Building the Psychological Strength of Wildland Fire Fighters
Building the Psychological Strength of Wildland Fire Fighters
Ivana Cajina Land Acknowledgment
Virtual Learning • Enable video – be connected • Enable audio but mute yourself unless speaking • Focus on the training, remove distractions • Participate using the chat box, raising your hand, engage in activities • Understand the role of co-host • Encourage each other
Raise Hand Click on the Participants Icon to open the Participants panel. At the bottom of the Participants Panel, click “more…”
Chat In your controls at the bottom window, click or tap Chat. When you click on chat, the chat window will appear. It will be on the right if you are not in full screen. If you are in full screen, it will appear in a window that you can move around your screen. Reactions
Annotate Click View Options then Annotate at the top of your screen. You will see the Annotation tools bar: Text: Insert text. Draw: Insert lines, arrows, and shapes. Stamp: Insert predefined icons like a check mark or star.
Partnership • In 2015, Vancouver Fire & Rescue Services partnered with CMHA Vancouver-Fraser Branch • Developed a skill building course providing comprehensive information on trauma, psychological distress and disorder, and resiliency • Fire fighters were directly involved at all levels of development
Vision: Mentally healthy people in a healthy society. Mission: As the nation-wide leader and champion for mental health, the Canadian Mental Health Association facilitates access to the resources people require to maintain and improve mental health and community integration, build resilience, and support the recovery from mental illness.
Emotional Content • Some content may resonate deeply • Practice self-awareness • Take short breaks if needed (let instructors know via chat or thumbs up) • This course is psychoeducation, not therapy or intended to replace professional help Options for support: • • RM Instructors CISM/Peer support Local Crisis Line Crisis Services Canada 1 -833 -4566
Participant Workbook
Introductions • Name • Role • Self-Appraisal: Share one response • Learning Goal
Learning Goals
Group Guidelines
First Responders are at Risk (BCPFFA survey, 2015; Carleton et al. , 2018; Heyman et al. , 2018)
Leadership and Support Staff are at Risk • Limited access to formal training and support • Pressures can lead to overlooking personal needs • Higher risk for persistent stress and trauma
Program Goals • Recognize effects of psychological stress and trauma in self and peers • Use the 4 R Action Toolkit™ to support peers who may be struggling • Use a trauma-informed response in all engagements • Apply personal strategies to manage stress, mitigating trauma and boosting resilience
Healing
Modules to Build Resilience 1 Be Prepared and Proactive at all Stages of Stress and Trauma Self 2 Support Peers Using the 4 R Action Toolkit™ 3 Use a Trauma-Informed 4 R Action Toolkit™ with Members of the Public Peers Public 4 Self Manage Stress and Practice Personal Tools
Module 1 Be Prepared and Proactive at all Stages of Stress and Trauma
Module 1 - Objectives • Recognize stress as a building block of resilience • Develop awareness of the immediate and long-term effects of stress and trauma • Plan proactive strategies to mitigate stress and trauma
Resilience
Resilience A process of navigating psychological, social, cultural and physical resources in order to sustain or regain wellbeing. (Adapted from Ungar, 2008 & 2011)
Resilience is Not… • Masking the effects of stress and trauma • Avoiding • Pushing feelings and memories aside • Sucking it up These actions prevent us from working through stress.
Resilience is… Stress Capacity to cope Buffer against future stress An innate human resource that can be learned and developed Built from adversity The ability to acknowledge and process stressors
What is Resilience?
Stress Occurs when people perceive that the demands from external situations are beyond their coping capacity. (Lazarus & Folkman, 1984)
Eustress/Distress PERFORMANCE Resilience Strain Urgency Over-engagement Loss of energy Challenge Burnout Stimulation Compassion Fatigue Vicarious Trauma Anticipation STRESS (Yerkes & Dodson, 1908) Disorder Feeling hopeless Isolation Blunted emotions Loss of motivation
Types of Distress Cumulative Stress “Burnout” Critical Incident “Traumatic” • Prolonged exposure • Abrupt or powerful event • Lack of adequate rest or relaxation • Perceived threat to physical integrity • Slow erosion of functioning • Sudden signs • Physical illness • Post-traumatic stress symptoms • Cynicism (CIPSRT, 2018 b; Mc. Steen, 2012)
Trauma/Critical Incident Stress • Overwhelming, threatening, terrifying, disgusting or unusually challenging events that disrupt usual coping abilities and have the potential to inhibit positive growth. • Trauma, like beauty, lies in the eye of the beholder.
Your Brain on Stress PREFRONTAL CORTEX HIGHER REASONING THALAMUS AMYGDALA RAPID RESPONSE Ad Co ren (Charney et al. , 2017; Lertola, 2002) alin rtis o l
Some ways we react when threatened (mind & body)…
Alarm Response Fight Flight Freeze
The Fight, Flight, Freeze Response
Recognizing Distress • Negative worldview • Scattered/forgetful • Intrusive images Cognitive Emotional • Moody • Guilty • Isolated These are natural reactions to stress • Aches/Pains • GI upset • Fatigue Physical Behavioural • Avoiding • Substance use • Irritable
Your Body on Stress (Long-term) • Hair loss • Mouth ulcers • Eczema • Diabetes risk • Stroke risk • Heart attack risk • Lower bone density • Muscle spasms or twitches (American Psychological Association, 2020) • TMJ (Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction) • Erectile dysfunction/ impotence • Irregular menstrual cycle/ increased pain • Ulcers • Premature aging • Infections • Cancer
How Stress Affects Your Body
When Stress Becomes Disorder Psychological Disorder Work Stressors Personal Stressors Genetics Trauma (CMHA National, 2020) 1 in 3 Canadians Complex risk factors Psychological disorder is a medical condition
Risk Factors Pre-Trauma (what’s in your cup before an incident) • Genetics • Unresolved trauma • Untreated psychological illness Peri-Trauma (what happens during an incident) • Emotional responses (e. g. dissociation) • Repeated and/or intense exposure • Perceived life threat Post-Trauma (what happens after an incident) • Lack of social support • Stress What actions could help decrease the risk? (Ozer et al. , 2003)
Reducing Risk from Trauma Pre-Trauma (how you manage what’s in your cup) Peri-Trauma (what you do at the incident) Post-Trauma (what happens after the incident)
Nervous System at Work • When everything is working well, the alarm response is balanced by a calming response. • We can activate this calming response. Homeostasis Repair and Restore (Sinha, 2020) Fight Flight Freeze
Seeking Extremes 4 Off Work At Work Stress Level 3 2 Argument Deployment Road Rage Extreme Sports 1 Days of Rest Tired (Currie, 2017; Gilmartin, 2002) Time Isolated Apathetic
The Window of Tolerance 4 Stress Limit Stress Level 3 2 1 Homeostasis Time
After stressors, I take care of myself by…
Repair and Restore Sweat/ Steam Moderate Exercise Rest (Web. MD, 2020) Food Simple Health. Directed Actions Help Restore Homeostasis Connection Mindfulness/ Meditation
Resilience A process of navigating psychological, social, cultural and physical resources in order to sustain or regain wellbeing. “ Persistence and resilience only come from having been given the chance to work through difficult problems. (Adapted from Ungar, 2008, 2011) – Gever Tulley
Module 1 - Objectives • Recognize stress as a building block of resilience • Develop awareness of the immediate and long-term effects of stress and trauma • Plan proactive strategies to mitigate stress and trauma
- Slides: 46