Nevada state internship in counseling the same year.
His current position with the Department—the Embedded Resource Officer—was established in 2019 and is a full-time role directed toward the reduction of stigma surrounding and engagement with mental health se…
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Feb 24, 2021
Episode 30: John Petrolino
John Petrolino is a United States Merchant Marine Officer, writer, firearms instructor, and author of Decoding Firearms: An Easy to Read Guide on Basic Gun Safety & Use. He matriculated at Massachusetts Maritime Academy, where he received a BS in Marine Engineering. John's call to write developed towards the end of high school and he has continued to develop both his style and the scope of content he covers.
His exposure to the shooting world occurred when he was a youth, learning the fundamentals with a pellet gun in his back yard. Hunting and shooting became activities that John and his father began to do regularly starting around the age of eight. John's involvement in shooting sports grew further through the Boy Scouts and he spent some time as a shotgun shooting, rifle shooting, and archery instructor at a Boy Scout camp when he was 16. While attending Massachusetts Maritime Academy, he spent a season on the varsity Rifle Team.
With literary interests deeply rooted in the Beat G…
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Feb 19, 2021
Episode 29: The Liberal Gun Club
Ed Gardner and Lara Smith of The Liberal Gun Club join Mike and Jake for a conversation about core concepts of Second Amendment rights.
The Liberal Gun Club provides a voice to gun owners who do not subscribe to the right-wing rhetoric surrounding firearm ownership by engaging the public on important firearms issues, allowing liberal and moderate views to be expressed and actively debated. They encourage well thought out and reasoned positions and discourage personal attacks and emotionally reflexive tirades.
In addition to the dialogue, the club hosts regular shooting events to promote marksmanship and safety and offers several training programs, including a Range Safety Course, Firearms Familiarization, Defensive Pistol, and responsible ownership.
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Feb 15, 2021
Episode 28: Andrew Langlois
Andrew Langlois spent many years as a law enforcement officer and is now in graduate school for public health doing research on firearms policy and its effect on preventing negative outcomes. He is a Second Amendment advocate and continues to make leather rifle slings, a hobby he has been doing for many years.
Having traveled the world, Andy has learned many lessons on economics, social policies, policing, and mental health treatment that inform his interactions with the world. We are pleased to have him on discussing all of these things and particularly how to help those struggling with mental illness while preserving rights and freedoms.
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Feb 10, 2021
Episode 27: Jason Griego
Jason Griego is a retired Air Force C-130 & C-17 Loadmaster with 24 years of service. He flew combat missions in Bosnia, Saudi Arabia, Africa, Iraq and Afghanistan. Jason is the Founder of Vegas Veterans Hockey Foundation and President of Community Outreach.
Jason is on the Board of Directors for Warrior Suicide Prevention Foundation, and is a member of the Las Vegas Mayor’s Veteran Suicide Challenge Team. He is also a USA Hockey Level 4 certified coach with handicapped and sled hockey certifications. He coaches the Vegas Junior Golden Knight Girls travel teams as well as many hockey development programs. Jason also is on the Board of Directors of Miracle League Las Vegas, a nonprofit that works to engage youth with special needs and disabilities in sporting activities.
He has lived in Las Vegas for over 10 years with his wife, kids and six rescue pets.
And no, he is not Hugh Jackman's face double in the X-Men movies. But he could be...
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Feb 5, 2021
Episode 26: Rob Morse
Rob Morse: designer/analyst by day, civil rights advocate by night.
He hosts the Self-Defense Gun Stories podcast and co-hosts the Polite Society podcast. He has written for many years about guns and gun safety, with his articles appearing at the SlowFacts blog, Ammoland, and Clash Daily, and is a frequent guest on Gun Freedom Radio.
He enjoys exploring the deeper psychological and sociological concepts and motivations behind human behavior, including mental illness and social interactions.
