Support for First Responders

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You’re trained to manage difficult situations, stay calm under pressure, and keep going when things are hard. But that doesn’t mean the job doesn’t affect you.

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First responders are exposed to things that most people will never experience. Sometimes there is one incident that sticks with you. Other times, it’s the accumulation of years of calls, difficult interactions, organizational stress, shift work, and constantly needing to be “on.”

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You might notice that you’re more irritable or on edge, shutting down, having trouble sleeping, or feeling disconnected from family and friends. Sometimes it’s hard to even pinpoint what has changed—you just know that you don’t quite feel like yourself anymore.

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I Understand First Responder Culture

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Before becoming a counsellor, I spent over a decade as a police officer with the Vancouver Police Department, including several years working in a specialized investigative unit.

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That experience gives me an understanding of first responder culture that is difficult to learn from the outside. I understand shift work, workplace politics, difficult calls, organizational pressures, dark humour, and the complicated balance between the job and life outside of it. I also understand why talking to someone who doesn't understand the culture can sometimes feel frustrating—or like you have to spend half the session explaining the context.

 

My work with first responders may include support with:

• Trauma and critical incidents

• Cumulative operational stress

• Burnout and compassion fatigue

• Moral injury

• Anxiety, irritability, or feeling constantly on alert

• Changes in identity or difficulty transitioning away from the job

• Relationships and family life

• Unhelpful ways of coping

• Feeling disconnected, shut down, or simply not like yourself

 

Therapy That Makes Sense for You

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There isn’t one right way to do therapy, and you don’t need to come in ready to talk about everything that has happened in your career.

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My approach is practical, trauma-informed, and collaborative. We can start with what is affecting you now and figure out together what would actually be helpful.

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For clients who want to work more directly with traumatic experiences, I also offer EMDR therapy, which can be used to help process individual critical incidents as well as experiences that have accumulated over the course of a career.

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Most importantly, therapy should feel useful. We’ll go at a pace that works for you, without pressure to talk about things before you’re ready.

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Taking Care of Yourself Matters Too

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First responders spend a lot of their careers looking after other people. It can be much harder to recognize when you might need some support yourself.

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You don’t need to be at a breaking point to come to counselling. Sometimes it starts with simply noticing that something isn’t working as well as it used to and wanting to understand why.

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If you’re wondering whether we might be a good fit, you’re welcome to reach out for a consultation. We can talk a little about what’s going on, what you’re looking for, and whether my approach feels right for you.