First Responders Counselling
Therapy for first responders, police officers, firefighters, and paramedics, military members and other high stress occupation workers
Being able to feel safe with other people is probably the single most important aspect of mental health; safe connections are fundamental to meaningful and satisfying lives.
Bessel van der Kolk
Thrive is happy to provide first responders mental health support to all those in high stress occupations. This may include police, firefighters, military members, veterans, corrections officers, lawyers and medical professionals, any field in which you face periods of overwhelm and intensity beyond what most people ever experience in the workplace.
If you perform high stress work, there is a good chance you do so proudly with your profession as an important part of your identity. Despite the training these jobs come with, however, chronic stress can lead to burnout, and carry other costs:
- Feeling ‘switched on’ or hypervigilant, like you can’t turn off fight or flight
- Difficulty sleeping and poor digestion
- Increased urge to escape or numb through activities like extreme sports or substance use
- Strained relationships
- Chronic pain
- Reduced self worth, anxiety and depression
- Heightened irritability and anger or difficult balancing emotions
- Aloneness with experiences that others can’t understand, or urge to protect friends and family from your stories
High stress ocupation counselling, first responder counselling and PTSD therapy Vancouver is offered by: Andrew Jarvis.
How can we help with the stress of first responders?
Just as the body adapts to heightened stress, it is fully capable of adjusting back to peace, presence and a state of rest and digest.
When the particular practices we offer are put in place, the mind and body steadily re-learn how to relax and feel safe again, something those close to you will appreciate as much as you. PTSD counselling Vancouver and support is available.
Meet Andrew Jarvis
As a counsellor and former professional soldier, working with men’s issues and high-stress occupations is my career passion and area of expertise. Throughout my 12 years in the Army, seeing the impact of operational deployments and professional stress on my friends and colleagues, and leading soldiers through challenging personal experiences fuelled my interest in working with stress-relief, resilience, and trauma-survival.
Much of my academic education focused on first responder mental health, I have completed training with the Veterans Transition Network where I am a junior practitioner, and I have facilitated group and individual therapy for police officers, firefighters, and lawyers, as well as therapy for military professionals.
In uniformed and other high-stress occupations, the question of who am I? is often close to one’s professional identity. This means that when challenges arise at work or at home that leave you feeling weak, frightened, lost, out of control, or any other way that is inconsistent with your identity, it can be hard to acknowledge them. While you may be a soldier, police officer, firefighter, corrections officer or paramedic, you are also a human being. Struggling with stress is perhaps the most normal thing in the world.
At its most basic, therapy is a conversation. We talk about the challenges you face, shine light in the dark places, and build you a stress and resiliency toolbox. As professionals, we are taught the value of having partners to help us through the toughest battles. Psychological battles are no different, and I would be honoured to stand beside you in yours.
What is Counselling for First Responders?
1. Stabilize and Educate:
The first step is immediate relief. It involves learning grounding tools and psychoeducation, the practice of actually understanding what is going on in your brain and body. It is often welcome news that what’s happening to you makes sense. Your body isn’t broken, it has just adapted to stress.
2. Change and Action:
With basic safety and stability in place, it’s time to get to work. During this part of counselling we will actively process and complete what are called body memories, the ‘stuck’ emotional stress energy that brought you through the door in the first place. This is where individuals really feel like they are ‘getting themselves back.’
3. Integrate and Master:
Equally important is ensuring you feel equipped to stay well and to protect yourself against future stress. This phase is all about mastering your new skills and abilities. Those who have dealt with trauma or PTSD will often report posttraumatic growth, a life-changing and meaningful shift in thinking and relating to the world and self.
“After a traumatic experience, the human system of self-preservation seems to go onto permanent alert, as if the danger might return at any moment.” Judith Lewis Herman
Recovery From Chronic Stress
.Often, professionals in high-stress occupations do not seek therapy until they receive an ultimatum, maybe from their job or spouse. Perhaps the idea of seeking help can feel like some kind of failure, or maybe accepting help means acknowledging how bad the problem really is, which can be devastating.
