The Shell and Sam Show

Episode 10 Yapp Sess

No outline. No filter. Just real life. This week we’re yapping about the chaos of being a wife, mom, and holding it all together while everything feels like it’s falling apart. If you’ve ever hidden in your car for peace or reheated your coffee 5 times… welcome. You’re our people

Episode 9: When the Hero is Hurting – Matty & Liz Fiorenza’s Story

Behind every badge is a family carrying the weight of the job and sometimes the hero everyone else depends on is the one who needs saving. In this powerful and deeply honest episode of The Shell & Sam Show: Wives Behind the Badge, Shell and Sam sit down with retired firefighter paramedic Matty Fiorenza and his wife Liz to talk about the reality many first responder families face but few talk about openly. After 22 years serving with the Anaheim Fire Department, Matty found himself battling severe PTSD, depression, anxiety, and alcoholism. What began as trying to cope with the trauma of the job slowly turned into a fight for his life. After reaching a devastating breaking point and surviving a suicide attempt, Matty began a recovery journey that would not only change his life but also the life of his family. Together, Matty and Liz share their story from both sides of the badge. Matty opens up about the mental toll of the job, the culture that often discourages asking for help, and the moment he realized something had to change. Liz shares what it was like watching the man she loved struggle with battles she couldn’t see, the impact it had on their marriage, and the strength it took to keep fighting for their family. This conversation dives into the darkest moments but more importantly, the hope that came after. Matty now dedicates his life to helping other first responders find healing through resources like trauma retreats, EMDR therapy, meditation, support groups, and other innovative treatments designed specifically for those who serve on the front lines. This episode is raw, emotional, and incredibly important for first responders and the spouses who love them. Because sometimes the strongest thing a hero can do… is ask for help. If you or someone you love is struggling, please know you are not alone and healing is possible. 🎧 Listen now and share this episode with someone who needs to hear it. Because behind every badge is a family… and every family deserves support. 🚨🤍

Episode 8: When the Home Team Needs Support Too

Episode 8: When the Home Team Needs Support Too Special Guest: Erika Anderson In this powerful episode, we sit down with Erika Anderson — fire wife, trauma survivor, certified life coach, and Program Director of the 3FTL Home Team. Erika is a fierce advocate for first responder partners and the creator of a safe, supportive community she lovingly calls her “Homies,” where spouses and significant others can find connection, healing, and understanding. We talk a lot about the trauma first responders carry… but what about the one sleeping next to them? Erika shares her deeply personal journey as a fire wife and the moment she realized that partners of first responders are often carrying invisible weight of their own. From emotional hyper-vigilance and isolation to secondary trauma and the quiet pressure of holding everything together, this conversation gets real about what life can look like behind the scenes. Together, we dive into: • The invisible emotional load first responder partners carry • What secondary trauma actually looks like in real life • The impact mental health struggles can have on marriages and relationships • Why support for both partners is essential for a relationship to survive • How the 3FTL Home Team is creating a space where partners can finally exhale Erika also shares practical tools for partners who feel overwhelmed, including ways to regulate your nervous system, healthy boundaries, and small steps you can take today to start reclaiming your peace. If you’ve ever felt like the “strong one” who isn’t allowed to fall apart… this episode is for you. Because the truth is: The relationship survives when both people have support. Pull up a seat. You’re not alone here. 🤍 Connect with Erika & the 3FTL Home Team: https://www.3ftl.com Want to share your story with us? We’d love to hear it. DM us on Instagram or TikTok, or email us at shellandsam@yahoo.com

Episode 7 The cost of the call and the hope after.

In this episode of The Shell & Sam Show, we sit down with Amy, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with 29 years of experience at the Department of Veterans Affairs and a Veterans Crisis Line responder, and her husband Bill, a retired sheriff’s deputy and Marine Corps veteran. Together, they share their journey through PTSD, recovery, faith, and how they launched My Lt Leo to support first responder families. We talk about trauma, marriage under pressure, breaking stigma, and what healing actually looks like when the job comes home with you. Lt. Leo Website: https://myltleo.com/ Bills Email for Faith and Route: Bill@myltleo.com

Episode 6: Marriage Under Pressure: Loving Someone Who Lives on Adrenaline

In this episode, we talk about the reality of loving someone whose life runs on adrenaline—and how chronic stress, emotional exhaustion, and constant fear can slowly reshape a marriage. We open up about the loneliness that can exist even when you’re not alone, the communication breakdowns that happen in survival mode, and the emotional distance that builds when both partners are running on empty. We also share personal moments from our own marriages—the hard conversations, the breaking points, and the truth about how easy it is to lose connection when your nervous system lives in constant stress. Most importantly, we talk about what helped us find our way back: honesty, vulnerability, and choosing each other even when it was hard. If you’ve ever felt invisible, disconnected, or like you’re carrying the emotional weight of this life alone, this episode is for you. You’re not broken—you’re under pressure. And you’re not alone.