Individual & Group Therapy

First Responders Resilience Center (FRRC) provides individual and group therapy for active and retired first responders, including police, firefighters, emergency medical service (EMS) personnel, 911 dispatch operators, federal law enforcement agents, and military veterans. 

At FRRC, our focus is on working with first responders and their loved ones on issues pertaining to trauma, depression, relationships, and work-related stress. Using a confidential, collaborative, and results-driven approach, we support clients in alleviating symptoms and re-engaging in life.

We tailor individual counseling to each client’s concerns. This means we first exploring the specific problem and understand its origin. Then we help our clients learn practical and effective ways to manage stress and anger, increase self-esteem, and overcome their challenges.

Treatment Specializations

FRRC’s treatment protocols include Eye Movement Desensitizing and Reprocessing (EMDR), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Internal Family Systems (IFS). These evidence-based therapies are specifically used to treat trauma and PTSD. EMDR therapy is a powerful integrative approach that helps clients identify and focus on a disturbing issue or event and consolidate and desensitize their memories. It has been proven effective for reducing or eliminating symptoms resulting from unresolved trauma.

FRRC works with first responders to address many of the most common issues they experience. These including:

Depression, Burnout & Anger Management

The trauma and emotional stress experienced by first responders can lead to depression, anger management issues, and burnout. These can also be symptoms of another mental health disorder like addiction or PTSD. Through counseling, individuals can get the treatment they need to manage these serious issues. Supervisors can also be trained to identify the changes in personality, attitude, and behavior that may indicate a more serious problem.

Alcohol and Substance Abuse

Addiction to drugs or alcohol is a chronic disease that affects an individual’s mental and physical health. People who are diagnosed with addiction generally cannot recover without professional treatment. Therefore, addressing substance abuse within a department can help reduce the financial costs of related health problems, absenteeism and poor work performance.

Trauma and PTSD

First responders often deal with dangerous and life-threatening situations. Direct personal exposure to an extreme traumatic event is known to trigger Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Individuals who suffer from this destructive form of stress may continually re-experience the event in any number of ways.  Their symptoms can ranging from distressing dreams and hallucinations to a physiological reaction when exposed to stimuli that resemble the original traumatic event. Counseling can help them understand and work to overcome their symptoms.

Work-Related Stress

In addition to the cumulative stress inherent in their work, first responders can struggle to prevent the physical strain of the job from effecting their health.  They often work long hours and don’t get enough sleep which has a negative impact on themselves, their job performance, and their relationships. Individuals and departments can benefit from identifying the physical, emotional, behavioral, and job performance symptoms that may signal a problem. Identifying the problem allows therapy to be put in place to begin resolve specific issues.

For more information about Individual or Group Therapy,
email us or call us at 973-454-5569.