Preserving the Professional

The Emergency and Medical Services are unique, as are the individuals who provide such services on a volunteer or full-time basis.

It was once believed that if one couldn’t handle the stress of these jobs one should "get out." Being affected by stress was considered a sign of weakness. The success rate of these providers’ silence spoke for itself. The high suicide, divorce, and burnout rates (often leading to early retirement or disability leave), were possibly the unfortunate eye-openers these professionals and their employers needed to begin to consider counseling as an option. Some common difficulties that emergency and medical providers encounter are:

	Relationship Problems
	Difficulty Sleeping, Eating, and/or Concentrating
	Alcohol and/or Drug Use
	Flashbacks, Nightmares, and/or the reliving of an event
	Guilt

Benefits of counseling for emergency and medical providers include the following:

	Finding healthy ways to deal with stress
	Strengthening communication skills
	Improving relationships
	Recovering from a critical and/or traumatic event
	Returning to independent functioning

Dione with NovoCounseling has a strong appreciation for these professionals and for their silent battles. She worked as a volunteer EMT, full-time paramedic for over 10 years, and has been trained in basic and advanced Critical Incident Stress Management. She also established a county-wide CISM team, serving as a paramedic peer-support member.