In this episode I'm welcoming back Sergeant Mark Thomas, the legend behind The Code 9 Foundation, and we're talking about complexities of identity, trauma, and resilience, particularly within the realm of first responders. Mark shares how he navigates managing his PTSI (PTSD) while simultaneously continuing to serve in the Victoria Police and discusses the importance of separating work identity from personal life for mental health and wellbeing.

Our chat explores the challenges of being in a high-stress job and running a foundation that supports others in similar situations, without getting entangled in politics or organisational conflicts. Mark highlights the emotional rollercoaster that comes with his responsibilities around this and the importance of finding balance and maintaining his own support system.

This episode offers insights, anecdotes, and practical advice for anyone dealing with trauma, or supporting others in their healing journey. Tune in as we aim to shed some light on the human side of first responders. 

MARK THOMAS

Website: markthomas.com

TIFFANEE COOK

Linktree: linktr.ee/rollwiththepunches/

Website: rollwiththepunches.com.au

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tiffaneecook/

Facebook: facebook.com/rollwiththepunchespodcast/

Instagram: instagram.com/rollwiththepunches_podcast/

Instagram: instagram.com/tiffaneeandco

In this episode I'm welcoming back Sergeant Mark Thomas, the legend behind The Code 9 Foundation, and we're talking about complexities of identity, trauma, and resilience, particularly within the realm of first responders. Mark shares how he navigates managing his PTSI (PTSD) while simultaneously continuing to serve in the Victoria Police and discusses the importance of separating work identity from personal life for mental health and wellbeing.
Our chat explores the challenges of being in a high-stress job and running a foundation that supports others in similar situations, without getting entangled in politics or organisational conflicts. Mark highlights the emotional rollercoaster that comes with his responsibilities around this and the importance of finding balance and maintaining his own support system.
This episode offers insights, anecdotes, and practical advice for anyone dealing with trauma, or supporting others in their healing journey. Tune in as we aim to shed some light on the human side of first responders. 
MARK THOMAS
Website: <a href="http://www.markthomas.com">markthomas.com</a>
TIFFANEE COOK
Linktree: <a href="https://linktr.ee/rollwiththepunches">linktr.ee/rollwiththepunches/</a>
Website: <a href="https://www.rollwiththepunches.com.au">rollwiththepunches.com.au</a>
LinkedIn: <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/in/tiffaneecook/">linkedin.com/in/tiffaneecook/</a>
Facebook: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/rollwiththepunchespodcast/">facebook.com/rollwiththepunchespodcast/</a>
Instagram: <a href="http://www.instagram.com/rollwiththepunches_podcast">instagram.com/rollwiththepunches_podcast/</a>
Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/tiffaneeandco">instagram.com/tiffaneeandco</a>

Life hits hard. Good. So do we.
Roll With The Punches is a front-row seat to the messy, beautiful, brutal bits of being human.

Hosted by Tiff Cook - former boxer, coach, speaker, rascal, and someone who’s copped a few uppercuts from life and keeps getting back up. She sits down with global survivors, scientists, rebels, rockstars, and everyday legends to ask one thing:

What does it really take to get back up when life drops you?

We talk breakdowns, breakthroughs, big truths, and the bullsh*t we all carry. Behind the masks. Beneath the armour. Real conversations that crack something open in all of us.

We’re built to break.
And we become dangerous by design.
Honest work over hard work. Every damn time.

Life hits hard. Good. So do we. Roll With The Punches is a front-row seat to the messy, beautiful, brutal bits of being human.
Hosted by Tiff Cook - former boxer, coach, speaker, rascal, and someone who&rsquo;s copped a few uppercuts from life and keeps getting back up. She sits down with global survivors, scientists, rebels, rockstars, and everyday legends to ask one thing:
What does it really take to get back up when life drops you?
We talk breakdowns, breakthroughs, big truths, and the bullsh*t we all carry. Behind the masks. Beneath the armour. Real conversations that crack something open in all of us.
We&rsquo;re built to break. And we become dangerous by design. Honest work over hard work. Every damn time.

Roll With The Punches

Aussie host Tiffanee Cook is an athlete, performance coach, speaker and self-proclaimed eternal student of life. Making an impact through storytelling and science as she invites you to join her in exploring the human experience. From real life encounters with tragedy, vulnerability and trauma to exploring all things human experience with world renowned experts, scientists, psychologists & thought leaders.

