Episode 198 - Olivia Mead

Olivia Mead is the founder and CEO of the non-profit organization "Yoga for First Responders". We discuss her early life, the performance industry, yoga practice, engaging the tactical community, mindfulness, addressing trauma and much more.

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Olivia Mead has been a lifelong yoga practitioner, and a yoga instructor since 2003. While living in Los Angeles, Olivia taught weekly trauma-sensitive yoga classes at the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) Training Center, as well as presented continuing education workshops on yoga and the neurological system for LAFD, and special workshops for high-ranking command staff of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD).

It is at LAFD where Yoga for First Responders was first born in conjunction with department psychologist, Dr. Robert Scott. Olivia currently teaches yoga for several Fire Departments, Des Moines Veterans Association, Iowa Army National Guard, Des Moines Police Academy, Iowa Law Enforcement Academy, Warren County Fire Academy and provides in-service trainings for public safety agencies and military around the country. Olivia is a contributing writer and former Assistant Editor of LA Yoga Magazine.

Her writing for other publications and blogs includes American Military University’s In Public Safety, PoliceOne.com, FireRescue1, and the inaugural issue of Yoga Iowa, with her article on the benefits of yoga in the military being the cover story. Olivia is a member of the International Law Enforcement Educators and Trainers Association (ILEETA), holds her Fire Instructor 1 certification and is the 2016 recipient of the Warrior Award and Community Choice Award from Yoga Alliance International.

Yoga for First Responders Wesbite:

http://yogaforfirstresponders.org/

Olivia’s Podcast:

Lois Lane of Yoga

Recommended Books:

Firefighter Functional Fitness: The Essential Guide for Optimal Firefighter Performance and Longevity - Dan Kerrigan and Jim Moss

The Upside of Stress: Why Stress Is Good for You, and How to Get Good at It - Kelly McGonigal

Recommended Movies:

Guardians of the Galaxy

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