What if we trained for mental fitness the same way we train for physical fitness?
In high-intensity jobs like firefighting, healthcare, and construction, resilience is a survival skill. But the cultural story of “toughness” often silences the very people we count on to save lives.
In this powerful episode, I chat with retired firefighter and mental health researcher Brandon Evans, founder of Fire to Light, to explore what it really takes to turn workplace wellness from just awareness into daily action. Using lived experience and global best practices, Brandon helps us rethink what it means to be strong, how to build psychological safety, and why incorporating mental health into our training routine—rather than just reacting to crises—must become standard practice.
Discussion Topics
What does mental fitness look like in high-stress professions?
What are proactive mental health strategies for first responders?
How do you build a culture of resilience at work?
What can leaders do to operationalize mental health, not just raise awareness?
How can we introduce mental health workouts into daily routines?
What is the Fire to Light approach to psychological safety?
Two Tactical Takeaways
1. Mental Fitness Must Be Trained Like Muscle.
Brandon outlines what a daily, proactive approach to mental health looks like — from tactical breathing exercises to integrated check-ins and peer accountability structures.
2. Culture Change Starts with “Operationalizing” Wellness.
Instead of one-off wellness days, departments need systems: embedded rituals, regular mental fitness drills, and leadership modeling vulnerability and support.
About Brandon Evans
Brandon Evans is a retired firefighter and the founder and lead researcher of Fire to Light, a research and development organization dedicated to reducing PTSD and suicide among firefighters. After navigating his own mental health crisis—compounded by cumulative trauma and the grief of losing colleagues—Brandon launched a mission to uncover what truly supports long-term mental wellness in high-risk professions.
From meditating with the Dalai Lama, to surviving a near pirate attack, to supporting orphans during genocide in Burma, Brandon brings a global perspective and deep empathy to the conversation on mental health in the fire service. He now travels the world sharing insights and strategies that help leaders create more resilient, trauma-informed, and human-centered departments.
Fire to Light's Global Research on Mental Fitness in Fire Services https://www.firetolight.org/#research
Follow Brandon on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/brandon-evans-810714210
Additional Resources
Comprehensive Soldier and Family Fitness (CSF2 / formerly CSF)
A U.S. Army resilience training program that emphasizes proactive psychological fitness across emotional, social, spiritual, and physical domains. https://www.armyresilience.army.mil/ard/images/pdf/Policy/AR%20350-53%20Comprehensive%20Soldier%20and%20Family%20Fitness.pdf
PositivePsychology.com – Resilience Activities & Exercises
A library of free worksheets, structured exercises, and science-based practices to build psychological resilience.
https://positivepsychology.com/resilience-activities-exercises/
https://positivepsychology.com/resilience-in-positive-psychology/
The Ultimate Guide to Resilience Exercises
A curated catalog of resilience practices you can plug into training curricula or individual routines. https://www.chateaurecovery.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-resilience-exercises
WarriorMindCoach – Mental Resilience Exercises
A platform that frames resilience training like a “Daily WOD” (workout of the day) for mindset strength, with podcasts and blog content rooted in positive psychology.
https://warriormindcoach.com/harnessing-the-power-of-positive-psychology/