 

Aussie host Tiffanee Cook is an athlete, performance coach, speaker and self-proclaimed eternal student of life. Making an impact through storytelling and science as she invites you to join her in exploring the human experience. From real life encounters with tragedy, vulnerability and trauma to exploring all things human experience with world renowned experts, scientists, psychologists &amp; thought leaders.
&nbsp;

Identity, Trauma & Resilience | Mark Thomas - 795

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/2fb3740d-3436-44af-8cc0-a91900716aa5/clips/38d40b4f-7046-4eac-970d-b1800065c4ae/transcript

I knew Stephen Seiler was going to be a bloody brilliant conversation, but I don't think I expected us to cover SO much ground.

For those who aren't familiar, here's a bit about him...

Stephen is a Professor of Sport Science whose work around endurance training and intensity distribution has influenced and catalysed international research into training intensity distribution and the 'polarised training model'. He's published a lazy 100+ peer-reviewed papers, written more than 100 science articles on exercise physiology and the training process, and is a founding editorial board member of the International Journal of Sport Physiology and Performance.

So yeah... he knows a thing or two about training.

In this chat we get into training, recovery, stress, AI, wearables, burnout, being an introvert who spends their life talking to people... and why the world's best athletes often trust what they feel in their own bodies more than what their watch is telling them.

Stephen has spent decades researching how we actually get better at training, and one of the things I loved most was his take that training isn't a maximisation problem, it's an optimisation problem. In other words, more isn't always better. A lesson I seemed to want to learn the hard way in far too many areas of my life... and training is no exception.

We also get into the idea that all of our stress goes into the same bucket, whether it's a hard workout, work, kids, life or even exciting things happening. And honestly, this is a bloody good reminder for anyone who is constantly pushing, achieving and wondering why they're knackered.

Oh, and we have a pretty cracking conversation about AI in coaching, why your Garmin might actually be making your sleep worse, and why sometimes the smartest thing you can do is take the damn rest day.

Basically, Stephen made me question quite a few things I thought I knew about training, recovery and performance, which is exactly what I want from a conversation.



SPONSORED BY TESTART FAMILY LAWYERS

Website: testartfamilylawyers.com.au

TIFFANEE COOK

Linktree:  linktr.ee/rollwiththepunches

Website: tiffcook.com

I knew Stephen Seiler was going to be a bloody brilliant conversation, but I don't think I expected us to cover SO much ground.
For those who aren't familiar, here's a bit about him...
Stephen is a Professor of Sport Science whose work around endurance training and intensity distribution has influenced and catalysed international research into training intensity distribution and the 'polarised training model'. He's published a lazy 100+ peer-reviewed papers, written more than 100 science articles on exercise physiology and the training process, and is a founding editorial board member of the International Journal of Sport Physiology and Performance.
So yeah... he knows a thing or two about training.
In this chat we get into training, recovery, stress, AI, wearables, burnout, being an introvert who spends their life talking to people... and why the world's best athletes often trust what they feel in their own bodies more than what their watch is telling them.
Stephen has spent decades researching how we actually get better at training, and one of the things I loved most was his take that training isn't a maximisation problem, it's an optimisation problem. In other words, more isn't always better. A lesson I seemed to want to learn the hard way in far too many areas of my life... and training is no exception.
We also get into the idea that all of our stress goes into the same bucket, whether it's a hard workout, work, kids, life or even exciting things happening. And honestly, this is a bloody good reminder for anyone who is constantly pushing, achieving and wondering why they're knackered.
Oh, and we have a pretty cracking conversation about AI in coaching, why your Garmin might actually be making your sleep worse, and why sometimes the smartest thing you can do is take the damn rest day.
Basically, Stephen made me question quite a few things I thought I knew about training, recovery and performance, which is exactly what I want from a conversation. 
SPONSORED BY TESTART FAMILY LAWYERS
Website: <a href="http://www.testartfamilylawyers.com.au">testartfamilylawyers.com.au</a>
TIFFANEE COOK
Linktree: &nbsp;<a href="https://linktr.ee/rollwiththepunches">linktr.ee/rollwiththepunches</a>
Website: <a href="https://www.tiffcook.com">tiffcook.com</a>

Why More Isn't Always Better | Professor Stephen Seiler - 1041

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/2fb3740d-3436-44af-8cc0-a91900716aa5/clips/3a525aec-6cba-406a-ba7f-b4a400a666fe/transcript

Burnout... Imagine if the fix was as simple as just pee when you need to pee.

Well, Cait Donovan (who I adored chatting with) has landed on the hypothesis that it very well starts right there. Cait's spent years pulling apart the research on burnout after the seemingly unlikely reality of landing there herself as a passionate Chinese Medicine practitioner.

And what she discovered is that burnout is a whole lot more complicated than simply doing too much and needing a holiday.

We get into why some of us become so disconnected from the signals our bodies are sending us that we don't even realise we're ignoring them, how the pathways we've spent a lifetime building become the easiest ones for our brains to keep taking, and why recovery isn't about finding one magic answer.

