Maine Responder | Leadership. Wellness. Resilience.

Elliott Moya, Chief of Police | Resilience, Wellness & Leadership Stories
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🎙️ For First Responders. Useful for Everyone. Authentic conversations about the work—and the people behind it. Maine Responder explores leadership, wellness, resilience, and the realities of serving in demanding professions. Hosted by police chief Elliott Moya, the podcast examines the challenges facing first responders, including law enforcement, fire, EMS, dispatch, corrections, and the people who support them. Through solo reflections and candid conversations with first responders, clinicians, leaders, and community voices, each episode explores the pressures of the job and the person behind the uniform. This isn’t about quick fixes or surface-level wellness. It’s about: • The pressure that comes with the job • The identity behind the role • Leadership, culture, and what truly impacts people • Mental health, resilience, and personal growth • Staying grounded in professions that demand a lot and rarely slow down Whether you’re a first responder, a leader, a spouse, or simply someone navigating a high-stress profession, you’ll find honest conversations, practical insights, and lessons that extend far beyond public safety. Honest. Practical. Driven by experience. For First Responders. Useful for Everyone. 📩 Interested in being a guest? Reach out: 207Responder@gmail.com

  1. Jun 8

    How Do I Know It Works If I Never Commit To It?

    What happens when you stop dismissing ideas and actually give them a real chance? In this solo episode, Elliott reflects on growth, lifelong learning, and the danger of believing we've learned everything there is to know. Inspired by graduation season, learning new podcast equipment, and a return to running, this conversation explores why curiosity matters and how small decisions can create meaningful change over time. Elliott also shares the start of a personal 30-day gratitude challenge after conversations with Dr. Karen Harmon and Abi Brown. Rather than debating whether gratitude works, the goal is simple: commit to the process, stay open-minded, and report back honestly. Topics include: • Why growth requires intention • The danger of stopping your education after formal schooling • Learning new skills later in life • Why experience alone doesn't make us better • Returning to running and building momentum • The power of small daily decisions • A 30-day gratitude challenge • Staying curious and open to new ideas Chapters: 00:00 Why Growth Matters 01:45 Learning New Podcast Skills 04:15 Experience vs. Learning 06:45 Returning to Running 08:45 Small Decisions Create Big Change 10:15 The 30-Day Gratitude Challenge 11:45 How Do I Know It Works If I Never Commit To It? 12:45 Final Thoughts Follow Maine Responder Podcast for conversations on leadership, wellness, resilience, and life behind the uniform.

    13 min

  2. May 28

    What Nobody Tells You About Marrying a First Responder

    Behind every first responder is a spouse, partner, or family member carrying a weight that often goes unseen. In this episode, we sit down with the women behind Project Homefront, a peer support group for first responder spouses, to discuss isolation, communication challenges, hyper-independence, identity, and the realities of supporting someone who works in law enforcement, fire, EMS, dispatch, or corrections. We discuss: • Why many first responder spouses feel isolated • The hidden emotional labor carried at home • How communication breaks down after difficult shifts • Why hyper-independence can damage relationships • Practical ways couples can reconnect • Building support systems outside the job Whether you're a first responder, spouse, or family member, this conversation offers an honest look at the challenges—and opportunities—that come with life beside the call. 🕕 Meetings are held once per month from 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM 2026 Meeting TopicsJanuary 25 — Exploring Values & Purpose February 22 — Attachment & Conditioning in Relationships March 29 — Getting Real with Finances April 26 — Game Night & Pajamas May 31 — Transitions from Work to Home June 28 — Communication: Do’s & Don’ts July 26 — All About Stress Reactions August 30 — Local Trail Walk (Dress Sporty) September 27 — What is “Parts Work” and How Can it Bring Insight? October 25 — Connecting with Past & Future Self November 15 — The “How” Behind Happiness December 20 — Game Night & Pajamas Connect With Project Homefront📧 behindtheline.jill@gmail.com 📧 behindtheline.kristi@gmail.com 📧 behindtheline.abi@gmail.com

