show episodes
 
I am Tonika Bruce a Registered Nurse, a mentor, an author, a leader, and a fighter. The journey to success is filled with challenges, stumbling blocks and naysayers. Not being stranger to challenges myself, I was inspired to talk about various ways to attain success and how we can change our mindset and view of success. I talk about the challenges faced as a nurse and frontline workers.
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Because fewer than 7% of Americans have served in uniform, most Americans are unfamiliar with military service and culture. As a result, members of the military and Veteran community are at greater risk for disconnection and lack of belonging with the civilian community. PsychArmor’s mission is to bridge the military-civilian divide by educating and training a Nation. Each week, Duane France, a combat Veteran and Clinical Mental Health Counselor, will dig deep into the stories “Behind The Mi ...
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show series
 
Show Summary On today’s episode, we’re featuring a conversation with Amy Alvarez, Vice President of Marketing and Communications with the Avalon Action Alliance, and John and Cheryl Burns, a veteran family whose lives have been changed through support from Avalon Action Alliance partners. The Avalon Action Alliance is a network of treatment, servic…
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Send us a text Veteran English singer-songwriter Iain Matthews (Fairport Convention, Matthews Southern Comfort, Plainsong, solo) stopped by YMAAA during his recent U.S. East Coast tour to talk about Crowded House’s 1991 album, Woodface. Iain delves into his admiration for Neil Finn as a songwriter and performer, and breaks down several of the track…
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Show Summary On today’s episode, we’re featuring a conversation with Special Operations Spouse KaLea Lehman. She is the Executive Director of The Military Special Operations Family Collaborative, a nonprofit public health initiative to enable the success of America’s special operations warriors and families through collaborative health and well-bei…
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Send us a text Multi-instrumentalist/songwriter Joe Adragna of The Junior League makes a return visit to YMAAA to talk about Sloan’s 2001 album Pretty Together. (Joe was also the guest on Ep 49, on which he discussed The Monkees’ Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones, Ltd.) Joe explains how he first got into Sloan and why the Canadian band is one of …
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Show Summary This episode features a conversation with Navy spouse Vicky Perkins, Senior Director for Impact Programs at Blue Star Families. Among other programs, Vicky is responsible for leading the team that manages Blue Star Support Circles, facilitated nonclinical cohorts for veterans and service member supporters to help reduce crisis and suic…
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Show Summary On today’s episode, we’re featuring a conversation with Dr. Julie Goldstein, Director of the Zero Suicide Institute, and Lisa Sabey, President of Parents-to-Parents. We’re going to be talking about a video resource called Parents to Parents: After Your Child’s Suicide Attempt. Provide Feedback As a dedicated member of the audience, we …
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Send us a text British pop/rock vocalist and songwriter Tasmin Archer joins Al to discuss Daniel Lanois’ 2003 album Shine. Tasmin talks about how she became a fan of Lanois’ music, and she breaks down the elements of Shine that make it one of her favorite albums, highlighting some of her favorite tracks along the way. She also revisits the making o…
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Show Summary On today’s episode, we feature a conversation with Denise Olsen, a grief mentor, national public speaker, registered nurse, yoga instructor, and published author. Her book, Strong and Soulful: Graced by Grief is a look at Denise’s personal journey from catastrophic grief and trauma to a life filled with abundance. Provide Feedback As a…
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Show Summary On today’s episode, we’re featuring a conversation with Kari McDonough, Vice President of Welcome.US and Senior Advisor to the Welcome Fund, a program of Welcome.us that provides a source for grantmaking to organizations as they involve community members to welcome newcomers. Provide Feedback As a dedicated member of the audience, we w…
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Send us a text For this episode, Will Rigby—drummer for the seminal indie rock band the dB’s—introduces Al to Cheri Knight’s 1998 album, The Northeast Kingdom. Will talks about his experience of playing on the album, breaks down aspects of the recording process and discusses why he loves the album and is proud to have played on it. He also talks ab…
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Show Summary On today’s episode, we feature a conversation with Dr. Khadija Boyd, a retired United States Army Combat Veteran, who is currently the Editor in Chief for the Journal of Veterans Studies. The mission of the Journal of Veterans Studies is to sustain international research in veterans studies, facilitate interdisciplinary research collab…
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Send us a text Matt Johnson, the singer, songwriter and musician behind the post-punk band The The, visits YMAAA to talk about the first The The album in 24 years, Ensoulment. Matt talks about why he decided to write and record a The The album after spending the better part of two decades away from the project. He talks about what distinguished the…
