First Responder Wellness

For individuals (currently not accepting new clients):

• Stress resilience and burnout prevention
• Critical incident and traumatic calls processing
• Learning how to leave the job at work and be present at home
• Down-regulating the nervous system: don’t be a jackhammer (or jackass!)
• Relationship and communication enhancement
• Retirement preparation
• Processing and handling departmental BS
• Ketamine assisted psychotherapy
• Substance and Alcohol use issues
• Mindfulness training:
  • Helps reduce anticipation stress on the way to calls and reduce adrenaline output on the way back
  • Helps regulate difficult emotions due to high stress and traumatic calls
  • Improves focus and helps maintain a clear mind during calls
  • Reduces overall anxiety, depression, and trauma responses.
  • Increases presence at home with family

For Departments:

• Builds and delivers wellness programs and mental health trainings
• Critical incident stress management and debriefing support
• Consultation with peer support teams
• Consultation with executive staff on departmental issues related to stress and burnout
• Suicide prevention support
• Preparing FRs for retirement and transition to civilian life
• Mindfulness workshops specific for FR issues
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Operational Support:

• On-scene support to FRs and victims
• Crisis Negotiation Team member
• Multiagency post critical incident debriefing
• Running calls and ride-along support as a mental health professional
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Retreats:

Dr. Mike leads transformational meditation retreats specifically for First Responders.  These center on bonding, being real, vulnerability and group support for FRs dealing with issues related to work, relationships, alcohol and substance use, post-service transition and struggles, and existential questions.  For more information or to learn about future dates, reach out to Dr. Mike here.

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Retreat activities include:

• Meditation
• Daily yoga and breath work
• Nature walks
• Hot springs and cold soaks
• Rest and quiet
• Deep sharing
• Meals and table talk time
• Cuddles and tickle time (for Fire service only)
• Bitching and moaning (for Police only)
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A personal note from Dr. Mike:

First Responders act on our behalf; they give everything of their bodies and mind to ensure we are safe, protected, and taken care of, at a significant cost to themselves.  They move toward and into what the majority of us would freeze during or run from.  On a daily basis, they handle extremely traumatic incidents and accidents so we don’t have to (suicides, MV accidents, fires, overdoses, murders, drunk people, thefts, health and mental health emergencies, abused and neglected children, etc.)  I am forever indebted (as all of us actually are) to their fortitude, courage, and dedication to the community’s wellbeing, and so I offer my care and support back to them.  And, they are some of the funniest mfers I have ever met.  

Contact Dr. Mike for more information

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