Mental Health and Guns with Michael Sodini

This is episode 444 of the SSA Podcast and I am so pleased that you have joined us.

The topic/guest of this week’s show is Michael Sodini of Eagle Imports and Walk the Talk America a pro-Second Amendment, non-profit organization dedicated to helping to bring awareness to the issues that surround firearms and mental health.

Struggling with a Mental Health Crisis?

Call 1-800-273-TALK - OR - Text MHA to 741741

Topic Intro/Guest Bio

• ASU Grad with a degree in communications
• Spent time in fashion modeling and real estate before working for the family business, Eagle Imports
• Became President of Eagle Imports in 2009
• Partner in Avidity Arms
• In 2018 formed WTTA a non-profit organization dedicated to making positive change in relationship to mental health, and firearm awareness.

What we talk about in today’s show:

• What it’s like to own a firearms business based in New Jersey
• How being a fashion model breeds a sense of humor
• Stigma and how it impacts what we do and what we don’t do
• How the Second Amendment community thrusts stigma onto others to avoid being stigmatized ourselves
• How people like Colion Noir, Rob Pincus and Maj Toure are doing to change the firearms industry
• Initiatives that WTTA are actively working on
• What link mental illness and violence really have compared to what we believe they have
• Why trauma mitigation can be a linch pin for preventing violence
• WTTA’s end game and what that looks like today
• How Eagle Imports looks at mental health
• What steps you can take to make a difference

Important links related to today’s show.

• Walk the Talk America
• Walk the Talk America on Facebook
• Mental Health America Position 72
• Dr. Jeffrey Swanson