Grablives
Grablives
grablives
Grablives is a mental health podcast designed to bring a greater awareness to first responders struggling with injury, depression, suicidal ideation, and burn out. Jonathan Vargas is a firefighter/paramedic in Los Angeles determined to find solution for the epidemic of mental health crisis. Grablives ideologies are rooted in unlearning patterns, finding spirituality, and discovering higher consciousness in an effort to create a more sustainable career for first responders, cops, firefighters, and military personnel.
96 Blakwater: Evidence Informed Traditional Medicine
In this powerful episode, we sit down with Dr. Rufus “Blakwatter” Fuller, DAOM, L.Ac, a respected healer, endurance athlete, yoga instructor, community leader, and one of Long Beach’s most recognizable voices in wellness and movement. Known throughout Long Beach for his work in evidence-informed traditional medicine, Dr. Fuller blends acupuncture, herbal medicine, nutrition, movement, and lifestyle practices to help people heal at the root. But his work extends far beyond the clinic. A dedicated marathon runner and race organizer, Blakwatter has built a reputation for bringing people together through movement, discipline, and community. As the host of the beloved Yoga on the Bluff in Long Beach, he has helped create spaces where thousands have come to reconnect with breath, body, and presence against the backdrop of the Pacific. In this conversation, Dr. Fuller opens up about his upbringing in South Los Angeles and the challenges, adversity, and life experiences that shaped his path. He shares how those early environments forged resilience, sharpened his purpose, and ultimately guided him toward a life devoted to healing, service, and empowerment. Together, we explore the intersection of ancient medicine and modern science, the power of nervous system regulation, movement as medicine, and what it truly means to transform pain into purpose. This episode is about more than healing the body. It’s about reclaiming identity, honoring your story, and discovering how adversity can become the foundation for service, leadership, and lasting impact.Blakwater:https://linktr.ee/blakwatter
Jun 29
1 hr 57 min
95 Spaceweather report: Schumann Resonance & Solar Flares With Jason Latas
In this powerful returning episode, Jason Latas joins the podcast once again to explore the deeper layers of human consciousness, energetic intelligence, and the unseen forces shaping our physical and emotional reality. Building on his previous conversation around solar flares and energetic shifts, Jason expands into the connection between trauma, frequency, healing, and the body’s hidden language. Together, we dive into the intersection of science, spirituality, and human potential, exploring how unresolved patterns may manifest physically and what it means to truly heal beyond the surface. This conversation challenges conventional thinking and invites listeners into a broader understanding of energy, awareness, and transformation. Tune in for a mind-expanding discussion that bridges the mystical and the practical, illuminating what may be possible when we begin to see beyond the visible. Connect with Jason and his phenomenal work:Jason Latas Linktree
Jun 25
1 hr 11 min
94 UFLAC 112 The Price of Taking the Front Seat
For nearly four decades, Freddy Escobar dedicated his life to service. A United States Marine, Los Angeles firefighter, and former president of the firefighters' union, Escobar spent 38 years on the front lines fighting for firefighters, their families, and the future of one of the largest fire departments in the nation. In this candid conversation, Freddy opens up about the unseen burden of sitting in the union president's seat, the pressure of representing thousands of members, and the personal toll that comes with being at the center of conflict, criticism, and controversy. We discuss the investigation conducted by the IAFF, the allegations that ultimately led to his removal from office, and why Freddy maintains those allegations are false. Rather than focusing solely on headlines, this episode explores the human side of leadership: the weight of responsibility, the mental and emotional strain of public scrutiny, and what happens when the person elected to lead becomes the story. From the Marine Corps to the firehouse to the union hall, Freddy reflects on a lifetime of service, the lessons learned through adversity, and what he believes firefighters and labor leaders need to understand about leadership in today's environment.
Jun 16
2 hr 5 min
93 Leading Your Family With Strength & Discipline
Fernando joins the GRABLIVES Podcast for a powerful conversation on faith, fatherhood, discipline, and what it truly means to lead from the front as a modern man. As a firefighter, husband, father, and creator of Next Level Dad Fitness, Fernando shares how fitness is more than aesthetics — it’s a vehicle for building resilience, integrity, spiritual grounding, and leadership within the home. This episode dives into the balance between strength and presence, how men can reclaim discipline in a distracted world, and why taking care of your body directly impacts how you show up for your wife, children, career, and purpose. Fernando breaks down practical strategies around fat loss, meal preparation, consistency, mindset, and daily habits, while also speaking on the deeper mission of becoming the type of man your family can rely on. This is a conversation for fathers, firefighters, husbands, and men searching for a higher level of accountability, structure, and meaning in their lives. Faith is the foundation. Family is the reason. Fitness is the vehicle.
