
CODE 3 FAMILIES
Dr. Rachelle is married to a firefighter and Dr. Alma is married to a police officer, they are both child and family psychologists, and here to discuss relatable and important information relevant to navigating your first responder marriage, parenting, and wellness. This is a podcast for first responder spouses by first responder spouses, and they discuss the research and realities related to the first responder family life while also sharing their own stories of navigating this lifestyle.
Episodes
55 episodes
Why you should fit in time without the kids- E54
Why does it always seem so hard to take time away from the kids in this life? If it's not your feelings of guilt, or the schedule, it's childcare challenges. In this episode Dr. Rachelle (Fire Wife) and Dr. Alma (Police Wife) discuss the recent...
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Season 1
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Episode 54
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41:56

I See the Impacts of the Career on Our Family- E53
It's in the daily ins and outs that we notice the little ways the career impacts our lives, good and bad. The way our kids play, the conversations we have at home, and the way we schedule our lives. Here's a couple of stories from Dr. Rachelle ...
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Episode 53
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41:14

Why Don't I Enjoy Being with My Kids More?- E52
Having kids you always hear from others, "Enjoy it! It goes by so fast!" and "You'r so lucky to get so much time home with your kids!" So why does it feel so hard to enjoy on some days? And why do the days feel so long!? In this epi...
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Episode 52
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44:33

Why Do I Feel Invisible As A Spouse?- E51
As a first Responder spouse we have to manage a lot from the schedule conflicts, sacrificed time together, unpredictable events and emotions, and so much more. Why is it that it often feels as though our challenging role is not seen? Do you eve...
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Episode 51
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1:00:38

How Hard it Can be to Get Away Just the Two of You- E50
In the first responder family life, scheduling can be such a challenge. It's hard to find time to do every day things not to mention time away together for your marriage. In this episode, Dr. Rachelle (Fire Wife) and Dr. Alma (Police Wife) disc...
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Episode 50
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50:09

Why Our Days Without Them Are Also Impacted By The Job- E49
It's never out of sight out of mind over here in first responder marriages. Even when they are gone the plans we make with family, friends, and even the meals we prepare, seem to all have to take their schedule into consideration. We keep them ...
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Episode 49
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53:50

Why is My First Responder Getting Hit So Hard Right Now?- E48
Too many spouses are feeling the extra weight of the first responder profession right now and feeling alone with it. If you're feeling exhausted by the constant mandatory overtimes and new demands of the department... you're not alone. Listen i...
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Episode 48
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52:17

Why Life Shouldn't Stop Just Because They Are At Work- E47
As a First Responder spouse we often go in and out of survival mode depending on whether we are single parenting or co-parenting. This may cause us to actually adopt two different parenting styles or ways to run the household. It can ofte...
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Episode 47
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52:45

What Does It Mean To Be A "Good" First Responder Spouse? -E46
As a first responder spouse you may or may not feel pressure to be "one of the good ones." What does that actually mean? Or what should it mean? Have you ever felt the need to hold in your own emotions about how things are going simply because ...
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Episode 46
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49:22

Committing To What Your "Shift" Looks Like As A First Responder Spouse- E45
When you are the spouse of a first responder you take on a lot of additional responsibilities at home. It can be hard to accept this reality since it wasn't your career choice. However, it can be very helpful to mentally commit to your own "shi...
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Episode 45
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46:49

Why It's Still Hard To Be A Spouse... Even Though You "Knew What To Expect" -E44
Has your first responder ever said, "You knew this was part of the job..." as though this shouldn't be an issue. And maybe you did... so why is it that you are still having a hard time with the challenges that arise? Because it's HARD!! Just be...
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Episode 44
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43:45

The Role You Play in Your Child’s Anxiety- E43
We have said it before, first responder kids are more likely to be anxious and worried. The career and you as parents, may play a role in this. In this episode, Dr. Rachelle (Fire Wife) and Dr. Alma (Police Wife) discuss a framework of anxiety ...
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Episode 43
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53:21