We talk resentment, self-abandonment, boundaries, trauma, athletes, emotional regulation, and why sometimes the thing that finally helps isn't THE answer... it's just the next piece of the puzzle.

And honestly, there were a few moments where I thought, well f*ckety f*ck... that's uncomfortably familiar.



SPONSORED BY TESTART FAMILY LAWYERS

Website: testartfamilylawyers.com.au

CAIT DONOVAN

Website: caitdonovan.com

TIFFANEE COOK

Linktree:  linktr.ee/rollwiththepunches

Website: tiffcook.com

Burnout... Imagine if the fix was as simple as just pee when you need to pee.
Well, Cait Donovan (who I adored chatting with) has landed on the hypothesis that it very well starts right there. Cait's spent years pulling apart the research on burnout after the seemingly unlikely reality of landing there herself as a passionate Chinese Medicine practitioner.
And what she discovered is that burnout is a whole lot more complicated than simply doing too much and needing a holiday.
We get into why some of us become so disconnected from the signals our bodies are sending us that we don't even realise we're ignoring them, how the pathways we've spent a lifetime building become the easiest ones for our brains to keep taking, and why recovery isn't about finding one magic answer.
We talk resentment, self-abandonment, boundaries, trauma, athletes, emotional regulation, and why sometimes the thing that finally helps isn't THE answer... it's just the next piece of the puzzle.
And honestly, there were a few moments where I thought, well f*ckety f*ck... that's uncomfortably familiar. 
SPONSORED BY TESTART FAMILY LAWYERS
Website: <a href="http://www.testartfamilylawyers.com.au">testartfamilylawyers.com.au</a>
CAIT DONOVAN
Website: <a href="https://www.caitdonovan.com">caitdonovan.com</a>
TIFFANEE COOK
Linktree: &nbsp;<a href="https://linktr.ee/rollwiththepunches">linktr.ee/rollwiththepunches</a>
Website: <a href="https://www.tiffcook.com">tiffcook.com</a>

Pee When You Need to Pee: The Science of Burnout | Cait Donovan - 1040

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/2fb3740d-3436-44af-8cc0-a91900716aa5/clips/160030a9-97c2-4fdc-8c5c-b4a20097a221/transcript

Ben Vasiliou is back to chat with me today about boys, men, masculinity, algorithms and, lo 'n' behold, we even throw a lil' politics on the table... very un-Tiff-like indeed, huh!

Ben's spent years working with young people and now leads The Man Cave, so he's in the thick of these conversations every single day. And I dare say, I found myself nodding along for most of it.

His new book, Better Man, was what prompted me to ask him to come on for this chat about what healthy masculinity actually looks like when we stop looking at it through the loudest voices on the internet...

But I reckon this conversation is about way more than men.

It's about all of us, really. What happens when we stop trying to win arguments and start getting curious instead. About finding connection in a world that's becoming more divided by the minute.

SPONSORED BY TESTART FAMILY LAWYERS

Website: testartfamilylawyers.com.au

BEN VASILIOU

Website: www.simonandschuster.com.au

TIFFANEE COOK

Linktree:  linktr.ee/rollwiththepunches

Website: tiffcook.com

Ben Vasiliou is back to chat with me today about boys, men, masculinity, algorithms and, lo 'n' behold, we even throw a lil' politics on the table... very un-Tiff-like indeed, huh!
Ben's spent years working with young people and now leads The Man Cave, so he's in the thick of these conversations every single day. And I dare say, I found myself nodding along for most of it.
His new book, Better Man, was what prompted me to ask him to come on for this chat about what healthy masculinity actually looks like when we stop looking at it through the loudest voices on the internet...
But I reckon this conversation is about way more than men.
It's about all of us, really. What happens when we stop trying to win arguments and start getting curious instead. About finding connection in a world that's becoming more divided by the minute.
SPONSORED BY TESTART FAMILY LAWYERS
Website: <a href="http://www.testartfamilylawyers.com.au">testartfamilylawyers.com.au</a>
BEN VASILIOU
Website: <a href="https://www.simonandschuster.com.au/books/Better-Man/Ben-Vasiliou/9781761638497">www.simonandschuster.com.au</a>
TIFFANEE COOK
Linktree: &nbsp;<a href="https://linktr.ee/rollwiththepunches">linktr.ee/rollwiththepunches</a>
Website: <a href="https://www.tiffcook.com">tiffcook.com</a>

Beyond The Manosphere | Ben Vasiliou - 1039

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/2fb3740d-3436-44af-8cc0-a91900716aa5/clips/5a58a14a-ac8c-440a-9aef-b4a00097ded8/transcript

Identity, Trauma & Resilience | Mark Thomas - 795

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