    1h 2m

  3. May 21

    Gossip Destroys Trust | Leadership, Wellness & Police Culture

    Gossip feels harmless until it starts destroying trust, morale, and culture from the inside out. In this episode of the Maine Responder Podcast, Elliott and Billy have an honest conversation about gossip in policing, leadership, and everyday life. They discuss how rumors spread, why people are drawn to “juicy” information, and how toxic communication quietly damages teams, wellness, and trust inside organizations. The conversation also reflects on their recent experience speaking to middle school students about wellness, stress, breath work, kindness, and self-care — including how simple breathing techniques helped calm nerves in real time. This episode dives into: Gossip and toxic police cultureTrust inside teams and organizationsLeadership communicationEmotional intelligence in policingBreath work and stress managementOfficer wellness and culture changeThe next generation of first respondersWhy communication matters more than ever No script. No single lane. Just honest conversation about leadership, wellness, culture, and the realities of public safety.

    30 min

  4. May 12

    You Can't Policy Your Way to Wellness

    Burnout gets all the attention, but what if burnout isn't the real problem? In this episode, Elliott Moya and Billy Dries sit down with Wally Fraser and Brad Gallant to discuss first responder wellness, leadership, culture, and what actually helps people thrive in high-stress professions. The conversation explores why some wellness initiatives succeed while others fail, the importance of authenticity in leadership, family impact, mandatory wellness checks, and the challenge of balancing control at work with life at home. The episode also includes the announcement of the 2026 Maine Wellness Conference keynote speaker, AK Dozanti, along with details about this year's conference and the continued effort to bring meaningful wellness conversations to first responders across Maine. Topics include: • Why some wellness programs fail • The difference between policy and culture • Burnout and first responder mental health • Family impact and support systems • Authentic leadership and wellness • Control, stress, and life outside the job • The 2026 Maine Wellness Conference • Keynote speaker announcement: AK Dozanti Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 02:45 Brad's Personal Wellness Journey 07:30 Building the Maine Wellness Conference 12:00 Family and First Responder Wellness 16:45 Why Wellness Programs Fail 20:30 Culture vs Policy 25:00 AK Dozanti Announced as Keynote Speaker 27:45 Control at Work vs Control at Home 33:15 Practical Wellness Takeaways 35:45 Maine Wellness Conference 2026 38:00 Final Thoughts Learn more: Follow Maine Responder Podcast for conversations on leadership, wellness, resilience, and the realities of life behind the uniform. 🌲 Maine Wellness Conference Website: https://www.mainewellnessconference.org/ Dr. Wally Fraser https://www.wjfraserconsulting.com/ 🌲 Toned Out Project: www.tonedoutproject.com 🌲 Keynote Speaker AK Dozanti: https://akdozanti.com/ If you’re a first responder, leader, spouse, clinician, or someone passionate about improving the culture around wellness in public safety — this episode is for you.

    39 min

  5. May 5

    The FOODA Loop: Why We Say the Wrong Thing (Even When We Know Better)

    We make a lot of decisions every day—but the ones that cause the most damage usually aren’t the big ones. They’re the small moments in conversation. The ones where something hits you the wrong way… your patience drops… your ego gets involved… and you know whatever you’re about to say isn’t going to help— …and you say it anyway. In this episode, I talk about what I call the FOODA Loop—that cycle where we react, circle, and never actually decide how we want to respond. This isn’t about emergencies or split-second decisions. It’s about the conversations that feel urgent—but aren’t. Why your brain defaults to reaction… how emotion can take over before you even realize it… and how just a few seconds can be the difference between making it worse or handling it the right way. Simple, real, and something you can actually use. Because most mistakes don’t happen in big moments— they happen in the small ones that add up.

    7 min
  6. Talking to Kids About Stress and Focus

    Apr 29 ·  Bonus

    Talking to Kids About Stress and Focus

    This one’s a little different. I sat down with my daughter and her friends—no plan, just let them talk. What starts as a conversation about fidgets and focus turns into something else… trading, distraction, and a “Nee Doh thief” situation at school. It’s funny, it’s real—and honestly a good reminder to slow down and spend some time with your kids. Off shift.

