The Best 2 CEs You’ll Do in a While.

A few weeks ago, the EMDR International Association dropped a new training. 

It offered cultural competency for therapists who want to serve 911 dispatchers and responders. 

If you think that this training wouldn't be for you because you don’t do EMDR or you don’t work with first responders…hunneeee, let me tell you.

I spent the whole video going: “Gosh this feels so familiar.”

Because there is a ton of overlap even though they have VERY different jobs than we do.

Don’t get me wrong, there is a level of exposure to emergencies for this personnel that most therapists won’t ever get close to. Seriously, that job has an intensity level beyond compare.

But, some of the things they’re dealing with, like:

• Training your mind not turn traumatizing stories into traumatizing mental imagery,

• Compassion fatigue,

• A schedule full of hard conversation after hard conversation, 

• Ambiguity and uncertainty when an interaction ends poorly or abruptly,

• Needing time to switch modes before engaging in your family life or friendships

• Feeling so invested in your work, your clients, and your team that you can’t even take rest when you need it…
  

…don't they kinda sound familiar to you? 

The training had a cultural competency focus, and it was not a “how-to” on EMDR. What I mean by that is, the training is just an opportunity to understand someone else’s experience.

If you have the privilege to serve the dispatch/911 professionals one day, you’ll be a little more prepared.

And I think you’ll understand yourself and your mental health colleagues better as well. 

I highly recommend taking this CE course. It’s fast paced and thorough. I’m not involved with the training and I’m not being compensated in any way for recommending it. I just think building empathy for this population will help you be kinder to yourself as well.