buffy said:

Kingy said:

Just back from the fire station, tonight we had a visit from the chaplain about the wellness branch of DFES. If you are at a critical incident, they will contact you and make sure that you get assistance to work through what you’ve experienced. As it happens, most emergency service personnel handle the trauma ok unless there is something else going on in their life that’s eating away at them. That’s when they deteriorate.

DFES funds 6 free visits to a mental health councilor/psychologist of your choice, with the potential for 4 more. Your trauma does not necessarily have to be anything to do with the emergency services, if you have a problem at home or work or anything else, it still counts.

Some years ago we attended the funeral of a local ambulance officer who had died by suicide. It’s relatively common in the ambulance service, our best man went that way too. At the funeral the ambulance psych support person was there. Mr buffy was already in some strife with PTSD and the support person asked me if he needed more help. My reply was “yes, please, the sooner the better”. There had been difficulties getting him into local talking therapy. That then got sorted. Not long after the support person called into the practice to see how Mr buffy was going, but he checked that I was managing OK too. I don’t know how well they are doing it now, some years on, but there was a reasonable system then.

The DoE also gives four free sessions with a psychologist for any reason. We also have “critical incidents” and although I don’t wish to downplay the psychological impact of a child physically attacking someone, I do rather think your critical incidents are likely to be more dramatic.

Yesterday a child involved in a critical incident was introduced to the school chaplain, Chappy Phil. The kid misheard and called him “Happy Pill” and he loves tolerates his new nickname.