Thin Line 206 - First Responder Counseling

06/08/2026

RURAL PARAMEDIC FRIENDS - I NEED YOUR HELP!!!!!

I'm doing a follow-up study on a previously published paper on rural paramedic experiences in Louisiana (link -> https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41451684/ )

I am Chris McGlynn, MS, CSP, a paramedic and Ph.D. student at West Virginia University, in the Department of Industrial and Management Systems Engineering, conducting a study under the supervision of Dr. Avishek Choudhury, Assistant Professor at West Virginia University, in the Department of Industrial and Management Systems Engineering, on the safety and mental health challenges faced by pre-hospital paramedics. I am reaching out because of your experience as a paramedic and would like to invite you to participate in a semi-structured qualitative interview.

The purpose of this study is to better understand the unique challenges paramedics encounter in their work and how these affect their well-being. The interview will take approximately 45 minutes and can be conducted at a time (via Zoom Meeting) that is convenient for you. Participation is entirely voluntary, and you may withdraw at any time without consequence.

The West Virginia University Institutional Review Board's review of this research project is on file with the WVU Office of Human Research Protections.

If you are interested in participating, you may schedule your interview date and time here https://calendly.com/cpm00041-mix/safety-mental-health-challenges-in-rural-paramedics
If you would like more information, please reply to this email or contact me at [email protected] or 337-418-0155.

I am aiming to recruit 24 paramedics who are NOT in Louisiana for this study, and I would greatly value your perspective.

Thank you for considering this opportunity, and I look forward to hearing from you!

06/02/2026

💔😥

I just saw there was another dispatcher who died by su***de. That’s 8 so far this year. While this is a layered topic, you want to know what’s probably the number one way we can help decrease the number of people considering this action that’s not a class or a book and is completely free?

Stop being a**holes to each other and treating each other terribly under the guise of “dark humor” and “coping with trauma”.

It may not be the kindest way to put it, but this is what’s been on my heart and honestly I just had to finally say it out loud. Your experience can explain your behavior, but it doesn’t excuse it. We all have moments where we’re not our best selves and feel the effects of this job, but instead of writing it off as just part of the role, we have to try to do better and apologize when we’re wrong.

06/01/2026

05/09/2026

🏡💙 Work stress often shows up in connection at home.

Less patience
less conversation
less emotional availability

It’s not always intentional — sometimes it’s simply exhaustion.

💡 Coping tip:
Before walking inside, take one slow breath and choose one intentional way to connect:
💙 hug your partner
🐾 greet your dog
👨‍👩‍👧 sit with your kids for 5 minutes

Small moments help rebuild connection.

05/08/2026

🚔💙 The public sees the badge.
They don’t always see the accumulation.

The long shifts.
The missed holidays.
The calls that stack up over time.
The pressure to stay sharp no matter what.

Sometimes it’s not one call that weighs the most — it’s the years of exposure.

💡 Coping tip:
Take 2 minutes at the end of each shift to ask yourself:
“What am I carrying from today that needs to stay here?”

Even a brief mental check-out can help reduce the buildup.

05/08/2026

Hey friends — I could use some help from my first responder people (including their professional and personal support systems). 🚔🚒🚑🎧

⬇️ Survey Link:
https://forms.gle/CmbVAh3eticrzrLbA

Over the years, one of the biggest things I’ve realized through this work is how many important conversations within first responder culture are either missing entirely… or happening far too late.

I’m currently gathering additional real-world feedback from those working within these professions to better understand:
▪️ operational stress
▪️ burnout
▪️ trauma exposure
▪️ barriers to support
▪️ wellness gaps
▪️ family impact
▪️ and the conversations/resources that may still be missing within the culture

The hope is that this information helps guide more relevant education, wellness conversations, training topics, and responder-focused resources that are actually aligned with the realities of the job and the people doing it.

This is not formal research — just genuinely trying to listen better, learn from those living it every day, and identify areas where more support and honest conversation may still be needed.

