COUNSELING SUPPORT FOR FIRST RESPONDERS

Getting into this career was not an easy choice. When it is your calling, your purpose, there is no turning back. You love the work you do, but it's gotten to a point where it isn't fulfilling you the way it did when you started. It has become an issue in your relationships, and you don't know how to change it. The ongoing barrage of hard situations you face every day in your job isn't helping. People who lie, verbally attack you, scream and blame you for the circumstances they created. The things you've seen that you can't unsee. On top of it all, there is the anti-responder culture on social media and in the news. It all begins to weigh you down. It's hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
First responders face situations every day that most people couldn't even imagine. The long shifts, mandatory overtime, and missed events with loved ones can be exhausting. You want so hard for the job to not effect you after you take off the uniform. But then things happen, and you can't re-engage with the ones you love. Managing emotions with the high-stress days often requires you to check-out emotionally. Checking back in afterwards? Sometimes, it isn't an option. After a while, you begin to struggle with sleeping, more so than usual with the shift work. Your close friends and relatives comment on your moodiness, which doesn't help. You find your job takes its toll. Training did not prepare you for this. There was no "defensive tactics" class on how to manage the effects of your career on your personal life. You find yourself being easily frustrated with little things. You are on edge, and having a hard time getting back to yourself. But you push on through because "it's all part of the job".
Except, you know it doesn't have to be this way. Yes, the job is tough. Yes, the demands are exhausting. No, you can't imagine doing anything else.

For the families and loved ones of first responders, we also work to provide you with individualized care and support. It is not easy living this lifestyle, and even you must sacrifice for your responders' service. From the chaotic scheduling struggles, to the stress you feel over their safety, Code 3 Counseling is here to help you. We enjoy supporting the spouses, children, and other family members of first responders.
If you are struggling with your own personal issues (from anxiety to grief to parenting), or if you need more support in living with a first responder, we want you to be strong in your first responder family.