Therapy for First Responders

A confidential space for you to put down your gear and release your fears.

In-person in Jersey City
and online throughout NY & NJ

“Sucking it up” and “just forgetting about it” doesn’t happen as easily as it used to.

You’ve been able to manage your emotions and the weight of all you’ve seen in your work, up until now.
Restful nights and feeling calm, like you don’t have to constantly look over your shoulder, are feelings you can’t even remember anymore.

You may be…

  • feeling like you can’t trust anyone outside of your “brothers & sisters”, “partner” or “squad” because no one else “gets it” so you isolate yourself on your days off 

  • noticing that the once silent hum of anxiety and fear is now deafening and unavoidable

  • feeling so burnt-out that you are secretly hoping to get hurt on the job so you can “tap out” on a medical leave 

  • feeling like you are constantly on edge, which results in yelling at your spouse or kids which you later regret

  • scoffing at the rookies that just came on and thinking “they have no idea what they’re getting themselves into”

  • having difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep because intrusive thoughts and flashbacks about a difficult call are haunting you

  • drinking or smoking more because its the only way you feel like you can relax after a long shift, however you find that you’ve been using more than you used to

You’re tired of holding it all in, and holding it all together, and have reached your breaking point.

The world is a crazy place, and as a first responder, you know that first hand. 

You’ve seen the worst of the worst and have walked alongside people in their darkest moments. And while the things you’ve seen and heard make it hard to feel safe in this world, it doesn’t have to feel this hard to exist in it.

The emotional numbing that you have to do to go from one call to the next has become your default, and the only emotions you can recall feeling recently are “fine” and “angry”. In fact, it seems like the only emotions you can connect with is anger and anxiety. The uncontrollable emotional outbursts you direct at friends and family leave you feeling guilty, and feeling more alone. You find yourself so exhausted on your days off that you sometimes don’t have the energy to leave the house.

The alarms and sirens have been going off in your body, your mind, at work, and at home, but you’re so used to responding to the calls of others that you’ve been ignoring the tones. Between the sleepless nights and increased stress, the joy you once felt from hobbies or other activities is gone and you’re ready to find it again.

You’re here because you don’t want to live like this anymore, and you don’t have to.

How therapy for first responders works

Going to therapy is the last thing you expect to be doing, and hear me when I say, reaching out for support is the bravest thing a person can do. The courage you’ve had to gather to be here, reading this page, and reflecting on your behaviors is honorable, and I acknowledge that.

Therapy with me is a supportive and non-judgmental space where you can put down your heaviest burdens, share your darkest thoughts, and explore your deepest feelings. All while trusting that what you share will be kept in confidence. It is where you can find strength in your struggle, find purpose in the pain and learn how to thrive after trauma.

I won’t lie to you and say that being in therapy isn’t work, and isn’t hard, but it is worth it because YOU are worth it.

after all is said and done,
You deserve to…

feel more secure in who you are and to actually be able to enjoy moments of happiness.

✓

have more fulfilling relationships with your spouse, partner, family members, or children.

✓

wake up feeling lighter and optimistic about the day ahead.

✓

to love your work again.

✓

You deserve be free from guilt and feel confident in your everyday life.

Being in therapy is like going to the gym.

Your first time in the gym, you felt weak, vulnerable, uncomfortable, and questioning if you were doing it right. But once you began going to the gym regularly, understanding how to properly exercise and strengthen your muscles, and tending to your body and health outside of the gym, you noticed feeling stronger, healthier, and happier.

Therapy is similar, but instead of working muscles in your body, we are working muscles in your brain. In the beginning, you may feel weak, vulnerable, uncomfortable, and questioning “what did I get myself into?”. In our sessions, we will work on understanding, exercising, and strengthening your more positive thoughts, beliefs, memories, behaviors, and emotions. And as time goes on, you will notice feeling mentally and emotionally stronger and healthier, and you will be able to see the light at the end of the tunnel again.

  • Release the pain from difficult calls

  • Silence fear and anxiety

  • Regain control of your mood and emotions

  • Feel the power of feeling secure with yourself and in the world around you

  • Remove the heavy backpack of guilt you have been carrying around

  • Stop the negative thought patterns that are keeping you stuck 

  • Rekindle relationships with loved ones

  • Finally go through life feeling confident, connected and lighter.

Therapy for first responders can help you…

You don’t have to suffer in silence.

It’s your turn to heal.

Questions?

FAQs

  • First responders are often identified as firefighters, EMTs/paramedics, dispatchers, and law enforcement officers. However, they can also include nurses, doctors, crisis workers or other professionals who respond to emergency situations.

  • The culture and demands of being a first responder is unlike any other profession. Every day you are exposed to difficult, and sometimes life-threatening situations. When seeking therapy as a first responder, you want someone who can understand those challenges and has experience working with other first responders.

  • Absolutely! A first responder couldn’t show up and do the difficult work that they do everyday without their spouse/partner’s support. And spouses/partners need support too!

    Most people don’t understand what it’s like to see your first responder spouse leave for work every day, and not know if they will be coming home. Or to feel like you get the brunt of their stress and frustration from what they experience on the job. Talking to someone who understands the complexities of your spouse’s work, and how it impacts you can be life changing.

    Reach out for a free consultation today.

  • Confidentiality is akin to the Vegas rule: what is shared in therapy, stays in therapy. As a licensed clinical social worker, I am legally and ethically obligated to maintain confidentiality, and I take that seriously. There are exceptions to confidentiality when it comes to safety which we will discuss in our first session, but the depth of what is discussed in sessions will remain between us. 

    It’s also important to be aware that if you choose to use OON benefits, while unlikely, it is possible that your insurance company can request a record of your session notes. If total confidentiality is important to you, we can discuss what private pay would look like.  

  • Absolutely not! We don’t have to talk about all the explicit details of a difficult event in order to find relief from it. I will respect your boundaries and explore somatic and other therapeutic ways we can achieve your goals of being in therapy.