If you choose to look a problem in the eyes and say “I see you”, however, you can begin to change. Like any wound, acknowledging a mental health challenge is the first step to healing from it. Trauma therapy for first responders is one way back from accumulated stress in the body. We are available to chat, offering PTSD treatment Vancouver BC
A Way Forward
Thrive Downtown Counselling Centre, Vancouver, BC specializes in burnout recovery, trauma therapy and counselling in Vancouver. It is our honour to provide therapy for post-traumatic stress and first responder mental health support as well as military PTSD therapy and counselling for police officers.
We assess your personal history, identify and process negative experiences, and create positive associations to replace negative ones. Our therapists are best at creating a safe and trusting environment so that you can explore your emotions and experiences without fear of judgment.
First responders counselling Vancouver, counseling for chronic stress, military counseling services and many other similar services are currently offered by Andrew Jarvis.
Best Attempts To Cope
Professionals in high-stress occupations often cope with stress in ways that are similarly intense to their work. While this can be helpful, it can also temporarily push away or replace the stress rather than resolving it. After a stressful period at work, do you do any of the following? If so, it’s possible that you could benefit from unpacking that stress with a counsellor (PTSD counselling Vancouver):
- Extreme sports, or regular sports in a more extreme or risky way
- Bingeing alcohol, food, drugs, video games or pornography
- Fighting or arguing
- Driving aggressively or at high speeds
- Impulse shopping or spending lots of money
- Hooking up frequently at bars or on dating apps, or visiting prostitutes
- Getting unplanned tattoos
This is not the end of the story. Just as you learned these means of dealing, you can free yourself from them. We are here to help with this with trauma counselling Vancouver.
First Responders and PTSD: A Practical Guide for You and Your Family
First responders spend their working lives moving towards what everyone else runs from, and that exposure adds up in ways that training rarely covers. This guide brings together the signs worth noticing, what support at Thrive looks like, and how families can help, so you can make a clear decision about your next step.
On this page
Signs of Operational Stress Injury in First Responders
In Canada, the term operational stress injury is often used to describe the mental health effects of duty-related stress, including PTSD, depression and anxiety. Only a qualified professional can diagnose PTSD, but these patterns are worth taking seriously:
- Intrusions. Unwanted images, nightmares or flashbacks of specific calls.
- Avoidance. Steering clear of certain streets, sounds, types of calls or conversations about work.
- Hyperarousal. Scanning every room, startling easily, or struggling to sleep even when exhausted.
- Mood changes. Numbness, cynicism, guilt, or losing interest in people and activities you used to enjoy.
- Cumulative load. No single call stands out, yet years of exposure have left you running on empty.
Moral injury
Sometimes the deepest wound is not fear but a violation of your sense of right and wrong: a call where nothing you did was enough, or a decision made under impossible conditions. Moral injury can show up as shame, anger or withdrawal, and it deserves the same care as PTSD. If you are in crisis, call or text 988, or call 911 in an emergency. You can also reach support any time through 988.ca.
How Counselling for First Responders Works at Thrive
- Book a free 15 minute consult. Ask questions, check the fit, and share only what you are comfortable sharing.
- Choose or be matched. Request a therapist from this page, browse our team, or let us match you.
- Start at your pace. Early sessions focus on stabilization and practical tools before any deeper trauma work.
- Process and integrate. Depending on your therapist, approaches may include EMDR therapy, somatic work, CBT or Internal Family Systems.
Sessions happen in person at 470 Granville Street, steps from Granville SkyTrain Station, or by secure video through online counselling, which suits shift schedules and people who would rather not be seen walking into a clinic.
Costs, benefits and WorkSafeBC
Current rates are shown when you book or on our contact page. Many extended health plans reimburse counselling by registered counsellors, so check your plan. WorkSafeBC recognizes that some mental health conditions can arise from work, and certain occupations may have easier access to claims, so it is worth checking current eligibility. A low-cost counselling option with supervised interns is also available.
