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Usually when we think about exercise and our health we think about doing something strenuous. It turns out that taking a walk in a forest or nature can have some amazingly positive effects on our biochemistry. The Japanese call it, “Forest Bathing,” and it has been studied all over the world with similar outcomes. Just…

As we emerge from the pandemic mental health issues will likely rise, rather than fall. Stories of increased suicide, burn-out, PTSD and “moral injury” are now being reported in the mainstream media. There are now even labels for the phenomenon we are going through.”Pandemic Trauma and Stress Experience'” (PTSE). Here are some things you can…

In America we seldom use all of our PTO, which reflects on our poor self-care. Part of being resilient is knowing when and how to care for ourselves. We can’t fully care for others until we take care of ourselves.

We’ve all been “touch deprived” and its impact has had immediate consequences, both mentally and physically. Part of the “collective trauma” of the past year has been a certain level anxiety, even as we engage with friends and family that have practiced safety guidelines and been vaccinated. The best remedy is to push throw it.…

To be resilient we need to be open to different perspectives, so next weeks blog post will be from Mike Grill and some of his thoughts about resilience and COVID-19. He brings a wealth of knowledge and a unique perspective after working in the fire/ems world for the past 35 years.

To collectively heal from the collective trauma of COVID-19 requires significant cultural and societal change. Research has shown that those societies that have unified after a collective trauma have been far more successful at dealing with this pandemic, while societies that value individualism over a “shared mission” have failed.

The best protection we have against trauma, whether individual or collective trauma, is our social support system. In the first responder and police community there has been a focus on creating “peer support specialists” in dealing with the stresses, but we need more basic changes.

Even though it isn’t over, we have all persisted through this pandemic. It is something to be proud of and each day that we have done so is a day to be celebrated. They are the “small” steps to reach our individual and collective goal. Be mindful of your successes.

Collective trauma is a when a catastrophic event significantly alters the basic fabric of society. 9/11, and how it has impacted how we travel, is a good example. COVID-19 is clearly a collective trauma and the steps to “recover” from this trauma are “simple,” but not necessarily “easy.” Foundational to our recovery are healthy social…

Suicide among first responders and healthcare providers continues to climb. Attitudes and old stigma about reaching out continue to be an important part of the problem of suicide in the ranks. Knowing who we can reach out to before we get emotionally overwhelmed can save our lives.