What Is Your First Responder Thinking When You Text About The Chaos At Home?- E42
Like most first responder spouses you might be guilty of sending those long texts about all the chaos that is happening at home while they are on shift. How the tree fell over, the dog went crazy, the kids are out of control... and the list ...
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Episode 42
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46:08

What Are Your Boundaries Around Scanners and Pulse Point?- E41
First Responder families are usually pretty familiar with the the apps that can be used for 24 hour access to 911 calls associated with the department your first responder spouse works for. In this episode, Dr. Rachelle (Fire Wife) and Dr. Alma...
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Episode 41
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43:46

How Parenting Styles In First Responder Homes Impact Our Kids- E40
How would your spouse describe your parenting style? It can be common to hear that first responders have a "short fuse" when it comes to addressing their children. I've also heard of first responders feeling their spouse is too lenient with the...
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Episode 40
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46:10

What First Responder Spouses With Young Families Need to Hear- E39
Household and family responsibilities multiply when you have kids. Unfortunately, as a first responder spouse, a lot of these responsibilities can fall on you when your partner works long shifts, odd hours, and is mandatoried in to work for eve...
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Episode 39
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31:23

Why You Should Share The Household Responsibilities With Your First Responder- E38
Going from single parenting to double parenting has its challenges. As the non first responder spouse you can find yourself handing less and less things off since household responsibilities often default to you. In this episode, Dr. Rachelle (F...
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Episode 38
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54:30

Do We Resent The First Responder Career Or Something Else?- E37
In this Episode, Dr. Rachelle (Fire Wife) and Dr. Alma (Police Wife) catch up on the chaos of recent vacations with new families of 4 as well as reflect on challenges of the first responder family and whether or not they resent the career or al...
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Episode 37
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48:14

What Are Your First Responder's Boundaries on Bringing Work Home?- E36
The first responder career can really be all consuming. Everything going on at work is an emergency calling for the first responder’s attention. It can consume their identity, the stories they tell, and the lens they hold. In this episode, Dr. ...
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Episode 36
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51:23

All The Things We Hold On To As A First Responder Spouse... Beyond Half Of Their Pension- E35
Referring to their pension is of course a joke we couldn't resist... but REALLY as a first responder spouse we find ourselves carrying so much! We hold so many things regarding family schedules and planning as well as emotionally worrying about...
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Episode 35
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56:47

Why First Responder Families DO NOT Live a Normal Life- E34
It's true that when you're living in the first responder life it becomes your "normal," but it's important to take a step back sometimes to recognize a lot of what we adjust to is NOT normal or a part of the average experience. In this episode,...
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Episode 34
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58:52

Why You Should Actually Plan For Your Needs and Fire Season- E33
As a first responder spouse we are often left to plan for everything and everyone else, but setting goals and being intentional about what you need and want is so important. This can be especially true when it comes to preparing for the challen...
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Episode 33
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46:57

Why Taking Care Of Your Own Needs Will Make You A More Supportive First Responder Spouse- E32
As a First Responder spouse you have so many other people and needs to take care of ALL THE TIME. In this episode, Dr. Rachelle (Fire Wife) and Dr. Alma (Police Wife) discuss some of their own experiences taking care of ALL the THINGS... and ho...
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Episode 32
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1:02:39

The Experience Of A Police Spouse In Current Times- E31
Tensions and judgements about policing continue to increase. People are posting about their opinions on the matter all around us... but where does that leave our proud police families? In this Episode, Dr. Rachelle (Fire Wife) and Dr. Alma (Pol...
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Episode 31
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56:29

How We Take On Our First Responder's Fears From The Job- E30
First Responders are called to show up on people's worst day. They see the many daily tragedies and nightmares people experience and it's hard not to want to protect their own family from those. In this episode Dr. Rachelle (Fire Wife) and Dr. ...
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Episode 30
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55:52
