Guns and Mental Health by Walk the Talk America Walk the Talk America

Jake and the clinical podcast team talk about chemical and process addictions. Chemical addictions involve substances that latch onto parts of the brain and release an excess of dopamine, creating a dependency. Process addictions, on the other hand, involve behaviors like gambling, video games, and social media, which also release chemicals in the brain and can become addictive. This conversation highlights the importance of recognizing and addressing all types of addictions, as well as the need for patience, support, and intentional efforts to break addictive patterns. Jake Wiskerchen and the group discuss the similarities between substance addiction and process addiction, such as the patterns of behavior and the underlying emotional issues. 

Nic McKinley, a former CIA operative, talks about his inspiring transition to founding Deliver Fund - an organization dedicated to combating human trafficking.

Nic shares his multifaceted journey encompassing experiences from military service to intelligence work, shedding light on how these roles have informed his approach to tackling one of today’s most pressing social issues: human trafficking. Nic also addresses the essence of brain health in maintaining mental fitness, addressing misdiagnosis within psychiatric practice, and emphasizing dietary influence on psychological well-being. The dialogue transitions into critical reflections on systemic failures addressing human trafficking, critiquing current governmental responses while underscoring potential strategies for improvement through public engagement and policy reform.

In this special short podcast episode, Top Shot winner Chris Cheng announces a $100,000 fundraising challenge for Walk the Talk America during Mental Health Awareness Month. Chris explains his passion for mental health and suicide prevention in the firearms community, emphasizing the need to bridge the gap between gun owners and non-gun owners. He encourages smaller donations and challenges the firearms industry to contribute. 

Michael Sodini and Kevin Berry discuss the crucial role of constructive firearm legislation and its intersection with mental health. They explore the need for laws that promote responsible storage and comprehensive firearms education and enhance mental health resources accessible to the public. They invite the audience to consider the impact of positive messaging within the firearms community, advocating for proactive solutions that support responsible gun ownership. 

Brandon Covey, a licensed professional counselor (LPC), shares his journey of becoming a mental health professional and his interest in firearms. He took us through the different paths that led him to the mental health field and become an LPC. Brandon also talks about his introduction to firearms and how it led him to Walk the Talk America (WTTA). 

He explains his role in spreading awareness about mental health in gun shops and ranges. Brandon shares his passion for trauma therapy, particularly Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), and how it has helped his clients.

Devin Perkins discusses recent legislation in Colorado and his organization, Kids to Kings, a Walk the Talk America program that aims to help young people avoid the struggles and issues he faced growing up. 

Devin emphasizes the importance of addressing trauma and mental health in inner-city communities and introducing firearms in a healthy manner. Perkins also highlights the need to combat misinformation and optics used by anti-gun groups and the importance of speaking to the middle ground and presenting well-spoken ideas.