Coaching is Not for Crisis
Our coaches are not clinicians, cannot diagnose or prescribe, and are not qualified to handle true crisis situations.
Mental Health
Spotlight: Andrea Westrum, FRC Coach
“Firefighters are not machines.” You can’t have them working nonstop with one day off and hardly any sleep.
Boots & Tears
It’s a job of boots and tears, but it seems clear in training that first responders are not the ones allowed to cry.
1st Responder Conferences
FRC attended the 31st 1st Responder Conferences event in Boston/Woburn, co-hosted by the Middlesex Sheriff’s Office.
Spotlight: Mike Rathier – EMS & Fire
There’s not enough education for us to seek that help and to understand that it’s okay to not be okay. It’s a long process.
Faith and Mental Health
Faith is belief in something or someone greater than yourself. When we put self aside (not down, but aside) we find burdens lighten and paths reveal themselves.
How to Stop Self-Talk
Negative self-talk leads us into a whirlwind of mental darkness. Let’s turn on the light and see that it’s just our emotions getting the better of us.
Breaking the Glass, Ending the Silence
We are first responders and first responder family members and we will not be silent anymore. Mental health is important for all humans and first responders are just that: humans! We’re on fire and we’re breaking the glass, ending the silence.
Navigating Suicidal Ideation
We shouldn’t wait for things to get ugly or to the point of someone thinking about suicide before we take the first steps of prevention. We need to start conversations now, right now, so that everyone is aware of what to do.
Anxiety: Navigating the Waves
Anxiety is described as a normal reaction to stress, but when that turns into fear which prevents a person from completing normal tasks, it may be considered an anxiety disorder.