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First Responder Psychological Support

First Responder Psychological Support

By Sarah Gura

First Responder Psychological Support discusses a wide variety of counseling and self-care education topics for firefighters, law enforcement, dispatchers, and emergency room professionals. Sarah is a licensed clinical professional counselor in the State of Illinois & a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in Florida. She specializes in treating first responders.
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Currently playing episode

WTF is Borderline?

First Responder Psychological SupportAug 24, 2022

00:00
35:08
WTF is Borderline?
Aug 24, 202235:08
UnFcK Myself

UnFcK Myself

10 Ideas for making it thru difficulty
May 07, 202222:53
Do This Laying Down

Do This Laying Down

Allostasis: state changing. This is a guide to chillax.
Mar 15, 202225:19
UPDATE

UPDATE

Hello! It’s been since September 2021. This is a brief podcast to say hello and welcome back. Cheers!
Feb 15, 202222:56
The Ego & It’s Defenses

The Ego & It’s Defenses

Ego: id, ego, and super-ego will use “defense mechanisms” to protect you. Becoming more aware of your ego’s patterned defenses is a helpful pre-requisite for choosing to change.
Sep 22, 202155:02
F3 & F4: Feeling (Your) F$&@ing Feelings

F3 & F4: Feeling (Your) F$&@ing Feelings

I explain why feeling your f$&@ing feelings is wise.
Sep 18, 202135:09
Meditation

Meditation

As we start Season 4 in crazy times, I encourage you to meditate. Here is a starting point. Whatever you get out of it, you get out of it. Whatever stirs, can be insightful. Enjoy. Note: Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu
Aug 27, 202122:24
Policy IV

Policy IV

Intervention strategy up for debate. Shadow contributed as usual, lol
Jul 29, 202117:08
Policy III

Policy III

I’m reading you what I have written in the past, lol, don’t fall asleep. Shadow pug hacks in the background on this one too. Enjoy!
Jul 29, 202127:06
Policy II

Policy II

Bullet point topics for your first responder psychological support policy is here!
Jul 28, 202128:02
Policy Part I

Policy Part I

This is for all the first responder activists who ask me for psychological policy information. It’s just a start, but maybe someday we can make a positive, relevant, and significant difference for first responders.
Jul 23, 202138:32
It doesn’t EVER get better

It doesn’t EVER get better

It doesn’t get better or easier, but you can get wiser. Life will always be challenging. You have a choice to face difficulty or not. My hope is that you learn to cope. Dog snores in the background, enjoy!
Jul 19, 202117:56
You Are NOT the Job

You Are NOT the Job

A quick message to remind you: you are a human. Your goal is to sleep well at night, eat healthy, hydrate, and choose joy. If you don’t love you, who will?
Jul 02, 202109:29
Psych Meds for First Responders

Psych Meds for First Responders

We all should support first responders who are prescribed psych meds by a psychiatrist without judgment. First responder careers are doozies & sometimes the occupational hazards are psychological (not just physical).
May 18, 202122:20
Body Before the Mind

Body Before the Mind

A suggestion about coping: address your physical need to state change first. Other coping skills: intellectual, cognitive, emotional, physical, social, behavioral, and spiritual.
May 04, 202123:55
Nate Carroll
Apr 30, 202134:32
Reminders for Leaders

Reminders for Leaders

First responder careers are stressful; don’t be a dick. Be awesome: appropriate, available, and fun!
Apr 15, 202128:15
Men’s Psychology

Men’s Psychology

Just a few thoughts about my experience as a shrink for mostly men, and how a counseling set of sessions go down.
Apr 15, 202151:59
Ate Up With a Dumbass

Ate Up With a Dumbass

Let’s talk about feeling bad, and then how to recognize the patterns that cause it. Also, I visit ideas about coping and self-care when you’re feeling like shit.
Feb 26, 202145:47
After a Bad Call, The Basics

After a Bad Call, The Basics

Did you recently experience a bad call at your department or while on duty? Listen to this podcast to learn about the first 24-72 hours. You’ll learn about acute stress disorder, what’s normal, and what trauma therapists may start off with for suggestions (self care).
Jan 29, 202140:14
Interview with DC Naydenoff (Police)

Interview with DC Naydenoff (Police)

Scott and I have presented and consulted with each other about first responder behavioral health in the past. We’re both happy to provide another discussion for “food for thought” regarding this near and dear topic.
Jan 22, 202141:49
Dr. Carrie Steiner

Dr. Carrie Steiner

In this episode, I interview Dr. Carrie Steiner, who was a Chicago Police Officer. She is now a Licensed Clinical Psychologist who treats first responders.
Jan 09, 202130:29
AnxiousAF

AnxiousAF

I explain some ideas about anxiety (where it comes from and how to navigate it). Seeing your own patterns and lovingly approaching your Boogieman is the main focus.
Dec 30, 202047:46
AddictedAF

