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.

Jeffrey is a recognized provider with the Employment Assistance Program (EAP). First responders and their families may be eligible for financial assistance through this or their health benefits plan.