Resilient Responders

Psychological safety is the new frontier in creating a healthy and sustainable workplace culture that avoids staff burnout, workplace PTSD, absenteeism, staff churn, legal actions and low productivity. 

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PTSD and burnout are common problems for first responders and community workers and they can devastate lives, with research telling us that approximately 20% of responders will develop clinical PTSD as a result of their employment..

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Being constantly exposed to the trauma experienced by others, as well as danger and disaster, can take a heavy toll on workers. Once work related PTSD has begun it can quickly disable people and deeply impacts their life.

 

Typically there are four outcomes - sad, mad, bad or better.

 

Sad refers to the state of depression and hopelessness that many people start to experience when constantly confronted by human suffering. Low mood, emotional lability, lack of motivation, lack of interest in pleasurable activities, poor sleep, poor health and despair are common symptoms. This usually leads to anxiety, burnout, stress leave and employee attrition.

 

Mad refers to the way that some people adapt to constant exposure by becoming constantly angry, short tempered, cynical and emotionally disengaged - often leading to substance issues and broken relationships, as well as contributing to toxic work cultures.

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Bad refers to the way some people adapt by becoming emotionally detached, aggressive, controlling and even corrupt. They are controlling their trauma symptoms by trying to control others. When people have gotten to this stage they can be profoundly toxic to themselves, their families and their colleagues.

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Better is what we are aiming for. Better means people have learned how to cope with constant exposure to trauma and danger in healthy and resourceful ways that put their own life on track again, and make them better at their work into the bargain.