First Responders

AGE GROUP: Adults
LOCATION: In person in Jenkintown or Telehealth
DAY/TIME: Daytime Program
In this program exclusively for first responders, complete confidentiality and privacy are assured. The program offers a safe environment in which law enforcement officers, firefighters, EMTs and other first responders can discuss their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.

While recognizing the impact of trauma, the program shifts participants’ focus away from negative thoughts and helps them reconnect with their sense of self, family, friends, values, and interests.

The clinician leading this track is John C. Becker Jr., LPC, CAADC, CEAP, CTR, SAP. He understands the culture in which first responders work and the factors that keep them from seeking help with problems such as substance use disorder and mental health issues.

The nature of their work guarantees that first responders will encounter traumatic incidents and organizational stressors. The cumulative effects of exposure to these psychological hazards often changes their personalities in negative ways. They become more likely to display anger, distance themselves from family members, and have unsatisfactory relationships. Some turn to substance use as a way to cope.

Treatment goals include processing trauma, dealing with stress, becoming emotionally vulnerable, developing a sense of meaning outside of a career, and learning to balance commitments to family and career.

SAMPLE DISCUSSION TOPICS

  • Guilt and Shame
  • Grief and Loss
  • Family of Origin Issues
  • Family Influences
  • Importance of Family (Blood & Other)
  • Stigma of Behavioral Health
  • First Responder Cultures
  • Alcohol Use and the Job
  • Triggers
  • Talk of the Trade (Build Alliance)
  • Childhood Issues
  • Abusive Home (Even When We Don’t Know)
  • Childhood Issues
  • Life Goals
  • Communication
  • Managing Injuries and Medication
  • Self-Care