First Responder Mental Health Services
Annual Behavioral Health Reviews (ABHR)
These mental health check-ups are 60-90-minute appointments to help first responders determine how they are doing mentally and if they need any mental health support. These “check-ups” help to decrease mental health stigma as well as introduce first responders to qualified mental health professionals who have been specially trained in first responder culture. All mental health professionals who facilitate these ABHRs complete a fellowship that is guided by the clinical director who has been working with first responders since 2017. Please feel free to call us to find out more.
Mental Health Presentations
As mental health is talked more about in the first responder world, the option to have an expert on mental health and first responders come and speak to all personnel is a great option. These presentations can be done for shifts as well as for family members and spouses as the culture of the fire service presents particular issues for marriages, partnerships, and families. Our specially trained mental health team can create presentations based on the specific needs of a department. Please feel free to call us to find out more.
CISD Mental Health Processing
Mental health symptoms like anxiety, isolation, binge drinking, and anger can surge after a critical incident. EMDR and process group work can help mitigate the severity of these symptoms as well as prevent the development of PTSD if that critical incident is attended to within days of the incident. The team at CIC is very interested in responding promptly to crew members who experienced a critical incident. Please call us to find out more.
Mental Health Consultation For Special Circumstances
The Center for Insight and Connection has a small team of therapists led by Patty Dirilten. If you have specific needs that are not included in the above services, please do not hesitate to reach out for Patty specifically to discuss your mental health need and she will work with you directly to determine the best course of action for your needs. Please call us to find out more.
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CRITICAL INCIDENT STRESS DEBRIEFING (CISD)
DATE:
AGENDA
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Introductions
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Facts
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Thoughts
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Reactions
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Symptoms
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PTSD, Moral Injury, Compounding trauma
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Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing - EMDR
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Coping skills
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Resources
NORMAL SYMPTOMS AFTER A CRITICAL INCIDENT
OSHA-CRITICAL INCIDENT STRESS GUIDE
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Fatigue
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Chills
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Unusual thirst
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Chest pain
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Headaches
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Dizziness
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Uncertainty
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Confusion
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Nightmares
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Poor attention
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decision making ability
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Poor concentration, memory
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Poor problem solving ability
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Grief
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Fear
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Guilt
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Intense anger
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Apprehension and depression
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Irritability
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Chronic anxiety
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Inability to rest
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Withdrawal
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Antisocial behavior
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Increased alcohol consumption
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Change in communications
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Loss/increase in appetite
What is PTSD?
A compilation of symptoms that occur after exposure to an event that involved actual or threatened death, serious injury or sexual violence. These symptoms persist for longer than 30 days
INTRUSION SYMPTOMS-recurrent, involuntary, and distressing memories of the event, distressing dreams, flashbacks
AVOIDANCE SYMPTOMS-avoiding thoughts, feelings or conversations about the event and/or external reminders of the event
AROUSAL SYMPTOMS- difficulty falling or staying asleep, irritability, hypervigilance or high startle response, aggressive behavior, reckless or destructive behavior
DISSOCIATIVE SYMPTOMS-difficulty remembering important parts of incident, time slowing, dazed
ALTERATION IN MOOD-persistent negative beliefs about yourself, others or the world, distorted cognitions about the causes or consequences of the event like “it’s all my fault”.Reduced interest in activities, difficulty concentrating or cannot feel positive emotions.
What is moral injury?
A moral injury can result when there has been a situation that violates a person’s moral code, like having to choose whose life to save on a call. This can cause intense feelings of guilt, shame, anger, betrayal and frustration. It may lead to mistrust of others, loss of faith, meaning or purpose and numbness and emotional detachment.
What is compounding trauma?
When a person is exposed to many events over time that do not get processed properly and have a cumulative effect that can cause depression, anxiety, PTSD, relationship issues and other symptoms.
Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing
An experiential therapy that helps to digest distressing material that is being harbored in the brain and body and causing the symptoms we are talking about today.
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Recent Trauma Event Protocol
A specific EMDR protocol administered in 3 sessions to help the recent event digest before it gets added to the compounded trauma potentially reducing the onset of symptoms
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Grounding- 5-4-3-2-1-Connecting with the present moment. Identify 5 things you can see right now, 4 things you can feel on your body right now, 3 things you can hear right now, 2 things you can smell right now and 1 thing you can taste right now.
Yoga breathing-Slow deep breath in, expanding the belly, little hold at the top and slowly with slightly restricted breath breathe out completely emptying, hold at the bottom, and repeat trying to match the length of the inhales and exhales.
Polyvagal exercise-Look straight ahead. Move your eyes all the way to the left and keep them there for 30 seconds. Return eyes to center. Move your eyes all the way to the right and keep them there for 30 seconds. Return eyes to center.
RESOURCES
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SUICIDE CRISIS LINE
988-call or text
988lifeline.org
THE CENTER FOR INSIGHT AND CONNECTION
Lisle and Naperville
630-201-2856
Directories of vetted therapists who specialize in first responder behavioral health
https://www.100clubil.org/directory/clinician-directory/
https://www.nvfc.org/provider-directory/
https://www.ivegotyourback911.com/
Podcasts
Insight and Connection-Patty and Kam
https://open.spotify.com/show/0Sw7AoEFCTe7UN81wL98g5
First Responder Psychological Support-Sarah Gura