Your life has been about two types of calls. You first got called to a career of putting your safety and sometimes your life on the line to protect and serve your community. You don’t regret it but life would’ve been easier as an accountant.
Then there are the calls you respond to every day on the job. As a first responder, you know that when a call comes in, it’s because someone needs your help.
And you don’t hesitate – you answer the call and face whatever there is to face.
It’s never a kitten stuck in a tree or a home security false alarm. It’s much harder. Accidents, crime, flames, death, pain, sorrow – you show up when people are going through one of the most difficult experiences they’ll ever have. You help them and they’re so grateful that you were there, doing the right thing in their time of need.
You can’t even count the number of people you’ve held up as they were falling apart. And you were glad to do it. You’re proud of serving your community and making a difference.
But it’s getting harder. You’ve seen a lot. And these days, you’re wondering if you’ve seen too much.
You’ve heard about compassion fatigue and vicarious trauma – the kind of thing that couldn’t happen to you because you’re tough as nails.
You are as tough as nails but you know what? Trauma can still happen to you and your colleagues. And it does happen.
Even though you know you could talk to someone at work about getting help, you’re hesitant. You’ve noticed a “if you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen” mentality in your peers. Except you know you’re not alone. You know it’s not just you having trouble dealing with everything you see on the job and take home every day.
You hear stuff through the grapevine and you saw in The Vancouver Sun that 16 first responders in BC committed suicide in 2016.
That’s just not right
You know what someone as tough as nails does when they can’t get the job done alone? They get help so they can get the job done
You were called to serve your community; you love your job and you can’t imagine doing anything else.
But you’re wondering, privately, if it’s time to call for back-up.
Does any of this sound familiar?
This is your career and you want to go the distance. And you can. Because you’re as tough as nails and that’s why you’re here right now.
Trauma therapy can help you get back to who you were before you saw too much.
And I’m here to help.
Violence - Accidents - Neglect – Sexual Abuse - Incest – Domestic Violence - Rape – Assault - Crime - First Responder – Police – Paramedic – Fire Fighter – PTSD - Residential School – Indigenous – Native - First Nation Health Authority –– Accident – Car Accident – ICBC - EMDR – CBT – Victim Services – Virtual Counselling – Virtual EMDR – Dhaka – Chittagong – Sylhet - Bangladesh – Lahore – Islamabad - Karachi – Pakistan – Therapy – Therapist - Coquitlam, Port Moody, Port Coquitlam, Tricities – Tri cities - Vancouver – Avatar counselling -
