In couples therapy, our therapist offers a secure space for partners to engage in meaningful conversations and rediscover their connection. The therapist guides couples in solution-focused therapy, helping them shift their focus from blame to understanding the relational dynamics and facilitating new steps forward. Acting as a consultant, the therapist assists in making sense of relationship challenges and navigating the intense emotions experienced by distressed partners.

Just because a counselor specializes in trauma does not mean they'll "get" you; they must also know first responder culture, so be sure to look for responder community-specific knowledge.

A counselor does not need to have worked as a first responder in order to understand you; the right training and/or experience, combined with good counseling practice, will make the best counselor. 

Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT)

CBT is a type of psychotherapy that has consistently been found to be the most effective treatment of PTSD, both in the short term and the long term. CBT for PTSD is a trauma-focused treatment, meaning the trauma event(s) are the centre of the treatment.

Trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT)

This gives police, firefighters, and paramedics the ability to recognize problematic and negative thoughts, and replace them with positive ones that can support positive behaviors.

EMDR

Uses a person's own rapid, rhythmic eye movements to dampen the power of emotionally charged memories of past traumatic events and help overcome them using a person's own power.

Mindfulness

Mindfulness is a state in which you are solely focused on the present.

The team at Shelly Qualtieri & Associates uses some of these approaches to support you. Learn more by clicking here.

You are not alone; many first responders struggle with their own mental health issues. It has been estimated that approximately 85% of first responders have experienced symptoms related to their mental health.

PTSD In First Responders: Formally Acknowledged

In 2013, a section regarding post-traumatic stress disorder was added to the Fifth Edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-5), otherwise known as the diagnostic 'bible' of mental illness. This new section was specifically designed to recognize and research the negative psychological impact that first responders' work has on families and their mental health. Now there is recognition and research among psychologists and researchers that repeated exposure to traumatic events or details about those events can cause the same amount of mental harm as directly experiencing the event.

First responders are frequently exposed to highly stressful events in the course of their routine duties. Some of the specific situations that increase one’s vulnerability include:

• Lack of control over the volume of emergency calls

• The relentlessness of the ongoing routine of responding to calls, regardless of how disturbing or traumatic the previous call may have been

• Repetition of experiences within the service for a long time (stress is cumulative)

• Experiencing unrelenting situations and a sense of helplessness due to overwhelming demands (these can include situations such as prolonged or failed rescue).

• Grief due to a partner being killed or seriously injured in the line of duty, the suicide of a peer, or losing a patient or client

• Experiencing the death of a child in the line of duty

• Responding to a call for a victim who is known to the responder

• Working without the support of administration or being questioned on one’s actions in an investigation

First responders face unique challenges that can make it difficult for them to seek help. These individuals may feel like they are supposed to be strong and resilient and may view seeking help as a sign of weakness. Additionally, they may be concerned about how their colleagues or employers will perceive them if they seek psychotherapy.

First responders are

• twice as likely to suffer from PTSD as the general public

• more likely to die from suicide than from work-related deaths

• face some related mental health struggles, with 4 out of 5 having some significant mental health issues

• five times more likely to suffer from depression

• exposed to violence in greater numbers than the general public

• more predisposed to suffer from addiction as a result of work-related stress (alcohol, drugs, sex, or gambling)

Reach out today to find support.

The facts on the importance of mental health services, support, and therapy for first responders in Calgary and Alberta are critical.

You got into this work for a reason: to help and protect people. Maybe you felt like it was your purpose in life. People look to you for answers; you are a "fixer." You're held to a higher standard and expected to do better and be better. Part of that makes you proud of your career, but sometimes it is exhausting.

Other people can have an "off day" at work. You can't. If you aren't all there, the best-case scenario might mean a complaint about your conduct, but if you forget or don't notice something important, someone could get hurt.

There is a lot of talk about mental health, but maybe you don't feel like the support is actually there. Is it really okay to show vulnerability? Who can you trust when you aren't okay?

It is hard to reach out for help, so instead, we tell ourselves stories. We are "fine." We aren't affected. Other people just aren't as strong as us. We often use humour to get through some of the horrific stuff we deal with, and it works for a while until it doesn't.

It doesn't matter what kind of professional you are. Whether you are a police officer, a firefighter, a paramedic, in the military, or one of the many others who work every day to help people and keep your community safe, chances are you can relate.

Even though first responders are five times more likely to experience depression or PTSD (The Ruderman White Paper on Mental Health and Suicide of First Responders), they can be reluctant to name common symptoms and seek help.

Seven out of ten first responders say mental health services are seldom utilized, if at all, in their organizations.

The stigma attached to mental health issues and the need to get help can prevent first responders from accessing the vital supports that they need to address and heal experiences that happen on the job.

You have witnessed some tragic, difficult events, which have led you to feel more powerless and numb to it all:

• death or work-related injuries

• loss and grief from partners and colleagues

• insomnia and difficulty sleeping

• relationship or family conflict

• difficulty managing and handling stress

• withdrawing from others

• difficulty concentrating

Frontline workers have faced increased pressure from the healthcare system, which often leads to:

• increased stress and burnout

• poor coping skills and self-care

• difficulty prioritizing and concentration

• increased alcohol and drug consumption

• Infidelity, divorce, and relationship conflict

• porn and sex addiction

• difficulty regulating emotions

Protective and Resiliency Factors Against Trauma

• Sense of community: belonging and emotional attachment

• Collective efficacy: perception of the group’s ability to accomplish its major tasks

• Self-efficacy: ability to exercise some measure of control over the environment

• Positive coping strategies: ability to manage stress constructively, such as using approaches like Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

• Compassion satisfaction: positive feelings from helping others; incorporation of positive aspects of trauma situations to achieve good outcomes—post-traumatic growth"

Starting therapy with the right person will set you on a path to understanding and self compassion. Book your free 30-minute call today.