Badge of Life Canada

Since I last wrote to you, I have attended two seminars/workshops, both having to do with Trauma. I shall talk a bit about both so I don’t fall behind. Next month I shall be attending more meetings, seminars and taking mini vacations etc……I will not be seeing clients but will be taking appointments beginning 2 Dec. I will also be doing paperwork required for my own college. I will be available all month except Sundays and holidays. Next year I shall take December off. I attended the Badge of Life, Best Practice For Organizational Wellness. There were interesting speakers from Homewood, from Australia, and from Police and Firefighters. I do encourage any veterans, and EMS suffering from PTSD to consider contacting them. I had attended a function two years ago but had to miss last year due to conflicting schedules. I usually book whatever conference I see first of interest, pay for it and then even though something more interesting comes up, I have already committed myself and my money. They did have a gala which I did not attend. There was another party I missed as well. This function was held in Woodbridge, bordering Etobicoke. The food was amazing though they didn’t have a vegetarian platter of sandwiches - my loss. The rice cheese balls were the best I ever tasted. It was held at The Jewel Event Centre, which I won’t forget. They certainly took care of our palate. I find that as soon as I venture from Toronto, vegetarians are forgotten, although that is rapidly changing. I had the honour of speaking to a Metis elder who educated me on some of my ignorance. I listened to stories from EMS suffering from Trauma which I won’t share because it is not my place to do so. It is their stories and for them to share with whom they wish. I listened to the psychologists speaking of their own stories and research. There is nothing really new that I haven’t shared with you. I was glad to learn that they too are using brain stimulation as those for the American Army though it seems slightly different. My own studies and text books were mostly from the Americans and when I asked why, it was simply not being written by Canadians. That is changing and I am just completing reading 600 pages of a text book regarding Personality Research Theory, which was written by Gordon Flett from York University. They have an excellent Psychology program and I don’t say that because that is where I earned by degree. I say it because it impressed Uof T Psychology department when I went to inquire. I ended up taking a Masters in Ministry and Spirituality at UofT simply because they called me first and accepted me immediately after my interview. I had actually been waiting for a response from Ryerson, psychology department as well. Snooze and you lose. Life is a book of knowledge. So, I want to break down some of the support Badge of Life Offers, incase anyone is interested. I know that there are veterans and EMS reading my Blog. If you feel you can benefit from any of these resources don’t hesitate to contact them. Badge of Life is led by Toronto Police veterans. I am always amazed and pleased how many people try to help their own and try to incorporate volunteer programs for those who have worn the same boots. I would also encourage other EMS persons who are now therapists to consider attending one of their meetings. I still find it routine that therapists, psychologists, etc…..though interested in helping EMS still do not fully comprehend the culture. I have talked about that before so won’t get further into it. Badge of life does have a web site: badgeoflifecanada.org. They offer weekend and six day programs according to their brochure for “first responders dealing with moral injury and operational stress injuries.” There is H.E.L.P Equine for Military, Police, Fire, Corrections-EMS-911 dispatcher. “Setting the standard for Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy and personal development for Military, First Responder and their families affected by PTSD and operational stress injuries. This is located in the country setting. If interested you may look up their web site at www.HELP-PTSD.com. “Badge of Life is a peer-led charitable volunteer organization committed to supporting police and corrections personnel who are dealing with psychological injuries diagnosed from service.” It was a full day for me listening all day and networking. Hallowe’en is coming up and so I have been taping horror movies. I am not into the slashing and dashing that is so popular nowadays. I do make exceptions for Stephen King. There is one of his movies coming out that I want to see next month. Anyhow, I was watching “Poltergeist” night and was pleasantly alone with one of my pets sitting on my lap. I was stretching out and sometimes I have both pets stretching out on my lap and legs as well. I am telling you this story because for the next work shop I used this as an example of my igniting my sympathetic nervous system. I am watching the movie and my sensories are increasing I am on alert, I then feel someone touching me on my left shoulder from behind and I jump. Do I flee, do I fight, do I freeze? It was my male pet placing his paw on my left shoulder, ready to climb over me. I was so fixed on the movie that I never noticed him. I didn’t think he had such a big paw. We all jump and the two ran out of the room. So, I begin laughing and of course they come back in once they know that they are safe. Safety is paramount. They had me laughing, a nice flow of recovery. So in this benign situation, I used it to explain the embodying of the practice of befriending our nervous system. This seminar was very technical with terminology which I won’t bore you with. I am a firm believer in KISS. I had a math teacher who treated us as if we could not figure out 1+1. I got my highest grade in high school that year. She was an author of teaching math books. She was actually amazing. In this seminar we talked about Complex Developmental Trauma in therapeutic work with clients, working with somatic practices and therapeutic interventions. It was a fun day and I picked up some tid bits which I can use in group therapy to encourage a safe place or with private clients suffering trauma. There was also some handouts to assess trauma. I also got to catch up with my previous supervisor and mentor, what an amazing man. Since there were all therapists in the room and we were sharing therapeutic techniques, I will use it for my practice. So, I hope some of this has been interesting. I don’t only work with trauma. I do not specialize. I work with everyone from what ever they are suffering from, it may be a specific problem such as problems with a co-worker, having anger issues, suffering from grief, shame etc…..I work with couples who want to work on their relationships. I won’t work with a couple if one is having an affair and won’t give him or her up. This is only because I don’t think you are serious about working on your own relationship with your partner. I also stop seeing couples if there are ulterior motives, aside from working on their relationships. I work with families as well. One thing I found interesting at the latter workshop is about EMTR. I don’t use that practice. I was talking to one young therapist at the Badge of Life who informed me that she uses it and has found it to be most effective. At the work shop where the psychotherapist has trained only in trauma and all clients suffer from trauma, said that one of her clients who had EMTR came to see her. She could not come out from that experience and it took a while. I found that very interesting. I am not saying that to discourage anyone but to alert you if you have had the same experience. You can come out of it with treatment if required. I had almost considered taking a course about that and have changed my mind. What I do mostly is Cognitive Behaviour Therapy. There are other therapies I use depending on the client. We are all different and what will work for one, will not on another. I focus on whatever research is happening and is effective. That provides so much promise and hope for people who are suffering. Have a nice week. I hope some references will be useful for you. Happy Hallowe’en. Keep safe. Who is that behind you? What do you think? Coffee break.