If you’re willing to take a few minutes to fill this out, I’d truly appreciate it.

Most people complete it in about 8–12 minutes.

⬇️ Survey Link:
https://forms.gle/CmbVAh3eticrzrLbA

Feel free to share with other trusted first responders, dispatchers, firefighters, EMS, corrections, veterans, healthcare professionals, peer supporters, chaplains, spouses / family members, or first responder-focused clinicians.

I genuinely appreciate everyone willing to contribute honest perspective and insight. ❤️

Thank you for taking the time to complete this survey. As many of you know, my work has focused heavily on supporting first responders, peer support teams, and other high-stress professionals through culturally informed mental health and wellness services. I’m currently gathering additional perspe...

05/07/2026

🧠⚠️ Sometimes relaxation feels uncomfortable

That can be hypervigilance.

💡 Tip:
Try short intervals.

Sit still for 2 minutes instead of forcing 20.

05/07/2026

🌙📵 Try this tonight

Put your phone down 30 minutes before sleep

Small change.
Big difference.

05/05/2026

🎉🚔🚒🚑 Happy Cinco de Mayo to our First Responder Community! 💙

Today is a great reminder that connection, culture, and community matter.

In this line of work, we spend so much time taking care of everyone else that it can be easy to forget the importance of celebrating, laughing, and reconnecting with your people.

Whether you’re on shift, with your crew, or spending time with family after a long week — take a moment today to enjoy the little things:

🌮 good food
😂 laughter
👨‍👩‍👧 time with family
🚓 crew camaraderie
💙 moments that help refill the tank

Sometimes wellness isn’t always a big intervention.
Sometimes it’s simply connection and allowing yourself to enjoy the moment.

👇 What’s your go-to Cinco de Mayo food order?
🌮 tacos
🥑 chips + guac
🌯 burritos
🌶️ salsa & queso

Drop yours below ⬇️

01/02/2026

Men in Recovery - January 2026: Stop The Threat - Stop The Stigma Founder Captain Adam Meyers, CPS believes that mental health recovery as a police officer is possible, even after the most difficult and traumatic experiences the job can bring.

Policing exposes officers to repeated critical incidents, violence, loss of life, and human suffering, often without time or space to properly process it. Over time, those experiences can lead to anxiety, depression, PTSD, moral injury, substance misuse, and unhealthy coping strategies.

Many officers are taught to push through, stay silent, and “handle it,” believing that asking for help is a sign of weakness or a career-ending decision. It is not.

Recovery does not mean forgetting what happened or pretending the trauma never occurred. Recovery means learning how to live again, with purpose, stability, and healthier ways to cope, while carrying the memories in a way that no longer controls your life. It means regaining your sense of identity, not just as an officer, but as a human being.

For police officers, recovery often begins with the hardest step: acknowledging that something is wrong and accepting the need for the right kind of help. Trauma-informed therapy, peer support, culturally competent clinicians who understand law enforcement, and evidence-based treatments such as EMDR or cognitive processing therapy can be life-changing. These tools help officers process critical incidents rather than relive them endlessly.

Recovery also includes rebuilding daily habits: sleep, physical health, boundaries at work, and reconnecting with family and friends. It means replacing harmful coping strategies with ones that support long-term wellness.

Progress is not linear. There will be setbacks, difficult days, and moments of doubt. That does not mean failure. It means healing is happening.

Too often, police culture equates strength with silence. True strength is choosing to survive, choosing treatment, and choosing life.

Officers who commit to their mental health recovery often discover a deeper resilience, improved relationships, and a renewed sense of meaning, whether they remain in law enforcement or transition to a new chapter.

Mental health struggles do not erase years of honorable service. They do not define an officer’s character, competence, or worth. A police officer can be injured in the line of duty physically and mentally. Both injuries deserve care, compassion, and time to heal.

Mental health recovery as a police officer is possible. It is real. And no officer has to walk that path alone.

www.stopthethreatstopthestigma.org