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Feb 1, 2021
Episode 25: Colion Noir
Colion Noir is a Houston native, but for the past eight years he has made Dallas his home. While attending law school, a friend invited him to the local gun range to shoot for the first time. Being scared of guns, every fiber in his body urged him to decline but he accepted. That was the day that changed his life and the lives of millions of his followers who have grown with him on Instagram, YouTube and Facebook. His trademark has become the use of unique and colorful prose in his firearm videos to describe the guns that he so appreciates for their beauty, mechanical engineering, defensive properties, and embodiment of American freedom.
While his library of videos showing him on the range doing what he loves to do continues to grow, his driving passion is generating his biting and brilliant commentary videos. His aim is to educate all Americans, no matter their station, as to why the 2nd Amendment recognizes an essential, individual liberty worthy of being jealously guarded against e…
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Jan 25, 2021
Episode 24: Kenyon Gleason
Kenyon Gleason is the president and secretary of the National Association of Sporting Goods Wholesalers (NASGW), and has been with the organization since 2015.
He is an award-winning journalist and has worked in television, radio, and print newsrooms across the upper Midwest. Gleason has over 25 years of media, communications, marketing, public and government relations, and political experience in a variety of industries including healthcare, education, transportation, agriculture, and shooting sports. Kenyon also the owns Connect Consulting, LLC, a management consulting company based in South Dakota.
Prior to leading NASGW, he was the vice president of development and field operations for the American Road and Transportation Builders Association in Washington, D.C., focused on U.S. transportation-related issues, legislation, and advocacy.
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Jan 18, 2021
Episode 23: Jose Fierro
Jose Fierro was a fighter pilot for the US Marine Corps and serves as a WTTA board member. In this episode he explains his passion for helping veterans and preserving gun rights, discusses some really cool technology related to drone capabilities, and explains why he does not have any social media (spoiler alert: it's good for your mental health).
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Jan 10, 2021
Episode 22: Randy Miyan
Randy “Miyanovich” Miyan is the full-time Executive Director and co-founder of Liberal Guns Owners: a 501(c)4 organization which supports firearms ownership rights, the mitigation of firearms-related violence, and firearms ownership participation for the left-leaning.
Randy is a former remodeling and renovation business-operator who worked within the parameters of Green and Eco-sensitive building projects for 17 years. He has a substantial connection to the world of mental and physical health improvement through his 25 year dedication to Buddhist meditation, Buddhist psychology, and Chinese forms of mind-body exercise like Tai Chi and Qigong. For over five years, Randy taught Tai Chi and meditation to both the senior citizen and HIV /AIDS community.
Randy’s gun perspective is unique in that he was involved in firearms as a kid but walked away from them for over two decades. He returned to guns from the world of dedicated non-violence due to an increased need for self-defense in…
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Jan 6, 2021
Episode 21: Eddie Davenport
Eddie is a social worker out of North Carolina who grew up in the firearm competition world and holds multiple national shootings titles. As such, he believes that he is uniquely positioned to help bridge the gap between the mental health and the firearms communities. Eddie also has a background as a first responder and is open about his past struggles with PTSD, as well as the struggles between being pro-second amendment within the mental health world.
He is a proud supporter of WTTA and its mission to reduce suicides across the world.
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Jan 1, 2021
Episode 20: Aaargo Jay
If you ask him, he'd tell you that he is just a guy. However, spend a few minutes with him and you will soon find out that he is all of the aforementioned. His passion for advocacy is directly related to the love he has for his family. Making sure the world is a safe place for them to live their lives is paramount for Aaargo Jay.
Find out more on his website or follow him on all the usual social media platforms.
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Dec 24, 2020
Episode 19: Shauna Springer
Shauna "Doc" Springer is a psychologist who has worked for a long time with veterans on their posttraumatic stress and has written extensively about the subject, including in her book, Warrior: How to Support Those Who Protect Us . In this encouraging conversation she covers a lot of ground, but chiefly an emerging practice that alleviates PTSD (or, more accurately, PTSI) with a simple anesthetic injection and some outpatient talk therapy.
