Brain Hijack

MHNRN, LLC

This series features interviews with experts in the field of mental health and suicide prevention. Topics range from understanding the best overall approach to prevent suicide to how to help someone who is going through a tough time in their life.

  1. 5 Principles of Firearm Safety

    06/22/2023

    5 Principles of Firearm Safety

    Today’s episode addresses the myth, “If access to one method of suicide is restricted, will another method be used instead?” Brooke and Adam speak to Dr. James C. West, host of the critically acclaimed podcast “Let’s Talk About Your Guns” a series that discusses gun safety by unpacking real-life scenarios. Listen in as Dr. West talks about the impulsivity around the act of suicide and why ready access to means matters. Lastly, we learn about the five principles of firearm storage and how you can start implementing them in your life today. Dr. James C. West graduated from the University of Michigan Medical School in 2001 and the Naval Medical Center Portsmouth, Virginia Psychiatry Residency Program in 2005. He currently serves as an Associate Professor of Psychiatry and a Scientist at the Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress, Uniformed Services University of the Health Science. Prior to these assignments, he worked as a military psychiatrist and deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan as an Operational Stress Control and Readiness psychiatrist and later in leadership roles as the Deputy Commander of Behavioral Health at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Dr. West is a Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association (APA) and has presented to the APA on numerous occasions on physician and patient conversations on firearm safety. In addition, he has participated in the forum on health and family firearm safety and created an online course for the APA on firearm safety. https://www.cstsonline.org/suicide-prevention-program/podcasts/lets-talk-about-your-guns

    37 min
  2. Losing a Child to Suicide

    05/16/2023

    Losing a Child to Suicide

    As a parent, you always want the best for your child; however, you can do everything seemingly right and still unfortunate events unfold. Today, Brooke and Adam speak with Mr. Dennis Ward, a Registered Nurse about his experience losing his son to suicide and what life looks like after losing a child to suicide. A native Texan, Dennis joined the Air Force in 1994. Becoming a Fuels Technician, he spent several tours overseas including his first permanent party assignment at Incirlik AFB, Turkey. Later he transferred to F.E. Warren AFB, Wyoming and had two subsequent deployments to Aviano AFB, Italy and Al Karj AFB, Saudi Arabia. Later transferring to Cannon AFB, New Mexico, Dennis completed his Air Force enlistment in 1999. Following his enlistment in the Air Force, Dennis worked as an Emergency Medical Technician while completing his Bachelors of Science degree in Nursing in 2006. Following graduation he became a Commissioned Officer with the U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS). Serving with multiple agencies as USPHS officer, Dennis has worked with the Federal Bureau of Prisons, Indian Health Service, Department of Defense (U.S. Army), National Parks Service, and the Department of Veteran Affairs. Dennis completed his MBA-Healthcare Administration degree in 2016. Dennis has also worked extensively in emergency departments and in pre-hospital settings, with agencies outside of the federal government, as a Registered Nurse, Firefighter and paramedic.

    52 min

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

This series features interviews with experts in the field of mental health and suicide prevention. Topics range from understanding the best overall approach to prevent suicide to how to help someone who is going through a tough time in their life.