AddictedAF

I define addiction and the scale: use, misuse, abuse, tolerance, addiction, dependence, withdrawal. I emphasize how addiction is a self-love deficit and that you have to treat addiction like it’s a wound you have to heal (not ignore, deny, minimize, or numb).
Dec 21, 202050:56
Life is Life Threatening

Life is Life Threatening

As I plan to outline Season 3 (with more interviews and specific information about different mental health symptoms and diagnoses), I have been noticing what I keep repeating in therapy sessions. This episode covers 11 ideas that I revisit with first responders OFTEN.
Dec 11, 202035:57
Voodoo & Anger

Voodoo & Anger

Voodoo: I tell you about my funky bracelets I wear everyday. Anger: I talk about anger as a way you communicate to yourself & others -and how to think about anger so you can cope with it better.
Dec 03, 202051:04
Little Drummer Boy
Nov 25, 202014:28
First Responder Relationships
Nov 20, 202050:46
Stop Blaming My Childhood

Stop Blaming My Childhood

I spend the whole podcast blaming your childhood! However, my hope is you understand how precious you are; and that you treat yourself with loving kindness (always).
Nov 20, 202046:47
Self Love Stigma

Self Love Stigma

I talk about the reasons first responders don’t think self-love is a good idea. I discuss what thinking errors they have about self-love & self-care. I also give some ideas about how to address this.
Nov 17, 202038:44
Know Thyself, Love Thyself

Know Thyself, Love Thyself

This is my most yogi, Buddhist Psychology podcast yet. But! We spent Season 1 talking about trauma and introductory information about the psychology of first responder careers. Somewhere, in the midst of this insanity -I wanted to introduce knowing and loving yourself through it all.
Nov 13, 202045:58
Mental Health Professionals

Mental Health Professionals

I explain psychology professional degrees, licenses, release of information, subpoena, and court order.
Nov 12, 202027:11
Patty Dirilten, First Responder Therapist
Nov 06, 202048:51
Reflecting with Sarah

Reflecting with Sarah

Season 1 is over! 12 of 12 episodes are complete; and I recap the highlights for you. I also have some ending thoughts about first responder psychological support for your consideration. I invite you to listen in for Season 2!
Oct 28, 202033:28
The Limbic System

The Limbic System

In this episode, I use $100 words that explain your brain structures and functions. I explain the brain’s process of taking in stressful, overwhelming, and/or traumatic experiences -and how human it is (aka how normal it is) to have a reaction to upsetting information/exposures. My dogs hijack us at the end.
Oct 26, 202030:53
Intro to Treating Trauma
Oct 23, 202039:28
Intro to Trauma

Intro to Trauma

In this episode, I describe how I assess you & your trauma. I define 3 categories of trauma, including: complex trauma (under 21yo), PTSD (critical incident or potentially traumatic event) and trauma (repetition compulsion/reliving or recreating trauma).
Oct 23, 202046:49
Having is Wanting

Having is Wanting

This podcast discusses the sensitive and controversial topic of how you cause your own suffering by not being conscious of repetition compulsion. Humans make several seemingly unimportant decisions that amount to us reliving our traumas.
Oct 19, 202024:59
Pain is Inevitable, Suffering is an Option

Pain is Inevitable, Suffering is an Option

In previous podcasts, I provided a vocabulary for identifying how first responders are in pain, and how I have noticed they react to pain. This episode provides an introduction for how to respond to pain.
Oct 18, 202032:24
Intro to Mindfulness

Intro to Mindfulness

I remind you that you have everything you need to succeed. I explain you have two sources of knowledge (head and heart) that must be aligned; and I discuss how time & mental health are relevant to each other. This podcast starts the explanation for how to cope with everything (yes, everything) in life.
Oct 13, 202019:60
Make It Safe & Resource Folder

Make It Safe & Resource Folder

After the intro podcast and sharing signs & symptoms, I wanted to plant the seed for how we “Make it Safe” in your department to have a psychological support culture. I also review what should be in your resource folder on a shared drive for everyone to have access to at your department.
Oct 10, 202027:53
Signs and Symptoms of First Responders

Signs and Symptoms of First Responders

Some of the repeat-experiences/observations in the therapy office and on ride-alongs are discussed. Categories include: cognitive, emotional, physical, behavioral, social, and spiritual.
Oct 09, 202046:32
Intro to First Responder Mental Health

Intro to First Responder Mental Health

This podcast reviews behavioral health as an occupational issue. Vocabulary covered: PTE, SIC, suicide ideation levels, types of trauma, vicarious trauma, trauma bonding, empath/co-dependent and compassion fatigue, and relationship concerns.
Oct 07, 202050:21
Who is Sarah

Who is Sarah

This first segment explains my journey to becoming a first responder therapist, and how I got to this point in my career. The following episodes will dive right into first responder behavioral health topics.
Oct 06, 202031:20