A publication dedicated to the well-being of firefighters across North America and beyond.
Firefighters are aware of the statistics linking firefighter deaths to preventable diseases and illnesses caused by unhealthy lifestyles. One of the leading causes of firefighter deaths is heart attacks. “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Bringing answers to the modern firefighter’s burning health questions, we aim to help firefighters identify and put into practice better health choices to increase your chances at a healthier wellbeing with disease and illness free careers and retirements.
It’s very difficult having so much responsibility. What is yours? What is not? For all the lives and property you save, for all the people you help, it is often that one that you couldn’t save, or whose outcome was dire, that brings guilt into your heart. It’s hard to shoulder the weight of having someone’s life or livelihood in your hands.
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When was the last time a significant other said, “You treat the general public better than you treat me?” Ouch. And the follow-up to that question is this response, “They pay my salary!” Well, it is a fair question, and depending on who the significant other is, it might carry much more significance. However, I do not endorse that response as it carries a lot of pain and anguish.
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In 2020, a significant health awakening prompted me to address my nervous system before my symptoms and overall health deteriorated any further. In my search for tools and strategies to regain my well-being, I discovered a self-care gem: Tension and Trauma Releasing Exercises (TRE®). After just a few sessions with a certified provider, I felt a remarkable improvement in my well-being. This experience inspired me to become an accredited provider and share this incredible tool with other first responders.
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It took a lot of trial and error with a big emphasis on the error part, to figure out just who I would be when I finally grew up. Along the way, I had many obstacles to overcome.
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As a trauma therapist who works with First Responders and Front Line Workers, I get a unique vantage point and the opportunity to hear what is really coming up for those of you serving on the front lines. Consistently, one of the complaints I hear about involves the ways in which access to support tends to be reactive and the ways this misses the mark.
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Firefighters are often seen as brave and heroic individuals, but they face numerous physical and psychological challenges every day. Unfortunately, this can lead to dismissive behavior amongst firefighters and, in some cases, the use of substances as a way of coping.
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The issue of mental health is prominent everywhere in the public safety profession and it is an issue that commands a new perspective.
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When firefighters think of psychotherapy, they might picture someone lying on a leather chaise lounge while a cross-legged therapist peers over his glasses, frowns and asks, “How does that really make you feel?” But have you heard of talk therapy?
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We’re all adults here, aren’t we? Or are we? Do you sometimes think your partner behaves like a spoiled child? Might they describe you the same way? Do arguments that start small quickly escalate to shouting matches, crying and stony silences?
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The more primitive parts of the human brain – the brain stem, cerebellum, and basal ganglia – are shared by lizards and humans. Our lizard cousins, like us, inherited these brain elements from fish to help handle basic body functions.
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