First Responders

First Responders, such as Firefighters, EMTs, Police officers, Dispatchers, and Emergency room personnel, face horrors in their work that most of us can’t imagine.

We at Defining Moments speak from experience, being connected to the brotherhood of first responders intimately for more than 20 years. As part of the culture in this community, we are the first to respond, but the last to seek help. We work in a fast-paced environment that sets limits on expressing our concerns about what we experience. We are caring people by nature, and it hurts to see others in pain; but exposure to trauma is an occupational hazard, and these effects are cumulative. The longer you do the job, the greater the possibility to have a reaction to trauma. Let us help.

When to Consider Seeking Professional Help

A First Responder who is experiencing the following symptoms should seek professional help to assess and treat the effects of their traumatic experiences:

Hyper-arousal:
anxiety, trouble sleeping, fear, irritability, or anger.

Avoidance:
avoiding reminders of the traumatic event, including people who witnessed it, the place where the event occurred, thinking or talking about the experience, and/or avoiding other people—withdrawing from others and isolating oneself.

Intrusions:
nightmares, flashbacks, or other intrusive thoughts or memories of the event.

Psychic numbing:
using substances to avoid feelings, feeling numb, spacing out, or feeling as if things are unreal.

If these symptoms are interfering with your enjoyment of things you used to love, if you’re starting to hate your job and question why you went into the field, or if the way you look at the world has changed, counseling can help. Asking for help is a sign of strength.

We are here. Call us now.