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© 2026 Guns and Mental Health by Walk the Talk America
Description
The Walk the Talk America Podcast is where firearm culture and mental health meet with curiosity, not confrontation.
Each episode brings together voices from the firearm community, mental health professionals, researchers, and everyday gun owners to have honest conversations about suicide prevention, culture, and practical solutions.
We focus on education over outrage, nuance over noise, and collaboration over division, because reducing negative outcomes requires diverse perspectives.
And because this work is personal, every episode closes with a simple but powerful question: How do you stay mentally healthy?
167 Episodes
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Firearm storage is not just about what you buy, it’s about what you know. In this episode, Mike and Nicky Zabetian from Kinisium join Mike to break down Kini Safe Alert, a small, discreet motion/tamper notification device that texts (or app-notifies) you when something you care about is moved, opened, or accessed. They talk through the real stories that inspired the product, why “my kids know better” is not a plan, and how Kini can add a passive layer of awareness to safes, drawers, cases, ...
In this conversation, Seth Hendricks shares his transformative journey from a decade-long career in law enforcement to becoming a financial advisor. He discusses the impact of mental health on police officers, the importance of self-reflection, and the challenges of balancing personal and professional life. The conversation delves into the unconscious behaviors shaped by trauma, the financial considerations unique to police work, and the significance of communication in relationships, especia...
Red flag laws, also known as ERPOs, get talked about in the gun world like one sweeping “boogeyman”, but the reality is messier and state-specific. In this episode, Michael Sodini and Kevin Berry sit down with Dr. Chris Knoepke (University of Colorado School of Medicine’s Firearm Injury Prevention Initiative) to break down how Colorado’s ERPO process actually works, who can file, what due process looks like, and what the data is showing so far. They dig into what gun owners often worry about ...
For the first time on the WTTA podcast, we’re joined by a researcher, and not just any researcher. Michael Sodini and Kevin Berry sit down with Kerri Raissian, Senior Research Scientist at the Yale School of Public Health’s Firearm Injury Prevention Initiative. Kerri shares her path from growing up on a cattle farm in Texas, to working in a district attorney’s office and running one of the largest domestic violence shelters in the country, to becoming a researcher focused on what actually r...
In this episode of the Guns & Mental Health podcast, Michael Sodini and Kevin Berry sit down with Charles Anderson, CEO in the firearms media world behind Bleeker Street Publications, Athlon Outdoors, and its family of brands. What starts as a chance bar conversation at NASGW turns into a powerful, honest discussion about what it looks like to live with mental health struggles while building a high profile career. Charles shares his path from growing up poor in a wealthy New York town, to...
In this special episode, Kevin Berry sits down with Kerri Raissian, Senior Research Scientist at the Yale School of Public Health, Kenny Barlow from Regal Products, and WTTA founder Mike Sodini to recap a week that moved the conversation forward in meaningful ways. The National Research Conference for the Prevention of Firearm-Related Harms brought together researchers, public health leaders, industry partners, clinicians, and advocates who all share a common goal. Reduce negative outcomes an...
In this episode of Walk the Talk America, Michael Sodini and Kevin Berry sit down with firearms instructor and Firearm Trainer Podcast host Rob Beckman to discuss his candidacy for the NRA Board of Directors and his vision for “NRA 2.0.” Rob shares how the organization is changing under new leadership, how instructors can bridge the gap between gun ownership and mental health, and why collaboration—not division—will shape the future of the Second Amendment. Send a text Walk the Talk Am...
Former infantry Marine and brand strategist Waco Hoover joins Michael to dig into the impact of lip service. We cover the American Legion’s “Be The One” suicide-prevention effort, Columbia Protocol training, and VA Veterans Health Venture Studio work building real tools for care. Then we preview MCON, a celebration of military culture with range day, First Shots, and a timed secure-storage retrieval competition that reframes safety as readiness. Bring your questions, bring your team. Send a t...
RG Stitt and Greg Harpster join us from the Scott Sippel Foundation—an organization born from tragedy that’s now raised nearly $600,000 for mental health and suicide prevention. We talk about honoring their friend Scott, why local boots-on-the-ground efforts matter, and how a community sporting clays event became a powerful engine for change. You’ll hear: How the Foundation identifies smaller, volunteer-driven groups so more funds reach real programsWhy rural areas need tailored mental health...
