Therapy for First Responders
There is no doubt that your job as a first responder can be chaotic. Are you finding yourself overwhelmed at work, constantly having to make those quick decisions? Exhausted when you see your family or friends? Mental health is a crucial aspect of everyone’s lives, but especially when faced with the unique challenges of being on the front lines. Rebound Total Health provides many services to support the unique and difficult experiences First Responders live through.
What is a first responder?
All of us play important roles and are considered front line in our individual lives. Are you curious if your career is considered being a first responder? Below we have listed first responders that may benefit from therapy at Rebound Total Health:
Police Officers
Paramedics
Firefighters
Volunteer first responders
Emergency Medical Responders (EMT’S)
Emergency Dispatchers
Nurses
Doctors
Military Members
Emergency Managers
Any individual trained to help in emergency situations
Why is Therapy Important for First responders?
As a first responder, you may find that your career is often impacting the rest of your life. Balancing your family, social life, odd work hours, and personal time is understandably difficult. Finding the time to take care of your mental health may be difficult in the busy lives you lead.
You may be encountering traumatic circumstances. You may be navigating high-stress levels and emotional distress. You may find this is impacting your life outside of work, often feeling on high alert. You may feel emotionally numb and avoidant, in severe circumstances these traumatic experiences can result in post-traumatic stress disorder, otherwise known as PTSD. Many first responders find that they have to “stuff the hard stuff aside” to stay focused, present and professional in their jobs. For many, without properly processing these traumatic events and exposures, we risk developing more significant mental health struggles.
As individuals, you are often making decisions on a dime within high-stress environments on a day-to-day basis. It is inevitable that your mental health may be affected.
What are some mental health issues that can surface as a first responder?
Mental Health problems can appear differently for everyone. At Rebound Total Health we are here to support you in your past and present obstacles you may be facing. Below we have listed a handful of barriers you may be experiencing:
Sleep deprivation
Dysregulated
Traumatic experiences
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Stress
Burnout
Difficulty being present
Flashbacks
Experiences of panic
Anxiety
Lack of self-care
Benefits of Therapy for First Responders
There are many forms of therapy you can take as a first responder, at Rebound Total Health we offer some gold standard trauma processing therapies.
We offer brainspotting therapy, a brain-body therapy that improves traumatic experiences from the subcortical level of the brain that talk therapy cannot access on its own. Brainspotting therapy allows you to process trauma from the subcortical part of your brain that controls your emotions and learning. You may be experiencing trauma leading to emotional and physical distress. Brainspotting and talk therapy is an excellent way to navigate through traumatic experiences.
We also offer EMDR, eye movement desensitization and reprocessing. This evidence-based psychotherapy helps you heal from emotional distress by helping you change the events of a traumatic story you replay in your head. This process involves focusing on a traumatic event that has occurred, at the same time experiencing certain eye movement. What this process encourages, is reducing emotional association with the particular traumatic event. You may benefit from EMDR, to help you with emotional distress regarding a traumatic memory.
As you may be navigating through emotional distress and traumatic experiences, sometimes talking is all you need. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy may be beneficial to you when trying to work through traumatic experiences. CBT is a form of therapy that is problem-focused, while also working towards your goals. It can help you change your negative patterns of thoughts and emotions towards traumatic events. Talk therapy is an amazing therapeutic technique to becoming more aware of yourself and reactions towards difficult situations.
Rebound Total Health not only offers therapy for first responders, but we also offer therapy for others in your life that are on this journey with you. Below we have listed other therapy options:
Family Therapy
Couples and Relationships Therapy
Children and Adolescent Therapy
Stress and Life Transitions Therapy
Grief and Loss Therapy
All of these options are beneficial on top of talk therapy. At Rebound Total Health we acknowledge that being a first responder is a strenuous career. Our goal is to help you process traumatic events and support your needs when you are ready!
What are some strategies to support me?
5-4-3-2-1 Grounding Technique
This technique is used to help bring your focus to the present moment, and out of your head!
Name 5 things you can see
Name 4 things you can feel
Name 3 things you can hear
Name 2 things you can smell
Name 1 thing you can taste
Pro Tip: Focus on the sensations & stimuli that you normally would NOT notice!
Categories Grounding Technique
Choose at least three of the categories below and name as many items as you can in each one. Spend a few minutes on each category to come up with as many items as possible.
Movies, Countries, Books, Cereals, Sports Teams, Colors, Cars, Fruits & Vegetables, Animals, Cities, TV Shows, Famous People.
For a variation on this activity, try naming items in a category alphabetically. For example, for the fruits & vegetables category, say “apple, banana, carrot,” and so on.
How Can We Help You through your struggles as a first responder?
At Rebound Total Health we offer flexible therapy options in order to fit your schedule! We offer virtual therapy and phone call therapy to meet your comfort level. As first responders, we acknowledge that therapy can be difficult to access. Our Therapists are trained in trauma, and many have taken specialized training or have specialized experience in supporting First Responders. We provide therapists with different personalities, nonjudgmental environments, and safe spaces. Rebound Total Health is where you can put your trauma that you may not be able to share with others. Our goal is to help you find the right therapeutic approach that works best for you. We are here to help you bounce back.
On the Bounce Back Blog
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Effective Techniques for Nervous System Regulation: Promoting Balance and Wellness
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Navigating Trauma and Emotions: The Art of Brainspotting in Therapy:
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Emotional Regulation: Managing Emotions Effectively