Are you feeling restless, irritable or on edge much of the time but don’t really know why? Do you have trouble sleeping or experience other physical symptoms like headaches, stomachaches or muscle tension? Maybe you’ve begun to lose interest in things or activities that once excited you or have been feeling particularly hopeless recently. Have you started to question why you took this job?

These can all be indicators of anxiety or depression, as can excessive worry about any or all aspects of life. Anxiety and depression can feel incredibly overwhelming, but therapy can help you develop healthy coping strategies and learn to manage your symptoms.

Exposure to traumatic or critical incidents on a regular basis can cause intense emotional distress to even the most seasoned responder. Firefighters, medics and law enforcement officers deal with the sights, sounds and smells of emergency scenes. Dispatchers/communications personnel are the first ones exposed to these types of scenes—they hear the devastated or distraught voices of people on the other end of the phone line and don’t often get to know how the situation turns out. Regardless of the method of exposure to traumatic incidents (sight, smell, hearing) there is always a risk of an emotional response that is unfamiliar or difficult to handle.

Posttraumatic stress disorder - also known as PTSD - is a mental health challenge that may occur in individuals who have experienced or witnessed a traumatic event such as a natural disaster, a terrorist act, an act of war, a serious accident, rape, or any other violent personal assault. For emergency responders, witnessing any or all of these could be “all in a day’s work.” As a result, approximately 30% of individuals in this field develop some form of behavioral health condition, such as PTSD.

What is Grief?

Grief refers to the thoughts, feelings, and behaviors connected to the loss of something important. It could be the loss of a relationship, a loved one, a job, an object, or anything else a person values.

Emergency first responders face unique stressors in their work, which can create an elevated risk for suicide. Maybe you are grieving the loss of a colleague to suicide. Maybe you have thought about suicide yourself. Either way, it can be extremely helpful to talk to someone about your thoughts and feelings.

Couples these days face a myriad of troubles in their relationships, from communication struggles to money/finances, kids, extended families, and the effects of world events out of our control. Add in the long, unpredictable work hours, the constant exposure to trauma and grief, and the cultural considerations of the police department, firehouse, ambulance bay or communications cave and it’s no wonder that the average divorce rate for first responders in this country is 60-75%. But don’t give up! There is hope for your relationship and I would be glad to help you discover that.

Let's face it, sometimes day-to-day life is just hard. Life transitions like getting married, getting divorced, having a baby, a career change or retirement can be difficult to navigate. I understand how these types of struggles can be exacerbated by the very nature of the first responder life style. I utilize a culturally competent approach to help you sort through whatever has come your way.