First Responders Issues

First responders (EMS, Police, and Firefighters) are first on the scene to face challenging, dangerous, and draining situations. Daily duties, although essential to the entire community, are strenuous and over time put cause an increased risk of trauma. The most common issues first responders deal with are: depression, stress/trauma/PTSD, suicidal ideation, relationship struggles, and substance abuse. There is increasing evidence that exposure to traumatic situations is cumulative. In other words, the more we are exposed to traumatic events, the more likely we are to develop symptoms like depression, PTSD, and suicidal ideation. Dr. Nelson was a Police Chaplain and our staff are passionate about helping our first responders effectively deal with and resolve work related issues to improve personal, professional, and family life.