S5E15 – Leigh Anderson: The Paramedic Mindset

The Unforgiving60

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

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Music …. With thanks to:

The Externals – available on Spotify