Today's reflection is about Matt's transition from EMS to mental health counseling, showing how both fields can share similar missions of helping people in crisis. He outlines lessons each can borrow from the other and shares his vision of building a bridge between first response and long-term healing.   Read More…

Tags: EMS, counseling, mental health care, resilience, first responder wellness

Today, Matt explores the Eight Dimensions of Wellness as a framework for self-care, drawing on research from EMS, fire service, and health care. Matt highlights how physical, emotional, and spiritual practices work together to build resilience. Self-care is not about indulgence; it’s about survival and fitness.  Read More…

Tags: self-care strategies, wellness, resilience tips, EMS, firefighters, mental health care, sleep, fitness

This post explores the parallels between EMS protocols and mental health diagnostics, particularly the use and limitations of the DSM-5-TR. While diagnostic labels offer clarity and structure, psychotherapy helps humanize those labels, bridging the gap between clinical language and lived experience.   Read More…

Tags: mental health care, diagnosis, dsm-5-tr, counseling, EMS, trauma-informed care, psychotherapy, first responder wellness, anxiety, acute stress disorder, ptsd