All Episodes

September 9, 2024 57 mins

We first had the privilege of meeting Leigh Anderson on the 2022 Resilience Retreat and have been stoked to stay in touch from there – particularly so given the recent publication of his book, ‘The Paramedic Mindset’.  In this episode, Leigh talk with us about that book, as well as his 14+ years as a paramedic.  Leigh discusses the ups and downs of the role including not only the amazing lifesaving assistance he has provided on countless occasions, but also those rare moments when his best wasn’t good enough.  Along the way, he’s developed some impressive practical tools for grappling with pressure, trauma and failure, which he shares with us as well. 

 

06:00       Leigh’s backstory – paramedicine via a close brush with professional rugby league!

11:15       Ben reveals his ignorance and asks ‘what exactly is a paramedic?!’

15:30       The human side of paramedicine

17:20       What DON’T you learn at paramedic school?!

19:20       What technique does Leigh recommend to stay calm and think clearly during high stress situations?

23:20       How partners can assist in high pressure situations

29:00       The (often unspoken) excitement of a really nasty job…and how paramedics can deal with continued exposure to trauma

34:00       An alternate (and brilliant) definition of success

37:00       Dealing with failure – and growth from trauma

40:00       The perils of role/identity fusion within paramedicine

46:00       Leigh’s experience on the 2022 Resilience Retreat (on a related note, sign up now for the 2024 Resilience Retreat – 24-27 Oct 2024 in the Gold Coast hinterland!)

48:15       How does Leigh put trauma behind him?

52:00       What is Leigh’s powersong?!  (Maybe not what you’d expect – check it out!)

 

External Links

Leigh’s website and Insta

Buy Leigh’s book or audiobook

Monica Lewinsky’s TED talk on shame

 

Contact Us

 

www.unforgiving60.com

 

Email us at debrief@unforgiving60.com

 

Instagram, Twitter: @Unforgiving60

 

 

Music …. With thanks to:

The Externals – available on Spotify

Mark as Played

Advertise With Us

Popular Podcasts

Stuff You Should Know
Dateline NBC

Dateline NBC

Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com

On Purpose with Jay Shetty

On Purpose with Jay Shetty

I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!

Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

© 2025 iHeartMedia, Inc.