Whole House Counseling & Consultation

11/28/2025

Discomfort isn’t a problem to avoid — it’s a doorway. In this week’s episode, we talk about what it really means to practice radical openness… not as a buzzword, but as a life skill.

RO-DBT teaches us to turn toward the things we usually run from and ask, What is this here to teach me? Because growth doesn’t happen when we’re comfortable — it happens when we get curious, soften the armor, and try something new.

If you’ve ever felt competent at work but disconnected at home… if you’ve ever felt “too controlled,” too guarded, or unsure how to bridge the gap with the people you love… this episode is going to hit home.

🎧 Listen to Episode 133 to learn how openness, flexibility, and social signaling can reshape the way you connect — with others and with yourself.

https://www.afterthetonesdrop.co/ro-dbt/

11/27/2025

To all of our first responders (and to the families who love them) I want to say this from the bottom of my heart: Thank you.

Thank you to the ones who are working today so that others can gather safely.
Thank you to the spouses, partners, kids, and families who understand the late calls, the missed meals, and the “I’ll be home when I can.”
Thank you to the responders who show up tired, stretched thin, or quietly hurting… and still give what they can.

Holidays can be beautiful, and they can be heavy. If today feels joyful then soak it in. If today feels hard, know you’re not alone. If you’re working, know you’re seen. And if you’re missing someone… I’m holding space for you.

Wherever you are and whatever this day looks like for you, I hope you find a moment (even 30 seconds) to breathe, reset, and feel proud of the impact you have in this world.

From me to you, Happy Thanksgiving. You matter more than you know. 🧡

11/27/2025

11/27/2025

We spend years training ourselves to stay locked down, controlled, and unreadable — because on the job, that keeps you alive. But at home? With your kids? With the people who love you? That same armor can quietly push you out of your own tribe.

In RO-DBT, Jimmy and Dr. Nate break down what most of us have never been taught how our social signals tell the world whether we’re open, safe, and willing to connect… or closed off and unreachable, even when we don’t mean to be.

This episode is all about learning a new skillset: connection, flexibility, openness. And yes, it’s a skill you can practice, not a personality you have to change.

If your body is still running in “threat mode,” even when the tones are silent, this conversation is for you.

🎧 Episode 133: Radical Openness with Jimmy Portner and Dr. Nate Tomsick Listen here: https://www.afterthetonesdrop.co/ro-dbt

11/26/2025

11/21/2025

The pain of su***de doesn’t end with the person who’s gone. It transfers to the ones left behind. In this week’s blog, I share the truth most people never see — and why we have to start talking about it. Read “The Other Side of Su***de: What We Don’t Talk About Enough” 👉 https://www.afterthetonesdrop.co/blog/the-other-side-of-su***de-what-we-dont-talk-about-enough

11/20/2025

Check on your people. Not the “you good?” drive-by. The sit-down, slow-down, look-them-in-the-eyes kind of check-in. The ones who look fine on the outside are often the ones drowning. 🎧 Episode 132: https://www.afterthetonesdrop.co/carrie-matthews

11/19/2025

New Episode… With Carrie Matthews.
Su***de doesn’t take the pain away. It hands it to the people left behind. Carrie speaks openly about being “the other side of su***de” and what it’s like to carry the weight no one sees.
This clip is heavy… and necessary.

🎧 Full episode: https://www.afterthetonesdrop.co/carrie-matthews

11/17/2025

David Dachinger reminded me that healing isn’t about getting over what happened, it’s about transforming it into something sacred.

David’s story of surviving stage 4 cancer and finding peace through mindfulness, sound, and service is a powerful mirror for anyone walking through their own fire.

If you’ve ever wondered how to find meaning after trauma, this one’s for you. Let’s learn to breathe, feel, and rebuild together.

👉 Read the full blog post:
https://www.afterthetonesdrop.co/blog/reframing-the-fire-lessons-in-healing-mindfulness-and-post-traumatic-growth

11/16/2025

Meditation for First Responders Who Live in Constant Chaos

Most first responders believe meditation has to look a certain way. Quiet room. Perfect posture. Zero distractions. The truth is very different.

The method by Michelle Pascal, mentioned by David Dachinger in this clip from Episode 131 makes meditation possible anywhere. In a squad car. On a fire engine. In a hospital hallway. Even in the middle of Times Square on a Saturday night.

This approach was created for people who do not get to step away from the world in order to find peace. It uses simple nature based imagery like the horizon, a mountain, or even diving like a dolphin. These visuals calm the brain fast because they give your mind something steady to anchor to.

When your surroundings are loud, intense, or unpredictable, this style of meditation helps you drop into a quiet place within seconds. It does not remove the stress around you. It strengthens your ability to stay centered in the middle of it.

If you serve your community and carry the weight of what you see, this is a tool you can use today. No long sessions. No perfect setting. Just a moment of calm you can access anywhere.

Your nervous system deserves that kind of relief. Your work requires it. Your life benefits from it.

Listen to the full episode here> https://www.afterthetonesdrop.co/david-dachinger/

11/09/2025

You don’t have to heal by sitting still. 🌊

In this week’s blog, we dive into Stoke Therapy: the adventure-based approach firefighter and combat veteran Gage Hall created after realizing traditional therapy wasn’t enough.

Through water, wilderness, and community, he’s helping first responders and veterans reconnect with joy, purpose, and each other.

This one’s about finding healing where you least expect it, outside, moving, and surrounded by people who get it.

👉 Read the blog: https://www.afterthetonesdrop.co/blog/finding-stoke-how-adventure-becomes-therapy-for-first-responders/

11/05/2025

You don’t need to be “broken” to work on yourself. Stoke Therapy isn’t about fixing—it’s about growing, connecting, and finding joy again. Hear how Gage Hall is changing the way first responders and veterans think about mental health.
🎧 Episode 130: Out of the Warzone and Into the Water.
https://www.afterthetonesdrop.co/gage-hull/