The work of a first responder can ask you to carry experiences that are difficult to leave behind when the shift ends. Whether you are navigating the impact of a critical incident, cumulative exposure to trauma, changes in how you feel or relate to others, or simply recognizing that the work has begun to follow you home, therapy offers a confidential space to understand what you are carrying and begin moving forward. Quest Therapy also provides treatment through the WSIB Mental Health Program of Care for eligible clients experiencing work-related psychological injuries.
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First responders are trained to remain focused when others are overwhelmed—to assess the situation, make decisions, and keep moving when something difficult is happening in front of them. But being able to function during a critical incident does not mean that the experience simply disappears when the shift ends.
Sometimes the effects of trauma are obvious. At other times, the changes happen gradually: sleep becomes more difficult, patience becomes shorter, you feel increasingly on guard, or you begin pulling away from people and situations that once felt comfortable. You may not immediately connect these changes to what you have experienced at work.
Unwanted memories, nightmares, or moments that feel as though you are back in the experience. Certain sounds, smells, places, or situations may suddenly bring the event—or the feeling of it—back.
You may avoid conversations, places, people, or situations that remind you of what happened—or find yourself trying not to think or feel anything connected to it.
You may feel detached from others, emotionally numb, persistently negative, or less interested in things you once enjoyed. Connection can begin to feel more difficult than it once did.
You may find yourself constantly alert, scanning your surroundings, startling more easily, becoming increasingly irritable, struggling to concentrate, or finding it difficult to sleep.
You do not need to recognize yourself in every one of these experiences to reach out for support.
Reactions to trauma can look different from person to person, and experiencing some of these changes does not necessarily mean that you have PTSD. What matters is noticing when something no longer feels like yourself, when the work is beginning to follow you home, or when the ways you have always coped are no longer working as well as they once did.
Quest Therapy provides treatment through the WSIB Mental Health Program of Care for eligible clients experiencing work-related psychological injuries.
Navigating a WSIB claim while also coping with the effects of a psychological injury can feel overwhelming. We can support you in understanding the process, organizing relevant information, and preparing for the documentation that may be required as your claim progresses.
If you have experienced a work-related psychological injury or illness, you can report it directly to WSIB online. We can support you in understanding the information being requested, organizing the details of your experience, and preparing to describe how the injury has affected you and your work.
Report an Injury or IllnessFor work-related psychological injuries, WSIB may require a Health Professional’s Report for Occupational Mental Stress. This form is completed by a physician or nurse practitioner and provides WSIB with clinical information related to the mental health condition and its connection to the workplace.
View WSIB Healthcare Forms
- Joseph Campbell
