GMR Employee COVID-19 Stress Management Resources
We are all trained EMS professionals. We are also humans dealing with a new and challenging situation that increases our daily stress load significantly. Stress responses like anxiety, fatigue, irritability, fear, grief, mind-racing and muscle tension are completely normal and expected. How much they impact us depends on how well we manage them personally. Here are tips and tools to take control of your stress and to enhance your wellbeing in this challenging time. You are doing great work and you are making a difference! Take the time to take care of yourself.
Text BADGE to 741741 to chat with a trained crisis counselor. This free service is available 24/7 for all emergency responders.
A quick guide to important caregiver resources.
David Kessler, the world’s foremost expert on grief, shared his thoughts on why it’s important to acknowledge the grief you may be feeling, how to manage it, and how he believes we will find meaning in it.
By Ashlee Martlage, M.A. and Marc Kruse, Ph.D.
The top 10 ways first responder couples and families can get through the pandemic.
Struggling with how to talk to your kids about the pandemic. Check out these great resources.
Courses developed by K-LOVE Crisis Response Training.
Screening tools that help you look at your mental health or wellness. These tests look for signs or symptoms that can show up in some mental illnesses.
Self-screening for suicide ideations for firefighters/EMS.
Brief questionnaire to assess alcohol use.
18 question anonymous survey designed to help you, your loved ones or your health care professional answer some questions about drinking.
Questions you can ask yourself to help you get a picture of what's going on with your emotional health.
Checklist to help you determine your emotional health.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) screening quiz is used to help determine if you might benefit from seeking professional help.
Screening tool to determine if you are dealing with PTSD.
Regular screenings in primary care and other healthcare settings enables earlier identification of mental health and substance use disorders.
Quiz to determine if you have balance in your life.
EMS World Podcast: Prevention Techniques for an Unwell Workforce
Recent research on EMS providers revealed concerning findings about weight, blood pressure and lifestyle choices. Listen to study author Jane Brice, MD talk about her team's research methods. Also hear from newly-appointed Head of GMR Life, Rhonda Kelly, whose focus is on preventive measures for her providers. EMS World Senior Editorial and Program Director Hilary Gates guides this thoughtful discussion.
Man Therapy
Mental health information and resources, geared specifically toward males.
Provides training for individuals interested in becoming part of a crisis management team, or for an organization that is dedicated to helping individuals or groups recover from incidents.
Helps to assist children, adolescents, adults and families in the aftermath of disaster and terrorism.
Focuses on mental health and substance use concerns in first responders.
A residential treatment program for first responders whose lives have been affected by their work experience.
A non-profit residential treatment and training center for critical incident stress management for human service personnel.
A team manual that consists of helpful information for training new peer support team members.
A global, anonymous social network for mental wellness that brings people together in a safe community of understanding members.
Helps military families thrive with therapeutic retreats and ongoing family support services. The program treats the entire family, helping veterans, spouses, caregivers and kids heal together.
A resource that finds the best therapist for your unique needs within a national network of licensed, in-network behavioral health providers.
The lead federal agency for research on mental health disorders.
Dr. Glen Schiraldi on resilience in EMS
Dr. Glen Schiraldi Additional Resources
The Complete Guide to Resilience
Resilience Training International, 2011
ISBN 9780983475514
The Resilience Workbook: Essential Skills to Recover from Stress, Trauma, and Adversity
New Harbinger Publications Inc., 5674 Shattuck Avenue
Oakland, CA 94609 United States
ISBN10 1626259402
Video resources from Dr. Mike Evans
Managing stress
Happiness
Rethinking the way we drink
Quitting smoking
About Dr. Mike Evans
Dr. Mike Evans is best known for developing and delivering innovative health messages. “We wanted people to get the right information, in the right way, at the right time. Sometimes that’s in a doctor’s office, but most of the time it’s not,” says Dr. Evans. To make this happen he brought together creatives, patients, and clinicians in a media lab (now Reframe Health Lab) to create evidence-based health media that was engaging enough to be infectious on social media.
His video “23 and ½ hours” is perhaps the most viewed evidence-based video of all time and has been seen by over 8 million people. His Medical School for the Public on YouTube, with over 30 films, has been viewed by over 16 million people worldwide and has over 75,000 subscribers.