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Show Summary On today’s episode, we feature Veteran Rocio Palermo, Program Coordinator for Women Vets On Point, a program of U.S. Vets. WVOP is designed and informed by women veterans for women veterans in order to address critical needs and barriers to mental health care after military service. Provide Feedback As a dedicated member of the audienc…
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Send us a text Singer-songwriter Amy Rigby (solo, The Shams, The Last Roundup) has had a longstanding admiration for the power-pop band Fountains of Wayne, and she joins Al to chat about the band’s self-titled debut album from 1996. Amy talks about how she got into Fountains of Wayne and what it is about their first album that makes it especially n…
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Show Summary On today’s episode, we feature Tom Chiodo, Executive Producer of Special Projects, National Productions for WETA, he flagship PBS station in Washington DC. We discuss the upcoming PBS Documentary, Caregiving, which will examine both systematic issues within the care system as well as tell personal stories of people who care for loved o…
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Show Summary On today’s episode, we feature a conversation that first aired on the Head Space and Timing Podcast on the Psychology of Saving Private Ryan. Dr. Katie Gordon and Dr. Brandon Saxton, hosts of the Jedi Counsel Podcast, join me to explore the film Saving Private Ryan through a mental health and psychology perspective. Provide Feedback As…
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Send us a text CONTENT WARNING: There is discussion of suicide as it relates to the lyrics of the song “Dress Rehearsal Rag.” (Discussion begins at 46:44 and ends at 51:58.) Sean Nelson, formerly the frontman for the Seattle-based band Harvey Danger, joins Al to talk about Leonard Cohen’s 1971 album Songs of Love and Hate. Sean talks about how he f…
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Show Summary On today’s episode, we feature a replay of a recent PsychArmor Conversations Webcast, an engaging conversation on the past, present, and future of the LGBTQIA+ community in service and beyond. We hosted a diverse panel of individuals with lived experience in both the military and the LGBTQIA community About Today’s Guests Allison Jaslo…
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Show Summary On today’s episode, we feature a conversation with Retired Army Lieutenant Colonel Robin Johnson, CEO of the Best Medicine Brigade and Executive Director of Heal*arious a nonprofit offering therapeutic humor programming for improved psychological performance. About Today’s Guest Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) Johnson served over twenty y…
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Send us a text In celebration of the album’s 45th anniversary, musician and songwriter Bruce Sudano (Brooklyn Dreams, Alive N Kickin’, solo) visits YMAAA to talk about Donna Summer’s Bad Girls. He talks about the role he played in the making of the album, his relationship with Summer, to whom he was married for 32 years, and how Bad Girls represent…
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Show Summary On today’s episode, we feature a conversation with Navy Veteran Jenn Kerfoot, Chief Strategy & Growth Officer at DUOS. We talk about accessing healthcare for veterans and a partnership with Humana and a collaborative program to enhance the healthcare experience and improve health outcomes for Louisiana Veteran members of Humana with ch…
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Show Summary On today’s episode, we feature a conversation with John Pray, Brig. Gen., USAF (Ret), CEO of Operation Homefront. Operation Homefront provides relief and recurring family support programs and services throughout the year to help military families overcome short-term difficulties so they don’t become long-term hardships About Today’s Gu…
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Send us a text Dallas-based singer/songwriter Stephanie Sammons joins Al to introduce him to Triumph’s 1986 album, The Sport of Kings. Stephanie talks about what she loves about this album and what made it an ideal album to blast on her car stereo. She and Al also talk about the interesting circumstances under which Triumph made The Sport of Kings.…
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Show Summary On today’s episode, we take a look at year one of the Behind the Mission Podcast, as well as provide listeners with an opportunity to provide feedback on the show Provide Feedback As a dedicated member of the audience, we would like to hear from you about the show. Please take a few minutes to share your thoughts about the show in this…
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Send us a text Nashville-based singer/songwriter Tim Easton joins Al to discuss an album that has nearly been the subject of several previous episodes (but never quite made the cut), Joni Mitchell’s album Blue from 1971. Tim talks about the unusual circumstance under which he first heard Blue as a teenager, why it is an important album for him and …
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Show Summary On today’s episode, we feature a conversation with Emma Payne, Founder and CEO of HelpTexts, a company that delivers asynchronous grief, caregiver and mental health support via text message. About Today’s Guest Emma Payne is a seasoned technology entrepreneur, MIT graduate, and award-winning change-agent, who started building online co…
