Episodes

Eating healthy meals as a shift worker and shift work family is not always easy. Do you pack meals in advance? Isn't it just easier to eat out? How do you just make meals for one when your spouse is working?We address all these topics and more with our guest Raina Beugelink. She goes in depth to share ways to fuel your body (and the entire law enforcement family) around shift work. Raina is a registered dietitian and first responder spouse. She feels incredibly passionate about supporting shift ...

Navigating life as a LEOW (law enforcement officer wife) can be challenging but doing it while also entering motherhood brings a new set of unique struggles.Joining me on today's episode is Jillian, fellow police wife, small business owner and mother of two where she talks about how she lost herself amongst motherhood and LEOW life. And what her breaking point was to finally find herself again.Tune in to hear Jillian's tips on you can find yourself again, too.Follow Jillian at Beauty Sleep and B...

Need support, resources or encouragement for the law enforcement/first responder lifestyle? I get it and you are not alone! In today's episode Rebecca talks about how she brought together amazing resources and expert speakers all in one easy place without missing a ton of work, hiring a babysitter and exponential costs. REGISTER FOR THE CONFERENCE HEREIf you like today's episode and past episodes, please be sure to leave a rating and review wherever you listen to podcasts! Check out my newest b...

We are a month into 2023 and no matter when you listen to this episode it is an important one. Both for you as a supporting spouse but also for the first responder in your family and children, if you have them.There is no time like the present to take charge of your life, your health, and your family.In today's episode I share 3 things that every first responder family should make a priority now.Check out Mama Bear Legal Forms here and use my code PROUDPOLICEWIFE for 20% off.Sign up for the Conf...

Police officers today face enormous pressure, stress and job related trauma. While they may not be able to control those aspects of the job, what they can control is their health and fitness.Sadly, police officers face alarming health related issues because of this stress. In today's episode, former police officer, author and fitness expert, David Greenwalt joins us to talk about the health risks police officers have but what they can do in their lives NOW to take control of their health and fit...

We know all too well the dangers that exist in life in general, but those dangers also exist with careers in law enforcement. And I know it can be depressing to think of those dangers. For some you, you may just brush them off and ignore them. I get it. But in reality, it's important to be prepared for any emergencies that can happen in life, especially as a law enforcement family. In today's episode, Rebecca shares with you 4 ways you should prepare for emergencies as a law enforcement family...

The day that this episode airs it is Law Enforcement Appreciation Day. However, ANY DAY is a great day to show support and appreciation to law enforcement.In today's episode I share free (or VERY inexpensive ways) that you can say thank you to law enforcement.Also, many supporters want to show support but don't know how. So if you are a spouse that is listening, be sure to share these ways with others so they can give thanks to law enforcement, too.DOWNLOAD FREE PRINTABLES FOR POLICE APPRECIATIO...

The spouses and family members of first responders serve right alongside the hero in their lives. Because of that, it is important to know how we can best serve those in a support role, what stress they may encounter as a supporting spouse and what gaps exist as far as support and resources.Joining me in today's episode is Dr. Erin Craw, the daughter of a first responder and a researcher looking to gain insight on how to better understand the content and potential barriers to mental health-relat...

Whether your spouse is ready to retire or is questioning if it is time to leave law enforcement or not, it is important to know what the transition can look like and how to prepare. So in this episode we are talking about transitioning to retirement for law enforcement officers and their families. Joining us in today's podcast episode is Jason Hoschouer where he talks about his own transition to retirement and what him and his wife had to do to prepare financially. Jason is a 23-year law enfor...

Any critical incident in the law enforcement community, seems to hit close to home. Even if we don’t know those immediately impacted, we feel a connection, in some way, to those hurting. And when someone in the law enforcement community is hurting we want to offer support and help in some way. Joining us on today’s episode is Rachael Flick discussing how and when to offer support to those experiencing a critical incident. Rachael is the host of The Hopecast Podcast which aims to bring hope thro...

One "perk" that many law enforcement families see to the job is getting overtime which equals more each month. We all know that law enforcement officers aren't paid their worth, so one way to offset that pay and bring in extra money each month is by working some overtime. But overtime can cause some problems if you aren't careful. In today's episode Rebecca discusses 4 problems with overtime and 1 reason overtime can actually be a good thing.This episode is brought to you by Pictures on Gold. Pi...

The holidays are almost here and while it can be an exciting time, it can also be a stressful time for children of law enforcement. Many questions come up during this season from kids wondering why their holiday has to look a little different than their friends or other family members. In today's episode I share some discussions you can have with your kids to help minimize any confusion and validate their feelings. Join the FREE Holiday Email Challenge for Police Spouses/GFs here.READ THE FUL...

