Dr. Megan McElheran On Before Operational Stress, Applying Stoicism Not Just Talking About It, and Why I Cried During This Interview (Replay)

About this episode

Dr. Megan McElheran discusses her work on stress management for uniformed service personnel and the application of stoicism in mental health.

In this episode Dr. Megan McElheran, a clinical psychologist with over 20 years of experience working with uniformed service personnel delves into Dr. McElheran's development of upstream training programs aimed at preparing military and public safety professionals to manage stress before it becomes overwhelming. Marcus and Dr. McElheran explore the concepts of post-traumatic growth, the importance of action-oriented stoic philosophy, and practical steps for emotional regulation. Dr. McElheran shares her journey into psychology, the creation of the Before Operational Stress (BOS) program, and data-backed evidence of its effectiveness. Episode Highlights: 12:45 The Role of Stoicism in Uniformed Services 24:28 The Importance of De-escalation and Self-Care 25:26 Training Gaps and Operational Stress 26:15 The Duality of Tactical Skills and Trauma 32:43 Facing Fear and Taking Action Dr. Megan McElheran is a dedicated trauma therapist specializing in helping first responders, active-duty members of the Canadian Forces, and community members navigate the aftermath of traumatic events. With expertise in evidence-based practices such as Prolonged Exposure, EMDR…

People in this episode

Host: Marcus Aurelius Anderson

Guest: Dr. Megan McElheran

Topics covered

• stoicism
• mental health
• stress management
• trauma therapy
• first responders
• emotional regulation

Keywords

• stoicism
• operational stress
• trauma therapy
• first responders
• emotional regulation
• post-traumatic growth
• BOS program

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Before Operational Stress, Canadian Forces

Books & works: Trauma, Change, and Resilience

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