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Dec 21, 2020
Episode 18: Sherman Gillums
For more than a decade and a half Sherman Gillums, Jr., has continued serving this country's disabled and paralyzed veterans after he spent a dozen years serving as a marine.
On this podcast he discusses his tireless efforts as an advocate for paralyzed veterans, his own disability, and being a father, along with veterans policy matters and getting their mental struggles treated without infringement upon their gun rights.
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Dec 6, 2020
Episode 17: "At the Intersection..." webinar recap
One of WTTA's most important efforts involves training mental health professionals in firearms culture. This competency training helps clinicians better understand the foundational principles of why people own guns so that they can create a more welcoming, non-judgmental environment for those who want mental health care to get it without nervousness or suspicion.
The classes will be a full-blown certificate course in three parts, with this summary covering part one and its last four iterations. Jake and Mike discuss the benefits, the purpose, the increasing attendance, and what the gun community can do to support the ongoing efforts.
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Dec 5, 2020
Episode 16: Myra Fukuno
Myra Fukuno has an intimate relationship with suicide and firearms; her boyfriend of five years took his own life with one. Today, she still advocates fiercely for gun rights and shares openly some of her own struggles in pushing through the pain and overcoming the loss.
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Nov 23, 2020
Episode 15: Chris Jachimiec
Chris Jachimiec is a recently retired member of the United States Air Force. He served in multiple military leadership roles in Nevada, Germany, and Korea, and is a veteran of the war in Afghanistan.
In July 2017, he lost his brother, Lance Corporal Adam Jachimiec, United States Marine Corps, to suicide after a courageous battle with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Throughout his grief journey, Chris noticed gaps in suicide postvention in the Armed Forces. He serves as a Care Group Facilitator and Peer Mentor for the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors and is a distinguished member of the Las Vegas Mayor's Challenge Team.
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Nov 11, 2020
Episode 14: Jesse Lott
Jesse is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor in Nevada who specializes in couples, adolescents, mood disorders, and substance abuse. He is trained in multiple intervention strategies and has practiced for more than 15 years. Jesse is also a lifelong firearms owner and supporter of WTTA.
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Nov 3, 2020
Episode 13: Kevin Dixie
Kevin Dixie is the owner-operator of No Other Choice Firearms Training (NOC) and the Founder of Aiming For The Truth, a 6-spoked approach to healing broken families and strengthening the community bonds of neighbors, to improve the lives of people in the cities and states of our nation. The program focuses on the roots of the factors that are driving violence in our communities; a mission of solving real issues and dealing with the complexities that exist within them, while not blaming of tools of violence to avoid discussion.
Through his articulate and well-researched reasoning and passionate commitment, KD has gained numerous followers and become an influencer for 2A advocates and social justice seekers alike.
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Nov 3, 2020
Episode 12: Kevin Reichard
Kevin is a husband to his wife and father of two daughters. You may know him as "Tacdaddy" on the Internet. Additionally he is the author of Logically Emotional in Parkland, a Unique Perspective, the former host of Gun News Weekly from 2012-2018 with more than 205 1-hour live episodes, owner and operator of AwareAndPrepared.live, and ongoing video content creator in the firearms industry, with more than 2,000 produced content pieces and a combined 70 million views across YouTube Facebook at “Kevin the TacDaddy.”
Kevin Reichard joins Michael Sodini and Jake Wiskerchen on the podcast this week. This is a very special episode that everyone needs to check out. Hear Kevin open up about what it is like to have two daughters in the middle of the Parkland tragedy, what it’s like to be a “gun guy” during a time of grief when everyone is in a highly emotional state, and how they moved forward!
