Being in a personal crisis is like being the incident commander of a major disaster. The crisis creates its own container. You feels alive, you have a feeling of belonging, in being in control, strong leadership, and full commitment. Even when off shift, operations is foremost. That feeling is wonderful until.. the incident is over. Losing the feelings of belonging, feeling out of control, being weak and indecisive…
Counselling and resiliency practices are preventative as well as therapeutic. Jeffrey provides small group and individual counselling as well as workshops and training sessions for First Responders.
Being exposed to human suffering can take its toll on even the toughest, most well adjusted and seasoned professional
Traumatic events can be very difficult to understand. No one who sees a traumatic event is untouched by it.
It’s natural to feel sadness, grief and anger after an incident.
It’s normal to feel anxious about taking risks, your safety, and the safety of those who are important to you.
We all have different needs and our own ways of coping. Again, all normal.
It is healthy to ask for and to accept help.
You are a professional, you’re calm under pressure at all times, and tough. You respond to difficult situations with skill, composure and compassion, no matter what’s going on around you. Expectations – yours and the general public’s – as well as the depth of responsibility you shoulder can be heavy burdens.
Efforts to deny or minimize the burden a First Responder carries will eventually weaken your general psychological health.
Despite your level of experience or training, there will be incidents that affect you deeply. The frequency of exposure to difficult material will take its toll. Bouncing back may become more difficult over time. Ignoring your experiences or denying their effects will have consequences in your home and workplace.
It is important to step back and allow yourself time to regain your perspective.
Does any of this look or feel familiar?
- Are you having trouble sleeping?
- Do you find it hard to concentrate?
- Are you worried about your memory?
- Have you been feeling unexpected anger or other strong emotions?
- Are you exhausted most of the time?
- Would you rather be alone than interact with friends, family, or coworkers?
- Do you feel overwhelmed and no longer cope with stress as well as you used to?
- Are you drinking or using drugs to help you forget or just check out and go to sleep?
If you are experiencing any of the above, Jeffrey can help you find your bearings again.
As difficult as they are to experience, the reactions listed above are not only very common for those dealing with stressful or traumatic experience, but necessary for you to restore balance. Although you may be in a place of despair and can’t imagine ever feeling better, there are a number of effective approaches Jeffrey can use to help you deal with whatever is going on and get you back to living a healthy, happy life.
Define your response, not reaction
Your response to your work and the things you see on the job can be predicted by neuroscience. Everyone is affected by recurring traumatic and overwhelming situations. Outdated ideas that suggest otherwise are wrong.
Counselling is extremely effective in working through your response to trauma and stress. Jeffrey will help you develop ways to permanently work through your grief, providing you a way to respond to stimuli rather than react.
When you settle in for a counselling session with Jeffrey, it often feels as comfortable as catching up with a friend
Jeffrey is approachable and easy to talk to. He uses language that you and your family understand. His primary goal is to permanently resolve the sights sounds and smells that seem tattooed on your brain. So it no longer haunts you or takes its toll on your friends and family. He wants to give you the tools so you retire at the end of a career at your choosing ready to live the retirement you have dreamed.
Once in a therapeutic relationship, decisions about how to proceed are mutually discussed. There are a number of different approaches that can be used to help with the concerns you hope to address. Successful therapy requires an active effort on your part, both during and outside of sessions.
Terms and Conditions
Welcome to a great collaborative effort. I look forward to learning much from you in the next while as we face challenges, turn new corners, and experience new and phenomenal growth.
This is an understanding of the agreement we make establishing ground rules so our relationship continues unimpeded. Friction-free is the best way. So here goes:
- Sessions are normally 50 minutes in duration unless you have chosen the 30-minute phone package.
- Fees vary depending on the number of sessions per month and whether you have third-party payment such as Employee Assistance Program (EAP). Half hour sessions are done by phone. Full sessions can be done either by phone, Skype, Facetime, or in person. In-person sessions are available in Coldbrook and Windsor Nova Scotia. Essentially you buy an hour, 2 hours or 4 hours of my time per month. Fees are due when the agreement is made and coaching begins, and fees are due on the 27th of the preceding month. 30 days notice is required for cancellation. Normally fees are charged by credit card.
- Missed sessions are your responsibility. It can be rescheduled, but if it goes past the end of the month, no credit is given. I will do everything in my power to ensure you have as much of my time as I can give. If you forget me or don’t inform me of a cancellation, that is ok, but it’s not up to me to make up for it.
- I am available by email jeff@jeffreyhosick.com
- Sessions on the internet may be done through video or audio on the internet. I am on skype as jeffrey.h.hosick. The only requirement you would have would be the audio headset. When sessions are not on the internet, you are to call my number 902-678-0538.
- There is a limit to some things we can talk about. I have a duty to warn. I must report any abuse of children or vulnerable adults. I will not assist people to plan crimes or do harm to themselves or to any other person.
- It is important to know that apart from #6, all material is confidential.
- I am licensed and accountable to the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association, the American Association of Pastoral Counselling, and the Nova Scotia Association of Counselling Therapists. Any complaint or misunderstanding is best handled between us first, but these organizations will handle your concerns should we not be able to work it out.
- It is important to know that although thein-personn sessions occur at the physical locations of Enterprise Centre of Hants County, and Lazy Brook Healing Centre, their organizations, their staff members, officers, directors, employees and agents (known as releasees) are not responsible for any loss, damage, injury, or expense you suffer or your next of kin as a result of participating in our consulting/counselling/coaching process. The agreement releases, indemnifies, and waives the releasees from any liability from participants, next of kin, or any third party. And is binding on your heirs, next of kin, executors, and assigns in the event of death.
- Continuing from this point is your consent to the aforementioned.
Are you ready? Here is my castle..