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Show Summary On today’s episode, we conclude our mini-series of four episodes on LGBTQIA+ Veterans with returning guests, veterans Erika Hoover and Andrea Norton, as part of public awareness campaign developed in partnership with the Michigan Governor’s Challenge to Prevent Suicide among Service Members, Veterans and their Families About Today’s Gu…
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Send us a text Legendary drummer John JR Robinson visits YMAAA to talk about a favorite album of his—and it happens to be one he also played on. JR talks about why he is so fond of Steve Winwood’s 1986 smash Back in the High Life, and why he thinks the album represented the end of an era. He breaks down several of his performances, including those …
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Show Summary On today’s episode, we feature a conversation with Dr. Alan Teo, a Psychiatrist and Researcher with the VA Portland Health Care System and Associate Professor at Oregon Health & Science University. We talk about a recent article that he and colleagues published on the effectiveness of online VA S.A.V.E. training for veteran families. A…
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Show Summary On today’s episode, we continue the LGBTQIA+ Veteran Public Health Awareness series with a conversation about myths and misconceptions about members of the LGBTQIA+ community with veteran Ale Hernandez About Today’s Guest Alejandra Hernandez served in the United States Marine Corps for four years a Food Service Specialist with Marine C…
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Show Summary On today’s episode, we have a conversation with Gold Star family member Lupe Urdaneta, surviving spouse of Sergeant First Class Dennis Urdaneta, and her journey with wear blue: run to remember, an organization that honors the service and sacrifice of the American military through active remembrance and programs to support all those who…
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Show Summary On today’s episode, we feature a conversation with military spouse and family member Ellen Gustafson, the Co-Founder and Executive Director of We the Veterans and Military Families, a non-partisan, non-profit organization that empowers the veteran and military family community to strengthen democracy. We’re going to talk about their wo…
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Send us a text Bassist Will Turpin of Collective Soul joins Al to talk about one of his favorite albums, Diorama (2002) by the Australian band Silverchair. Will explains what makes the orchestral arrangements on this album special, and he and Al contrast the orchestral tracks with the ones that are more typical of Silverchair’s earlier grunge sound…
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Show Summary On today’s episode, we feature a conversation with Army Veteran and Gold Star Family Member Jennifer Ballou, Chief of Staff of the Global War on Terrorism Memorial Foundation, an organization that is guiding the development of a national memorial that honors the service and sacrifice of all who have contributed to global counterterrori…
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Send us a text Julia Massey—the vocalist and keyboardist for the Seattle-based band Warren Dunes—comes to YMAAA to discuss The Black Tones’ 2019 album Cobain & Cornbread. Julia talks about how Cobain & Cornbread is one of a small number of albums that are a part of her “musical DNA,” and why the album resonates with her so strongly. She also discus…
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Show Summary On today’s episode, we feature Kate DeBartolo, a senior director for the Institute for Healthcare Improvement and the leader for the conversation project. IHI has public engagement initiative to help people share their wishes for care through the end of their life About Today’s Guest Kate DeBartolo is a Senior Director at the Institute…
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Show Summary On today’s episode, we feature a conversation with Navy Veteran Erika Hoover and Air Force Veteran Andrea Norton about their experiences as both veterans and members of the LGBTQ+ Community, as well as a public awareness campaign being developed in partnership with the Michigan Governor’s Challenge to Prevent Suicide among Service Memb…
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Send us a text (TW: brief mention of lyrics referencing suicide) Canadian singer/songwriter/guitarist Adrian Sutherland joins Al to introduce him to The Killers’ 2021 album Pressure Machine. Adrian talks about how The Killers have influenced his own music and what he loves about this specific album by the Las Vegas-based band. He focuses on how his…
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Show Summary On today’s episode, we feature a conversation with Deputy Secretary for Women Veterans of the California Department of Veterans Affairs, Air Force Retiree Virginia Wimmer, in which we discuss the importance of supporting women veterans and the services available in California About Today’s Guest Virginia Wimmer was appointed on August …
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Show Summary On today’s episode, we feature a conversation with Navy Veteran Ronald Rutherford, the Lead for the Whole Health Outreach program for the Veterans Health Administration. Whole Health is VA’s approach to care that supports the health and well-being of veterans they serve, and focuses on self-care, skill building and support. About Today…
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