Episode 9 with Suzanna Hasnay dives deep into her transformative journey with mindfulness and yoga. Starting as a skeptic during her dance major days, Suzanna recounts how a personal crisis led her to embrace yoga for more than just physical benefits. Discover how she introduced mindfulness to law enforcement officers at the FBI National Academy, forever altering their approach to mental health and performance. Hear about her struggles and victories in integrating these practices, including inspiring feedback from officers profoundly impacted by her training. Join us as Suzanna shares how these practices not only enhanced her life but also inspired a new way forward in law enforcement training.

Overview
In this episode of PausePoint: The Podcast, we're joined by Susanna Hasnay, a retired FBI agent and founder of PoliceSpirit. Since 2012, Susanna has pioneered the integration of mindfulness into law enforcement, training teams from the FBI National Academy to specialized EOD bomb technician units. With her background in dance, business, and kinesiology, she adopts a holistic approach—'Train the Body, Train the Mind, Feed the Spirit.'

Guest Bio
Suzanna Hasnay, a retired FBI Special Agent, founded PoliceSpirit, LLC in Fredericksburg, VA, to enhance officer well-being through mindfulness-based strategies. Her career with the FBI spanned from 1997 to 2017, where she began her mindfulness journey. Suzanna’s academic background in Dance, Business, and Exercise Science and Kinesiology uniquely positions her to integrate movement into her training programs. She holds advanced yoga certifications and a Mindfulness Coach certification, which she utilized to introduce mindfulness and yoga to the FBI's Hostage Rescue Team and specialized bomb technicians.

Her initiative, PEAK, a mindfulness-based training series for mission-critical teams such as SWAT, pushed the boundaries of traditional law enforcement training by incorporating yoga, meditation, and discussions on mindfulness for decision-making and connection at work and home. Despite initial resistance, her work has led to a broader acceptance of these practices within the law enforcement community, emphasizing the need for ongoing leadership support to continue these transformative wellness initiatives.

What You'll Discover This Week:

Holistic Training for Law Enforcement: Learn how Suzanna combines physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual practices to enhance officer well-being and resilience, advocating for a balance beyond traditional tactical training.
Personal Journey and Professional Transformation: Explore how Suzanna's personal experiences with mindfulness significantly shaped her professional methods in law enforcement training.
Leadership’s Role in Mindfulness Integration: Delve into the critical importance of supportive leadership in successfully adopting and sustaining mindfulness programs within law enforcement.

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