Stress Sheets

We all know this past year has been difficult for our community. Our healthcare workers have seen things they could have never imagined. Our nurses, doctors and hospital staff have worked tirelessly to help thousands while simultaneously putting their own lives at risk. Our first responders, firefighters, paramedics and healthcare workers in the field respond to calls in complete trust of the PPE they wear and the training they have received. Additionally, our law enforcement, firefighters and first responders once again put their lives at risk to protect communities as protests and riots broke out in cities across our country. Again; doing this during a pandemic, which added additional risks to an already dangerous job. 

I am a board certified behavior analyst specializing in teaching first responders and healthcare workers simple behaviors they can engage in daily to reduce the symptoms of stress and trauma. I wanted to make these strategies available to these professionals so they would be able to retain the techniques and discover what works best for them. This is an essential training for these professionals and a strategy that allows them to take care of themselves and mentally prepare for their position, so they can continue to care for everyone else.

As our students learn from home or experience the typical stress of being a kid or a teenager, as our teachers navigate a new way of teaching their students in many of our schools, those that have become caregivers or have experienced the loss of a loved one or those that may have lost employment due to the pandemic dealing with financial stress…these techniques are here to help.  

Remember, you are only able to help others after you have taken the time to care for yourself; first. The job you do is important and those you care for need you to be physically and mentally strong. Make this your goal for today and then for the next week and then the next month. It will become habit and your body and mind will THANK YOU. This past year was hard. Now is the time to show how we come out of the difficult situations, with more knowledge and strength than before.

Here is a sample of one of the STRESS SHEETS that I created for the hospitals, stations and departments to use this month. As you can see there are five simple strategies anyone can do to reduce the symptoms of stress and trauma. These can be done at work, on a break or at home before or after a shift. These techniques were designed for first responders, hospital staff and medical students; but they can work for YOU as well. Each month new techniques are introduced so you have choices of what will work for you. We all handle stress differently and how we manage it is no different. Take Care and please, reach out if I can provide stress sheets for your organization.