Rescue Pod
Therapeutic Debriefing Services
Support
Mental Health
Self Care
Services
What it is
Rescue Pod was developed to create a safe space for group therapy to allow EMS professionals to process traumatic events, heal emotional wounds, and confront fear and anxiety that threatens to disrupt helpful core beliefs about oneself, with a goal to create balance and enable healthy functioning.
The why
EMS professionals are frequently called to perform in intense and stressful situations beyond what most people experience. These challenges naturally have impacts both physically and mentally. At times, even the most seasoned EMS professionals may encounter an event which overwhelms coping capacities and leads to difficulties in mental health and overall well being.
The Need
From the first day of EMT class, our training is rooted in safety. “BSI? Scene Safe?” EMS professionals are trained to approach each call with caution, look for potential problems, and create strategies and solutions to protect ourselves from physical danger. We’re provided personal protective equipment to protect our bodies from physical harm when caring for others. We can build a similar approach to caring for our minds as well. Protecting and caring for mental health means building proactive skills to manage our well-being. It means the development and implementation of healthy coping strategies to increase resilience during and outside of work to be able to thrive.
The Necessity
Resilience is a quality EMS professionals know well, but it is important to acknowledge when traumatic events and prolonged stress disrupt or impair the ability to function as needed or wanted. The body and mind integrate and adapt to trauma, but when it overwhelms the faculties those adaptations can be unhealthy and become problematic in themselves. Sometimes symptoms of depression, anxiety, outbursts of anger, and other problems can result. The effects of prolonged stress and trauma don't only impact us internally, but can impact the emotional well being of our partners, spouses, children and family members as well. Sometimes help is needed to work on healing and moving forward in ways that are helpful. This can be in the form of trauma reprocessing, mindfulness, emotion regulation and distress tolerance skills building, as well as working on healthy communication in relationships.
Kathryn Pollard, MSW, LCSW, NRP
I’m an LCSW and a Paramedic. I have over ten years experience serving diverse populations across challenging clinical settings. I hold a deep commitment to client centered care and helping others enhance or restore their capacity for optimal emotional, social and physical well-being. I use traditional psychotherapy tools, mindfulness… and a little humor along the way.
Other members of my team include:
Amanda Moran, LPC
Danasia Carpenter, LPC-C
Session
A session includes one two hour group debriefing at the location of your service. Our group session is led by two licensed therapists who will utilize trauma informed therapy. We provide mental health education and after care assistance in connecting to helpful services, along with individual wellness follow up with each group participant to support their successful transition post-event.
Rates
We understand that every service has a different budget. We offer an individualized fee for group debriefing, based on service funding, to best support EMS professionals’ mental health and wellness.
Contact Us
Let us know how we can help!
918-809-5924
kpollard@rescuepod.org
Tulsa,Oklahoma
