Helping those who protect us
Every day, across this country, Firefighters, EMTs, and police officers answer numerous calls for help. Some of these incidents leave lasting effects that change how the first responder interacts with co-workers and family. For some first responders, these effects manifest into substance abuse or an addiction to drugs, alcohol, gambling.
The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation developed 16 Firefighter Life safety initiatives covering topics ranging from training to rig design to health and fitness to research to empowerment, cultural change, risk management and grants. Life Safety Initiative 13, Psychological Support, in our eyes, is the most important, yet it has the least amount of information. As the fire service progresses, there is an increased understanding that Psychological Support or Behavioral Health, is very important in making sure that firefighters reach retirement age and can enjoy that well-deserved retirement.
Most of our nations firefighters are volunteers. These members have “real” jobs and when called upon will respond with similar training as a career Firefighter. Along with this training, they are also responding with similar Behavioral Health issues.
Who do these Public Safety providers call for help? A general mental health clinician does not have the experience to treat this specialized population. Higher divorce rates, higher cancer rates, and higher suicide rates are all a by-product of these high stress careers. Most never call as they try to deal with their thoughts, feelings and past emergency scenes on their own. Never wanting to upset the stigma that “we are firefighters, suck it up.”
These first responders need a mental health clinician that understands the stresses of the job. One that understands the family life that these responders experience. One that understands the symptoms and will assist in dealing with the various unique situations that their career or volunteer position creates.
At this time, access to this treatment is very limited and not readily accessible in Southern Wisconsin, Rock County specifically. We want to change that.
Introducing “Valor of Healing, LLC,” we are taking steps to fully understand the psyche of first responder personnel with the unique situations and symptoms each of these provide and then provide training to personnel about Behavioral Health issues, warning signs, symptoms and treatment options. In addition, we want to provide training to the families of the first responder to help them under some of the unique characteristics their loved one has and how those characteristics can be managed at home. As we embarked on this journey, we started with a focus on Firefighters, and now, we will expand to Police officers, Emergency dispatchers along with other public safety responders.
Valor of Healing, LLC is scheduling appointments on nights and weekends for therapy. We are also scheduling training's. If your agency is looking for inside training during the next few cold months we would like to fill that time slot.
Valor of Healing, LLC is “Helping those who protect us” by way of training for first responders, training for spouses of first responders and provision of individualized clinical services (therapy) to first responders who would like more assistance.
