Grablives

grablives
  • 4.9 (23)
  • Philosophy
  • Updated Biweekly

Grablives is a mental health podcast designed to bring a greater awareness to first responders struggling with injury, depression, suicidal ideation, and burn out. Jonathan Vargas is a firefighter/paramedic in Los Angeles determined to find solution for the epidemic of mental health crisis. Grablives ideologies are rooted in unlearning patterns, finding spirituality, and discovering higher consciousness in an effort to create a more sustainable career for first responders, cops, firefighters, and military personnel.

  1. 9h ago

    100 The Tactical Chaplain

    For Episode 100 of GrabLives, Jon sits down with Matt Domyancic, a medically retired police officer, former SWAT officer, academy instructor, strength and mental performance coach, chaplain, and peer support advocate serving first responders throughout Los Angeles. Matt has spent his life in the trenches. From law enforcement and SWAT to coaching athletes at Yale and Georgetown, training NFL prospects, and eventually studying pastoral theology, spiritual direction, contemplative practice, and masculine psychology, his path has brought together two worlds that rarely share the same room: the warrior and the contemplative. This conversation explores what happens beneath the badge. How do first responders find meaning in careers built around witnessing suffering? How do we build mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual resilience before crisis arrives? And can the experiences that often lead first responders toward burnout, addiction, PTSD, and disconnection instead become part of a deeper spiritual path? Matt’s work isn't about preaching religion. It’s about meeting first responders where they actually are, earning trust in the trenches, and creating spaces where people accustomed to carrying everyone else can finally put down their armor. The job changes you. The question is what you choose to do with what it gives you. Episode 100 is a conversation about service, brotherhood, spirituality, identity, resilience, and finding meaning inside one of the most demanding professions in the world. Contacting The Chaplain: https://www.tacticalchaplain.com

  2. Aug 20

    99 Psychedelics For Firefighters

    In this episode of GrabLives, Jon sits down with LAFD firefighter Michael Bochey to discuss his case study exploring psychedelic-assisted approaches for firefighters living with treatment-resistant PTSD, depression, anxiety, and burnout. For firefighters who are suffering, curious, hesitant, or simply unfamiliar with this emerging field, this episode isn't about telling anyone to take a psychedelic. It's about replacing stigma and ignorance with education. Many first responders are already quietly exploring these approaches while fearing professional judgment, legal consequences, or misunderstanding from their departments and healthcare providers. Michael's research creates an anonymous way for those experiences to become part of a larger scientific conversation. We also explore the deeper end of the spectrum with medicines such as ayahuasca and iboga, traditions often approached not simply as symptom management, but as profound experiences that can challenge how a person relates to trauma, identity, behavior, and their life as a whole. Because if new approaches to PTSD treatment are going to be studied, developed, and potentially integrated into legitimate healthcare, the voices of the firefighters actually living with these injuries need to be part of that conversation. This episode is an invitation to become informed, ask better questions, and explore what the future of first responder mental health could look like. If interested please visit the case study: https://firstresponderpsychedelic-survey.my.canva.site

  3. Aug 14

    98 Wabi Sabi: Accepting Imperfection

    What if the parts of ourselves we are constantly trying to fix are not flaws, but part of what makes us whole? In this episode of GrabLives, Jon reconnects with Shaun Taylor, former Canadian Tier 1 Special Operations operator, world champion endurance athlete, martial artist, author, and high-performance coach, to explore Wabi-Sabi, the Japanese philosophy of beauty within imperfection, impermanence, and incompleteness. Together they examine how the pursuit of perfection can create a kind of dysmorphia of self-worth, convincing us that we must become stronger, heal more, or achieve more before we are worthy of our own love. For two men shaped by performance and pushing human limits, the question becomes: What if the next stage of growth isn't becoming more perfect, but becoming more whole? Perhaps perfection was never the requirement for love in the first place.

  4. Jul 20

    97 Be Determined and Advance

    Episode Description What if the biggest obstacle standing between you and the life you want isn't the world around you, but the unconscious patterns you've been rehearsing for years? In this episode of GrabLives, we explore the daily principles and practices that have transformed the way I approach growth, healing, leadership, and consciousness. Drawing from years of books, conversations, first responder experiences, spiritual practice, and personal experimentation, I share the six inner disciplines I search for within myself every single day: • Be determined and keep advancing. • Stay hungry enough to seek higher ground. • Remain thirsty to learn something new every day. • Give more value than you're paid for. • Understand that impact creates income. • Prepare before life demands it. We also unpack a simple mantra that has the power to reshape identity: "A belief is only a practiced thought." If beliefs are habits of thought, then they can also be replaced with new ones. From there, we dive into a holistic approach to self-healing that bridges biology, nervous system regulation, consciousness, and personal responsibility. Topics include mineral balance, energetic coherence, fasting, meditation, visualization, gut and liver health, learning the language of the heart, understanding resistance, recognizing unconscious patterns, overcoming victim consciousness, developing a healthy relationship with giving and receiving, facing fear, and building unwavering belief in yourself. This conversation isn't about chasing perfection. It's about becoming aware of the stories you've inherited, accepting what is, and consciously choosing what comes next. Healing begins the moment awareness replaces autopilot. The question is... what pattern are you ready to stop practicing?