    16 min
  7. Ep. 14 - 👉 Police Retirement, Financial Stress & Identity: Why Officers Feel Trapped in the Job

    Apr 17

    Ep. 14 - 👉 Police Retirement, Financial Stress & Identity: Why Officers Feel Trapped in the Job

    Most officers don’t stay in the job because they want to… They stay because they feel like they have to. After attending a wellness course, this episode opens with a raw reflection on retirement, identity, and what happens when the job is no longer who you are. We’re joined by Mark Roberts, founder of Shift Change, and a first responder, to break down one of the most overlooked stressors in public safety: financial pressure. We discuss: Why most officers don’t fully understand their pension until late in their careerHow financial stress can make officers feel trapped in the jobThe connection between money, decision-making, and burnoutWhat financial wellness actually means (hint: it’s not about being rich)Simple steps to take control early in your careerThis conversation is about more than money—it’s about freedom, clarity, and having the ability to choose your path in and after policing. 🎧 Maine Responder Podcast Real conversations about work, pressure, and the lives shaped by service.

    59 min
  8. The Conversation That Changed How We Police

    Apr 11

    The Conversation That Changed How We Police

    What happens when a single conversation changes the way you view policing, leadership, and wellness? In this episode, Elliott Moya, Billy Dries, and Ron Lund sit down with Hannah Longley to discuss crisis intervention, peer support, critical incidents, officer wellness, and the cultural shift happening within law enforcement. The conversation explores how peer support teams help first responders navigate difficult calls, the emotional toll of helping others, the importance of supporting the helpers, and why authentic leadership is changing the way agencies approach wellness. Hannah also shares her journey working with first responders, building peer support programs, advancing confidentiality protections, and helping agencies create healthier cultures for officers and their families. Topics include: • Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training • Peer support and critical incident response • Supporting the helpers • Officer wellness and resilience • Leadership and culture change • First responder families and relationships • Confidentiality protections for peer support • Why asking for help is becoming more accepted in policing Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 03:00 How CIT Changed Our Perspective 06:00 Building Peer Support Teams 09:45 What Peer Support Actually Does 14:00 Helping the Helpers 18:00 When Debriefs Go Wrong 22:00 The Importance of Trust 25:30 The Growth of Peer Support in Maine 30:00 Culture Change in Law Enforcement 36:00 Why Officers Finally Reach Out 41:00 Hannah's Wellness Mission 46:00 Peer Support Confidentiality 53:00 Supporting First Responder Families 57:00 Final Thoughts Learn More: Contact information for Hannah Longley can be found in the episode show notes. Follow Maine Responder Podcast for conversations on leadership, wellness, resilience, and the realities of life behind the uniform. Hannah Longley, LCSW, owner of DOCHAS WELLNESS, LLC (Hannah@dochaswellness.com ) is a Maine native and licensed clinical social worker with extensive experience in community mental health, crisis response, and supporting first responders. Her background includes work within the mental health crisis system, contracting with the Maine Army National Guard, and prior work with NAMI Maine. She brings a strong, trauma-informed and systems-based approach to her work. This one hits on policing, wellness, and the human side of the job—for officers, leaders, and families alike.

    54 min
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About

🎙️ For First Responders. Useful for Everyone. Authentic conversations about the work—and the people behind it. Maine Responder explores leadership, wellness, resilience, and the realities of serving in demanding professions. Hosted by police chief Elliott Moya, the podcast examines the challenges facing first responders, including law enforcement, fire, EMS, dispatch, corrections, and the people who support them. Through solo reflections and candid conversations with first responders, clinicians, leaders, and community voices, each episode explores the pressures of the job and the person behind the uniform. This isn’t about quick fixes or surface-level wellness. It’s about: • The pressure that comes with the job • The identity behind the role • Leadership, culture, and what truly impacts people • Mental health, resilience, and personal growth • Staying grounded in professions that demand a lot and rarely slow down Whether you’re a first responder, a leader, a spouse, or simply someone navigating a high-stress profession, you’ll find honest conversations, practical insights, and lessons that extend far beyond public safety. Honest. Practical. Driven by experience. For First Responders. Useful for Everyone. 📩 Interested in being a guest? Reach out: 207Responder@gmail.com

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  • Creator
    Elliott Moya, Chief of Police | Resilience, Wellness & Leadership Stories
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    20
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Elliott Moya, Chief of Police | Resilience, Wellness & Leadership Stories

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