May 9
1 hr 57 min
92 Own the Front Seat: Leadership Starts Before the Promotion
In Episode 92, we sit down with Company Officer Michael Elhihi, creator of Owning the Front Seat: The Promotional Playbook for Aspiring Fire Officers and Preparing for the Test, Building for the Seat—but this conversation goes far beyond passing a test or earning a bugle. This is about who you become before you ever sit in the front seat. Michael breaks down the difference between chasing rank and earning leadership through character, discipline, and values. Because the truth is, the fireground doesn’t create leaders—it reveals them. And what it reveals is built long before the tones ever drop. We get into what it really means to prepare—not just tactically, but internally. How your habits, your integrity, and your ability to lead your own life will dictate how you lead a crew, a family, and yourself under pressure. This episode challenges the idea that leadership starts with promotion. Instead, it reframes it as something deeper:Leadership starts in your daily decisions, your standards, and your willingness to own your life completely. From the station to the home front to your internal world—this is a blueprint for becoming the kind of leader people trust when it matters most. If you’re looking to promote, already wearing the badge, or simply want to lead your life at a higher level, this one is for you. Frontseat Academy links:Frontseat Academy
Apr 27
1 hr 55 min
91 The Hydrogen Effect: Upgrading the Human System from Within
What if the most powerful tool for human performance… wasn’t a supplement, but the smallest molecule in the universe? In this episode, we sit down with hydrogen water expert Shayne McCarthy to break down the science and real-world impact of molecular hydrogen on the human body. From reducing oxidative stress to enhancing cellular function, Shayne explains how hydrogen works at a foundational level to support recovery, energy, and long-term health. This conversation goes beyond surface-level wellness trends. We dive into how hydrogen interacts with the body’s natural systems, why it’s gaining traction among high performers, and what most people are missing when it comes to true cellular optimization. If you’re looking to sharpen your edge, recover faster, and understand what’s really happening inside your body… this episode opens the door. Explore more of Shayne’s work at H2 Water Experts
Apr 25
1 hr 51 min
90 Diamond Heart: Rewriting Your Reality from the Inside Out with Wolf Purnananda Jowers
In this episode, we sit down with Wolf Purnananda Jowers—a transformation specialist, Master Kambo Practitioner, and ayahuasca facilitator—whose work lives at the intersection of ancient medicine and modern human evolution. This conversation dives deep into his Diamond Heart Project, a powerful framework for personal growth designed to realign your life around the intelligence of the heart. Not the poetic idea of the heart… but the operating system beneath identity, patterns, and perception. Wolf breaks down how most people are unknowingly living from conditioned loops—reacting, surviving, repeating—while the heart offers a different axis entirely: one of clarity, presence, and truth. Through his work with plant medicine and integration practices, he shares how individuals can begin to dissolve those patterns and reshape their internal world… which ultimately reshapes their external reality. We explore: What it actually means to live a heart-guided life How the “Diamond Heart” refracts pressure into purpose instead of pain The role of Kambo and ayahuasca in clearing emotional and energetic density Why transformation isn’t about becoming someone new… but remembering who you are beneath the noise How shifting your internal state can literally alter your experience of time, relationships, and identity This one isn’t surface-level. It’s about stepping out of autopilot and into authorship of your life.
Apr 15
1 hr 45 min
84 From Stress to Strong | Nathan Nussbaum on Rebuilding the Body, Nervous System, and Human Movement
Returning guest Nathan Nussbaum, founder of MovMed and author of From Stress to Strong, is back on the GrabLives Podcast to go deeper into what it really takes to rebuild the body after injury, chronic stress, and nervous system overload. Raised in a family rooted in fitness, Nathan’s early life revolved around movement, strength, and performance. But injuries and life stress eventually took their toll, forcing him to confront the gap between traditional fitness and true healing. What followed was years of mentorship, self-experimentation, and hands-on application that reshaped his entire understanding of how the body adapts, compensates, and ultimately heals. In this conversation, Nathan breaks down how stress physically changes the body, how unresolved tension can keep people stuck in cycles of pain, and what it actually means to become strong again. He explains why strength isn’t just about muscles, but about restoring trust, coordination, and resilience within the nervous system. For first responders and anyone living under constant pressure, this episode offers a powerful perspective on recovery, adaptation, and long-term durability. Nathan shares lessons from his own journey and his work with others, showing how movement can become a tool not just for performance, but for reclaiming control over your health and your life. This is a conversation about transformation, ownership, and what becomes possible when you stop chasing symptoms and start rebuilding the system.
Mar 2
1 hr 16 min
89 Rebuilding Identity, One Conversation at a Time With Chance Burles
In Episode 89 of GrabLives, we sit down with Chance Burles, co-host of The Collective Podcast and a retired Canadian veteran, to unpack the silent battles that follow service. This conversation goes beyond surface-level resilience and dives straight into the psychological and emotional terrain that many operators, first responders, and high performers quietly navigate. Chance shares his journey through depression, identity loss, and the recalibration process that comes after stepping away from a life built on structure, intensity, and purpose. We explore how podcasting became more than just a platform for him—it became a tool for reflection, growth, and rebuilding. At the core of The Collective is a mission rooted in action: consistent, intentional effort toward developing a growth mindset. But what does that actually look like when you’re in the trenches of your own mind?
Mar 1
2 hr 1 min
88 Let’s Go… Into the Fire Within: Tim Fisher’s Story
Tim Fisher, firefighter engineer with the Orange County Fire Authority and host of the Let’s Go Podcast, steps into a conversation that goes far beyond the fireground. This episode dives into the hidden layers of the job — the grief that doesn’t get processed, the weight that gets buried, and the slow drift into behaviors that don’t reflect the man in the mirror. Tim opens up about the moment everything caught up to him — when he looked at himself and didn’t recognize who he had become. We talk about the silent accumulation of trauma, the identity built around the badge, and what happens when that identity starts to crack. More importantly, we explore what it takes to take ownership, face yourself fully, and begin rebuilding from a place of truth. This conversation is for every firefighter, first responder, or man carrying weight in silence — the ones who show up for everyone else, but haven’t yet turned inward.If you’ve ever felt disconnected from yourself, stuck in patterns you can’t explain, or unsure how you got here… this one hits home.
Mar 1
1 hr 54 min
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