  5. Jun 29

    96 Blakwater: Evidence Informed Traditional Medicine

    In this powerful episode, we sit down with Dr. Rufus “Blakwatter” Fuller, DAOM, L.Ac, a respected healer, endurance athlete, yoga instructor, community leader, and one of Long Beach’s most recognizable voices in wellness and movement. Known throughout Long Beach for his work in evidence-informed traditional medicine, Dr. Fuller blends acupuncture, herbal medicine, nutrition, movement, and lifestyle practices to help people heal at the root. But his work extends far beyond the clinic. A dedicated marathon runner and race organizer, Blakwatter has built a reputation for bringing people together through movement, discipline, and community. As the host of the beloved Yoga on the Bluff in Long Beach, he has helped create spaces where thousands have come to reconnect with breath, body, and presence against the backdrop of the Pacific. In this conversation, Dr. Fuller opens up about his upbringing in South Los Angeles and the challenges, adversity, and life experiences that shaped his path. He shares how those early environments forged resilience, sharpened his purpose, and ultimately guided him toward a life devoted to healing, service, and empowerment. Together, we explore the intersection of ancient medicine and modern science, the power of nervous system regulation, movement as medicine, and what it truly means to transform pain into purpose. This episode is about more than healing the body. It’s about reclaiming identity, honoring your story, and discovering how adversity can become the foundation for service, leadership, and lasting impact. Blakwater: https://linktr.ee/blakwatter

  6. Jun 25

    95 Spaceweather report: Schumann Resonance & Solar Flares With Jason Latas

    In this powerful returning episode, Jason Latas joins the podcast once again to explore the deeper layers of human consciousness, energetic intelligence, and the unseen forces shaping our physical and emotional reality. Building on his previous conversation around solar flares and energetic shifts, Jason expands into the connection between trauma, frequency, healing, and the body’s hidden language. Together, we dive into the intersection of science, spirituality, and human potential, exploring how unresolved patterns may manifest physically and what it means to truly heal beyond the surface. This conversation challenges conventional thinking and invites listeners into a broader understanding of energy, awareness, and transformation. Tune in for a mind-expanding discussion that bridges the mystical and the practical, illuminating what may be possible when we begin to see beyond the visible. Connect with Jason and his phenomenal work: Jason Latas Linktree

  7. Jun 16

    94 UFLAC 112 The Price of Taking the Front Seat

    For nearly four decades, Freddy Escobar dedicated his life to service. A United States Marine, Los Angeles firefighter, and former president of the firefighters' union, Escobar spent 38 years on the front lines fighting for firefighters, their families, and the future of one of the largest fire departments in the nation. In this candid conversation, Freddy opens up about the unseen burden of sitting in the union president's seat, the pressure of representing thousands of members, and the personal toll that comes with being at the center of conflict, criticism, and controversy. We discuss the investigation conducted by the IAFF, the allegations that ultimately led to his removal from office, and why Freddy maintains those allegations are false. Rather than focusing solely on headlines, this episode explores the human side of leadership: the weight of responsibility, the mental and emotional strain of public scrutiny, and what happens when the person elected to lead becomes the story. From the Marine Corps to the firehouse to the union hall, Freddy reflects on a lifetime of service, the lessons learned through adversity, and what he believes firefighters and labor leaders need to understand about leadership in today's environment.

  8. May 9

    93 Leading Your Family With Strength & Discipline

    Fernando joins the GRABLIVES Podcast for a powerful conversation on faith, fatherhood, discipline, and what it truly means to lead from the front as a modern man. As a firefighter, husband, father, and creator of Next Level Dad Fitness, Fernando shares how fitness is more than aesthetics — it’s a vehicle for building resilience, integrity, spiritual grounding, and leadership within the home. This episode dives into the balance between strength and presence, how men can reclaim discipline in a distracted world, and why taking care of your body directly impacts how you show up for your wife, children, career, and purpose. Fernando breaks down practical strategies around fat loss, meal preparation, consistency, mindset, and daily habits, while also speaking on the deeper mission of becoming the type of man your family can rely on. This is a conversation for fathers, firefighters, husbands, and men searching for a higher level of accountability, structure, and meaning in their lives. Faith is the foundation. Family is the reason. Fitness is the vehicle.

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Ratings & Reviews

4.9
out of 5
23 Ratings

About

Grablives is a mental health podcast designed to bring a greater awareness to first responders struggling with injury, depression, suicidal ideation, and burn out. Jonathan Vargas is a firefighter/paramedic in Los Angeles determined to find solution for the epidemic of mental health crisis. Grablives ideologies are rooted in unlearning patterns, finding spirituality, and discovering higher consciousness in an effort to create a more sustainable career for first responders, cops, firefighters, and military personnel.

Information

  • Creator
    grablives
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    100
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2023
  • Show Website
    Grablives