EMDR Therapy for First Responders

First responders, firefighters, police officers, members of the law-enforcement community, paramedics, and dispatchers for these organizations are essential personnel, vital to the function of our communities. While these individuals are often regarded as everyday heroes, and rightly so, an aspect of these heroic careers that is often overlooked is the long-term mental health impact that these careers have on those who choose to pursue them. These individuals face unique challenges and job-related trauma exposure unlike many living in the civilian world. . 

In 2019, the Washington Post published an article citing the unique challenges that first responders face and reported new data related to post-traumatic stress disorder, PTSD, mental health concerns, anxieties, and other symptoms associated with job-related trauma exposures.  One study even sites that police officers are at a 69% higher rate of suicide than the general population.

While raising awareness about these job-related risks is an important part of the beginning of the conversation related to addressing the needs of these vital community members, ultimately, treatment, prevention, and evidence-based support are needed to ensure that appropriate care is available for these essential members of our communities. 

Programs like Blue Help, Internaltional Association of Firefighters, Valor for Blue, and others have started in an effort to provide support and awareness for first responder  personnel who have been impacted by the suicide of friends and colleagues, but preventing these tragedies from occurring is vitally important.

EMDR therapy as an effective trauma treatment for first responders 

EMDR therapy has been noted as an evidence-based trauma processing model that is effective for reducing post-traumatic stress syndrome, PTSD, rates in first responder populations. 

EMDRIA sites multiple peer-reviewed studies siting the positive impacts of EMDR therapy in processing the trauma exposure of firefighters, and even facilitates groups for clinicians specializing in the support and treatment of first responders and personnel in the protective services fields

So how can EMDR therapy be used to support the first responder community and why is EMDR therapy an option that first responders should consider? Here are a few reasons why this trauma therapy model it’s particularly effective with the first responder community and their job-related trauma exposures.

EMDR therapy is evidence-based to reduce many of the symptoms reported by first responders connected with job-related trauma exposures. The symptoms include:

• Flashbacks 

• Invasive thoughts, pictures, smells, and sounds

• Feelings of hypervigilance, or being on edge for extended periods of time

• Emotional surges such as anger, sadness, and fear 

• Somatic or body-related responses connected with trauma exposure

• Addictive behaviors used to cope or reduce trauma-related symptoms

EMDR therapy is flexible enough to assist with specific events causing distress, as well as larger themes or frequently encountered experiences. Trained EMDR therapists are able to assist clients in creating effective treatment plans for both highly specific trauma exposures as well as ongoing, or general themes of trauma exposure. EMDR therapy does not require that each and every traumatic incident be addressed separately, but rather they can be processed together for more effective and efficient relief of symptoms.

EMDR therapy is a mission-driven or goal-driven therapy model. For individuals who have a specific goal, or thrive off of creating a plan to work through, EMDR therapy can feel highly productive, mission-oriented, and directive. This type of structure can be very appealing to personality types who may enjoy or thrive in emergency personnel job settings.

EMDR therapy can assist in career longevity. Trauma has a compounding effect, meaning that the repetition of trauma exposure can increase symptoms exponentially over a period of time. For individuals who desire to make a career out of emergency services, the proactive processing of the trauma that the individual is exposed to can reduce the overall impact in the long term on the individual and increase a person’s ability to interact in these high-stress environments long-term. The prevention of burnout is key to maintain a highly trained experienced workforce in the specific areas. 

If you are interested in learning more about EMDR therapy and how EMDR therapy may be able to help you or your loved one in your trauma therapy or  recovery journey, our team is ready to help. We hire a specialized trauma therapist and addiction therapist to support community needs. Whether you were interested in participating in counseling services in our Arlington, TX base counseling office, or online through our online therapy services for those living in Texas, we would love to hear how we may be able to support your journey, health, wellness, and the work that you do as a vital member of our community.