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Oct 21, 2020
Episode 11: Yehuda Remer
Yehuda Remer is a husband, father, children's gun safety book author, gun rights advocate, and devout follower of God. As an Orthodox Jew he is somewhat of a firebrand among his people, which he explains. He has dealt with his own mental struggles and shares them candidly in this podcast. Follow him on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, or go to his website to buy his merchandise.
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Oct 12, 2020
Episode 10: Rob Pincus
Rob Pincus is an educator, author, and entrepreneur who has worked in the firearms industry for over 20 years. He is the owner of I.C.E. Training Company, the Executive Director of Personal Defense Network and the developer of the Combat Focus Shooting Program, which has been the core of many curricula used over the past decade by hundreds of defensive shooting instructors around the world.
Rob has been active in the fight for Second Amendment rights since the days of the Federal “Assault Weapons Ban” and has worked with many State, National and International Organizations to expand people’s right to include firearms in their preparation for personal defense. In addition to developing programs for armed civilians, he has also provided training to US Military Special Operations Personnel, Law Enforcement Officers and Executive Protection Agents since the early 2000s.
Since 2012, Rob has shifted his primary focus to Instructor Development and the evolution of defensive training i…
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Oct 2, 2020
Episode 9: Marcella Williams
Marcella survived the October 1, 2017 shooting at the Route 91 music festival in Las Vegas, Nevada. She is a strident Second Amendment advocate, survivor of domestic violence, small business owner, and mother of three. Her story is powerful and her testimony is compelling.
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Sep 28, 2020
Episode 8: Devin Perkins
Devin is the founder of Kids to Kings, an organization that helps young children from disadvantaged circumstances rise above them through education about confidence, self-efficacy, communication, and mental wellness. He is a 2a advocate through and through.
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Sep 28, 2020
Episode 7: Mark Gorodetzer
Mark works in suicide prevention in southern Nevada where he serves on the Las Vegas Mayor's Challenge and Nevada Governor's Challenge teams. He does not own guns but realized he needed to educate himself on firearms if he was to be successful in his suicide prevention efforts, which led him to WTTA. His personal effort is made through grilling and as a brand ambassador for Veterans Barbecue, which donates all profits to veterans groups.
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Sep 21, 2020
Episode 6: Derek LeBlanc
Derek created and runs Kids Safe Foundation, a firearms education and training organization specifically focused on children. He is a powerful force in the gun industry but quietly does his work with little fanfare, though he probably deserves more.
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Sep 14, 2020
Episode 5: Dustin Jones
As a published author of The First 30, Dustin brings a unique perspective on personal well being and self-efficacy. As the Chief Financial Officer for Armscorp International, Inc., he has been instrumental in supporting WTTA's mission from a manufacturer standpoint. Not originally from the gun community, Dustin shares his thoughts on why bringing the two cultures together is so important for so many reasons.
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Sep 8, 2020
Episode 4: Edgar Antillon
Edgar Antillon, founder of Guns for Everyone, is a Mexican-American who shares his views on how race and culture affect firearms ownership, among many other topics.
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Aug 31, 2020
Episode 3: Cheryl Todd
Cheryl Todd, owner of AZfirearms.com and host of Gun Freedom Radio, holds a psychology degree and speaks to the value of her 2nd Amendment Rights through the lens of self-protection and instilling those values in the generations to come.
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Aug 17, 2020
Episode 2: Chris Cheng
Winner of History Channel's Top Shot Season 4, Chris works with computers by day. However, in his off time he lends his voice to the LGBT community, advocates for 2A rights, and has written a book called Shoot to Win, available everywhere books are sold. For more about Chris, visit his website: http://www.topshotchris.com/about.html
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Aug 8, 2020
Introduction: Jake and Mike
In this inaugural podcast, Mike Sodini, Walk the Talk America's founder, and Jake Wiskerchen, WTTA board member and mental health practitioner, explain the mission and philosophy of WTTA, why the conversation about guns and mental health is important, and what they hope to accomplish with this effort.
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