Coach of the Month: Wendy Hummell

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Podcast Intro:

Wendy Hummell has been in Law Enforcement for 25 years, investigating homicide, gang, and sex crimes.  Alongside that career, she has also become a yoga teacher and has focused on stress management and defense tactics within teams.  While she has retired from investigating, her desire to continually serve has amplified and she’s currently a Wellness Coordinator for first responders.  I’m sure we can all agree that Wendy’s work and service is so needed, and that is one of the many reasons she is the Coach of the Month!

Listen in on this interview as Anna discovers why the YHC business model was the perfect natural progression for Wendy to provide even deeper service to her community.  Through this model, Wendy is discovering how to fill gaps that a criminal justice career doesn’t currently train for, and is offering ways for more peace and health to first responders experiencing trauma involved in the job.  We are so thrilled that Wendy is bringing this model to her community and can’t wait to see what opportunities this path brings her and them!

What you’ll get out of tuning in:

  • How to create a unique program from your expertise.
  • Why building community is so important today.
  • How to navigate the next steps in your journey.

Links/CTA:

Highlights:

  • Wendy stresses the importance of bringing Ayurveda first responders.
  • Wendy talks about incorporating a wellness retreat into her program.
  • Wendy bridges the gaps between opposites on her podcast

Timestamps:

  • [2:30] – The natural progression of serving. 
  • [3:25] – The missing pieces in law enforcement training.
  • [6:63] – Dysrhythm of first responders.
  • [8:35] – The dream opportunities in the community. 
  • [12:00] – Building a unique business model.
  • [17:25] – The return on investment.
  • [21:49] – Connection and dynamic groups lacking in people’s lives.
  • [23:23] – Leveraging structure and systems into future vision.
  • [25:55] – Navigating and connecting two worlds.
  • [29:36] – Using science, evidence, and language to bridge gaps. 
  • [31:20] – Words of advice.

Quotes:

  • “How is this any different than teaching something you believe in? It’s a service.”
  • “That connection piece is what really seems to make the magic happen.”
  • “There are all of these different things that have just kind of naturally come together, and so all of those things are what I am looking for in the future.”
  • “I’ve been told I’m the most woo-woo cop somebody ever knew, and I’m okay with that.”
  • “The benefits I have gotten personally have far outweighed any kind of money that I’ve spent.”

Guest Bio: Wendy Hummell

Wendy Hummell is a retired police detective with over 25 years of law enforcement experience. Wendy spent the majority of her career working Persons’ Crimes Investigations in the homicide, gang, and sex-crimes units. During her career, she was a member of her department’s CISM (Critical Incident Stress Management) and Defense Tactics teams. Wendy has taught multiple classes both in the Academy setting and at national conferences not just on investigations-related topics, but in her current area of expertise of officer health and wellness, peer support, and resiliency.

Wendy is currently the Health and Wellness Coordinator at a local Sheriffs Office and is passionate about and committed to helping her fellow First Responders learn the tools of mindfulness, resiliency, as well as the importance of relationships, exercise, sleep, and nutrition to enhance their well-being and job performance. Wendy speaks to these topics from the perspective of direct experience and through the lens of a law enforcement spouse. Wendy’s belief is that all law enforcement agencies should provide resources to their employees so they can not only survive a career in law enforcement but thrive well into retirement.

Wendy holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice. She is a certified yoga instructor and Yoga for First Responders (YFFR) Ambassador. Wendy has taught hundreds of first responders YFFR classes, resiliency, and mindfulness classes. Wendy is also a trainer for the Pause First Academy. Wendy is an adjunct faculty member with the Criminal Justice Department at Wichita State University. She has been teaching collegiate-level CJ classes since 1996.

Wendy was awarded the 2018 Wichita Metro Crime Commission Law Enforcement Officer of the Year Award, the 2018 Crime Stoppers USA Coordinator of the Year Award, and was a 2019 Wichitalk presenter. Wendy has several articles published with PoliceOne on the topics of trauma, wellness, and female resiliency.

Wendy and her husband launched the “Guns and Yoga” podcast last year as a platform to provide support, add value, and share wellness resources with first responders and their families. Wendy facilitates a group health coaching program and offers free yoga, retreats, and more. You can get more information on her website at wendyhummell.com.

Wendy enjoys doing anything outdoors, including yoga, and spending time with her two daughters and husband.

Cate Stillman

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Cate Stillman founded Yogahealer.com in 2001 to guide Yoga people into Ayurveda and Ayurveda people into yoga. Built on the value of both personal and planetary thrive and a deep connect to one’s ecosystem, community and body, Yogahealer grew into a team, 2 podcasts a week, regular blogging, an arsenal of courses to guide people into their potential, an a professional community + certification program Yoga Health Coaching. Cate wrote and self-published Body Thrive: Uplevel Your Body and Your Life with 10 Habits from Ayurveda and Yoga, an Amazon #1 Bestseller in Ayurveda, which helps people who dig yoga take a giant leap forward in their wellness trajectory with Ayurveda.

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