Supporting a First Responder at Home
Partners and families often feel the effects of the job first. You might notice irritability, long silences or a person who seems present in body but far away. Helpful steps include:
- Asking how they are doing at a calm moment, not straight after a shift.
- Respecting that they may not want to share details of calls, while making it clear you can handle hearing that it was hard.
- Looking after your own health and support network, since secondary stress is real.
- Exploring couples counselling if the job is straining your relationship.
Quick Questions From First Responders
Will my employer find out?
Counselling is confidential. Your therapist will explain the legal limits at the start, such as serious risk of harm. Nothing is shared with an employer without your consent unless the law requires it.
Do I need a PTSD diagnosis to come in?
No. Many people come in for burnout, sleep problems, anger or relationship strain, with or without a formal diagnosis.
Do you work with retired members and veterans?
Yes. Stress injuries do not end with a career, and many people seek support years after leaving the job.
What if alcohol or other coping habits have become a problem?
That is common and nothing to be ashamed of. Our addiction counselling can work alongside trauma support.
Take the First Step
Asking for backup is part of the job, and that includes backup for your own mind. Book a free 15 minute consult through our contact page or call 604-227-0297. Counselling for first responders at Thrive is confidential, practical and grounded in respect for the work you do.
First Responders Counselling Rate
COUNSELLOR
$165
Therapy for First Responders FAQs
What is Counselling for First Responders?
Examples of first responders include police officers, firefighters, and paramedics and military members. Really though, we are extending to service to all individuals working in high stress occupations, also including corrections officers, therapy for lawyers and medical professionals, and any field in which you face periods of overwhelm and intensity beyond what most people ever experience in the workplace. Whether it is therapy for police officers, therapy for firefighters, paramedical counselling, PTSD therapy lawyers or other high stress support, the work fits within our scope of practice, a part of trauma counselling Vancouver.
What are the 3 phases of trauma recovery?
What is EMDR?
Is first responders counselling Vancouver covered by insurance?
Services such as therapy for first responders or trauma therapy for police officers may be covered by insurance, but it depends on your specific plan. It’s important to check with your insurance provider to see if they cover Registered Counselling and if there are any limitations or requirements. Thrive Downtown Counselling Centre provides a reimbursement receipt if your insurance plan covers it. If you are seeking counselling for police officers, military counselling, or therapy for firefighters, your extended benefits plan may cover services from one of our Registered Clinical Counsellors.
Who is first responders counselling not appropriate for?
Our therapists provide a slow and safe assessment of readiness and never rush you into anything. The only people this would not be appropriate for are those who connect with us and who don’t feel a good fit with our therapist. In this case, we are happy to provide outside referrals (e.g., counselling services for firefighters at a different space).
How many sessions do you need for counselling first responders?
The number of therapy sessions required can vary depending on the individual and their specific needs (e.g., paramedical therapy, therapy for doctors and counselling for lawyers may be quite different in practice). Some may only require only a few sessions, while most benefit from deepening the work slowly over time. Therapy typically has one session a week with plenty of flexibility in either direction. Your therapist will help you decide how often works best for you. Therapy tends to become more spaced out as goals are met.
Does therapy work?
Yes, therapy has been shown to effectively treat a variety of mental health concerns, including PTSD, depression and burnout therapy Vancouver. Numerous studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of stress and trauma therapy in improving the overall functioning of the brain. However, it’s important to note that not everyone responds to counselling in the same way, and the results may vary between individuals.
How long does it take for counselling to work?
How can I find services near me?
Folks often ask how can I find therapy for posttraumatic stress disorder near me? It can feel overwhelming to realize support is far away in a time of crisis. We recommend a Google search and shortlisting three nearby spaces or counsellors before checking the website and seeing how it feels to read through their content.
Go by feel, checking what feels sincere and safe before setting up a few phonecalls. Once again, use each of these points of contact to see how relaxed and comfortable you feel talking to the therapist. Consider your list of questions or concerns such as relation problems, substance abuse or burnout counselling Vancouver. Don’t be afraid to keep having free calls until you feel the right click!