This is a very popular question I get asked a lot: “How do I meet other police wives or girlfriends or gain support from others who get it?” It is important to be able to connect with those who also need support or friendship as a police spouse or significant other. And we all know that no one quite understands this lifestyle unless they walk in our shoes.So over the years I have learned many ways to gain support with other spouses which I share in today's episode. I am also going to tell you ...

Whether a critical incident has occurred for you, your spouse or your family or you just want to be mentally prepared now knowing that this possibility could happen the best you can do is find tools to be resilient. Taking action now and meeting someone where they are at after a critical incident is important for mentally and physically recovering from the event. Knowing where to get help, what immediate steps to take and when you should take them is vital for working through a critical incide...

Work phones ringing off the hook, overtime, working later than expected, always talking about the job, having plans canceled too frequently- sound familiar?While some of these things do happen to most law enforcement families from time to time, they don’t need to happen all the time. Instead, your family needs boundaries from the job.In today’s episode we are discussing ways to put these plans in place and the specific boundaries you can get started with today. Today's episode is brought to yo...

I think we can all agree that it takes WORK, actual work, to keep the connection and fire going in our marriages. What was once super easy when you were first dating, maybe isn’t always easy anymore because well, life happens. You get immersed in your jobs, have kids, more household duties, you grow older and get used to the mundane, plus the demands of the job and the impact it has on your relationship.Today we are discussing 5 ways to keep the connection and fire going with your spouse when th...

We all have those days, weeks or even seasons where things feel crazy busy and exhausting. If you are feeling that right now, then this episode is for you. Rebecca talks about why you need to press pause, especially as first responder spouses.If you enjoyed today's episode or past episodes, please leave a rating or review.For continued support, grab my book Proud Police Wife: 90 Devotions Behind the Badge. Check out my newest book, Proud Police Wife: 90 Devotions for Women Behind the Badge on A...

Police officers need healthy coping strategies for dealing with the job and the trauma that comes with it. When cops don't have coping mechanisms or don't talk about the job, we do see signs and symptoms of that impact.To talk about those signs and symptoms, and why it is so important to talk, we brought on guest Susan Simons.Susan Simons is President and Founder of Under the Shield, leading subject matter expert in First Responder Stress and Post Traumatic Stress Injury as well as a podcast hos...

First responder and military couples often have bigger asks of them compared to civilian couples. These careers ask more out of couples and families. But sadly, it can be hard to find support and resources for the tens of thousands of service families that need them. In today’s episode I am joined by Taya Kyle. Taya Kyle is the widow of Chris Kyle-American Sniper, Executive Director of The Taya and Chris Kyle Foundation | Service Family Strong, New York Times Best Selling Author of American Wif...

Being financially prepared is important for everyone, but even more so for first responder families. Not only is it smart to have an emergency fund in case of an injury, change in career, family emergency or something worse, but there are other ways to prepare, too.Joining me today is Courtney from Heroes Financial Coaching where we talk about emergency funds, paying off debt and life insurance. Courtney runs a financial coaching business for first responder families where she helps them reach t...

First responders take in the bad of the world regularly so building resiliency in first responders is important to combat the negativity around them.Joining me today is Kristen Jauregui, fellow police wife and dispatcher of 23 years. She is also passionate about helping first responders combat stressors of the job. That's why she wrote a new book titled A Resiliency Journal for First Responders.In today's episode we talk with Kristen about what's in her new book, why building resiliency is so im...

When your spouse works a dangerous job mixed with shift work, it is NORMAL to feel happy, excited, emotional or relieved when he/she comes home safely after shift.I remember many nights where our baby cried all night and I longed for the moment until my husband walked through that door so I could hand him the baby so I could get some sleep.But after time, I realized that my quick actions as soon as my husband walked in the door, wasn’t helping him or myself. Instead, it was making us both stress...

Today's episode kicks off Season 2 of The Proud Police Wife Podcast and today we are talking about sleep.No doubt bedtime can be a stressful time when your spouse is working night shift and you are putting kids to bed solo on top of normal evening routines like dinner and chores. But it doesn't have to be a nightly struggle.Joining us in this episode is Melissa P. Melissa is a fellow police wife, toddler mom, certified pediatric sleep consultant and founder of Lavender Littles Sleep Consulting. ...

We hear a lot of talk lately about police officers leaving the field completely or retiring early and moving on to another career. And can we really blame them? With society dehumanizing law enforcement, it makes their job even harder than it already is. So whether you (or your spouse) are ready to turn in the badge or you are just exploring your options, today's episode will give you some insight on what a job outside of law enforcement can look like for you. Plus, what skills are transferable...