Mike and Kevin sit down with Rob Pincus to unpack two hot buttons that get thrown around online but are rarely explored with nuance: the “firearms are the #1 cause of death in youth” stat, and ERPOs/red flag laws. Rob shares what he sees inside a Tufts University led group that puts gun-rights and gun-control advocates in the same room to hammer out policy ideas for red states. We dig into how stats are framed, why education belongs in schools, what meaningful “wins” for responsib...
Michael Sodini and Kevin Berry sit down with Kami Kay Kirschbaum, founder & CEO of CIVILIAN, a bulletproof clothing brand built to blend in. From growing up with active-shooter drills to a literal dream that sparked the idea, Kami walks us through turning a wild concept into light, breathable, and stylish bulletproof apparel. We talk Sweden vs. U.S. safety culture, why most armor looks tactical (and why hers doesn’t), the maze of financing and manufacturing, getting into SHOT Show as a ne...
Mike and J. Hood welcome Ryan and Nate from The King of Camo, the North Georgia custom shop and YouTube duo known for turning real counter moments into laugh-out-loud shorts that still teach safety. They share how a near-fatal motorcycle crash, a hard reset on alcohol, and honest conversations reshaped their lives, their business, and their channel. The crew digs into what “welcoming gun culture” looks like in practice, why some sales get a respectful “not today,” and how humor can open the d...
Join hosts Michael Sodini and Kevin Berry as they welcome Keith Bombaugh of B.O.S. Lock to the show. What began as a family-driven need for safer firearm storage has grown into a groundbreaking product designed for speed, reliability, and peace of mind. From technical details and real-world testing to the bigger conversation about responsibility and mental health, this episode explores how innovation can transform safety in the firearms industry. Send a text Walk the Talk America would like ...
In this episode of Guns and Mental Health, hosts Jake Wiskerchen and Michael Sodini welcome Kelly Sutliff, a licensed professional counselor and domestic violence survivor. Kelly shares her harrowing story of surviving an abusive relationship, the night she escaped her ex-husband, and the subsequent legal battles she faced regarding gun ownership. Kelly's journey highlights the need for better protection for victims and raises critical questions about the intersection of mental health, gun ...
In this WTTA Guns and Mental Health podcast episode, hosts Michael Sodini and Kevin Berry engage with John Fahrner from Gun Owners of America (GOA). They discuss personal updates, John's journey in the firearms industry, the mission of GOA, and the importance of advocacy and community engagement. The conversation also covers legislative efforts, the 'Big Beautiful Bill' significance, collaboration among gun rights organizations, and the upcoming GOALS Show. Chapters 00:00 Introductio...
What happens after the mission ends? In this episode, we sit down with Marine Corps veteran and founder of VMHA, Dwayne Edwards, for an honest conversation about life after service, the identity crisis many veterans face, and why our system still fails to meet their mental health needs. Dwayne shares his journey from growing up in Jamaica and navigating Brooklyn as a kid, to leading Marines in Iraq and later reinventing himself at Yale. He talks about the cultural pressure veterans face when ...
In this unfiltered conversation, Aaron Stark returns to continue a story: how he went from the brink of committing a school shooting to becoming a national voice for prevention and mental health reform. Host Jake Wiskerchen digs into the raw truths that don’t get discussed enough, from the failings of our systems to the unrelenting weight of shame and what it means to truly reach a hurting kid. Aaron speaks candidly about what it’s like to test adults as a desperate teenager, how he challenge...
Jake Wiskerchen and Michael Sodini sit down with Aaron Stark, a man who once nearly became a school shooter, to explore the roots of despair, the systemic failures that allow trauma to fester, and the moments of compassion that can save a life. Aaron shares his deeply personal story of abuse, neglect, and hopelessness, and how two friends changed everything. From the dangerous effects of untreated shame to the failure of our systems to identify and intervene with at-risk youth, this con...
Rob Bogue of Robust Futures and SuicideMyths.org joins Jake and Mike to challenge some of the most deeply ingrained beliefs in suicide prevention. From questioning the predictive power of warning signs and screening tools to highlighting the harmful consequences of forced hospitalization and red flag laws, this conversation peels back the layers of a flawed system. Rob shares the personal story that drove him to launch Suicide Myths—a growing library of evidence-backed debunkings—and discusse...
In this episode of the Walk the Talk America podcast, hosts Jake Wiskerchen and Michael Sodini are joined by Klint Macro and Matt Mallory from Meet the Pressers. They discuss their journey in the firearms industry, the importance of mental health in relation to gun ownership, and the responsibilities that come with being a gun owner. The conversation delves into training for critical incidents, the role of visualization in preparation, and the impact of red flag laws on mental health an...
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