The people you protect need you steady, and there's a way to get there that respects what the job has asked of you.

What can trauma and PTSD look like for first responders?

• You dread going to work or work is the most comfortable place for you

• You can't sleep

• You resent people asking you for little things

• You're angry all the time and don't know why

• You feel accountable for everything, and it scares you

• A small slip-up sends you into a tailspin of panic

Why are the skills that make me good at my job called “symptoms” when I go home?

They shouldn't automatically be. Reading a room quickly, staying alert, compartmentalizing, controlling your emotions under pressure, and being ready to act are valuable skills when other people's safety may depend on you.

The question is whether those skills are still working for you when the shift ends. If staying alert means you can't sleep, compartmentalizing means you can't connect with the people you care about, or being ready for the next emergency means you can never actually relax, then we work on that.

The goal isn't to take away the skills that make you good at your job. It's to give you more control over when you need them.

What's the difference between primary and secondary trauma?

Primary trauma is when something happens directly to you. Secondary trauma can develop from repeatedly hearing about or working with people who've been through trauma, day after day. Compassion fatigue is a related occupational risk, when the cumulative weight of caring for and responding to others starts showing up in symptoms like the ones above.

Why does this happen even if nothing “bad enough” happened to me directly?

Because the exposure adds up. You see people at their worst, their most frightened, and their most vulnerable, and you take care of the emergency every time. That accumulates whether or not any single incident feels like “enough” to justify how you're feeling.

What kind of support actually helps?

I specialize not just in trauma, but in the kind of trauma that comes with doing a job most people will never fully understand. I spent seven years living and working alongside military personnel on bases in Iraq and Afghanistan, and I specialize in working with first responders and military professionals. You won't have to spend half the session explaining the culture before we can work on what brought you here.

FAQ

Do I need a single traumatic incident, or does cumulative stress count? Cumulative stress and secondary trauma both count. No single incident is required.

Have you worked with dispatch, animal control, EMS, or corrections too? Yes, in addition to police, fire, and ER staff.

Can I keep this confidential from my department? Your therapy is confidential, subject to the standard legal and ethical exceptions. If you choose to self-pay rather than use insurance, your health plan does not need to be involved in billing for your sessions.

Is telehealth available for shift workers? Yes. I provide secure telehealth throughout Montana and schedule around irregular shifts.

You don't have to wait until it's a crisis.

If the job is following you home, affecting your sleep, changing your relationships, or making it harder to feel like yourself when you're off duty, we can work on that.

I provide specialized trauma therapy for first responders throughout Montana by secure telehealth. You don't have to spend half the session explaining the culture before we can get to work.

Call me at 406-272-4545 to see if we're a good fit.