Stressors are inevitable in the world we’re living in today. This is especially true for helping professions where all of the incoming information tend to be inherently negative. The value of relieving this stress has been established and various strategies that aim to accomplish this on both the individual and organizational sides are presented on this webinar.
This session’s speaker is Tracy C. Ertl, the owner and lead instructor for HeroLight Training. She has served in the public safety communications field for almost 3 decades and is now sharing her expertise with public safety students and professionals nationally and internationally.
Specifics of her discussion include:
- An activity for attendees to answer that provides insights into one’s level of compassion satisfaction, burnout, and secondary trauma.
- Unpacking the meanings behind compassion satisfaction, burnout, and secondary trauma, the average scores for each category, and what the survey results mean.
- The four types of stress and discerning which type of stress we’re going through based on how it shows up in our daily life.
- The four categories in which stress may manifest and the specific signs and symptoms that fall under each category.
- The concept of fear, what it is, what it does, and how it works and travels within our bodies.
- Techniques to prevent fear from overpowering our minds and bodies.
- The nature of the public safety profession that causes fear.
- Signs and symptoms that indicate the presence of fear to watch out for.
- Stress reduction ideas and initiatives that may be implemented in public safety agencies to help its workforce cope with the characteristically stressful environment within the job.
- The concept of co-regulation, what it does, examples of which, and steps to effect coregulation with colleagues and other people who are visibly stressed.
- Practicing Tonglen as a way to get rid of the negative, take in the positive, decompress, and reset in between stressful calls for service.
- An alternative method of inducing deep relaxation end reducing the effects of stress through drumming.
- Utilizing communication to relieve stress in the workplace and specific strategies to help facilitate this by:
- Leaders stepping up to communicate and be more visible to the front lines and utilizing multiple mediums and formats to do so.
- Speaking slower and providing repetition when possible to assist with learning and retention.
- Using words that convey unity and teamwork in conversations and correspondences.
- Breaking up the negativity, fostering positivity, and communicating kindness within the organization.
- Demonstrating openness to communication by listening and smiling.
- Conducting training for employees’ family and friends that will enable them to understand and provide support to their loved ones.
- Leveraging the stress-reducing effects of music.
Topics raised by the webinar attendees during the Q&A covered:
- Recommended books and other resources to expound knowledge on concepts discussed.
- Quality of life survey scores for those working in helping professions.
- How irregular and interrupted sleeping schedule impacts wellness and stress levels.
- Ways to integrate more stress training into organizations.
Other Webinars with this Speaker
- Feb 8: Stress Relief and Communications (this webinar)
- March 29: Protecting 911 Center Interpersonal Relationships
Resources & Handouts
- Handout: Mindfulness Apps
- Handout: Checking in with Yourself
- Handout: Connection is Vital
- Handout Link: Professional Quality of Life Self Scoring Questionnaire
- Handout: Self Regulation
- Handout: Signs of Dysregulation
- Handout: What is Co-Regulation
- Handout: What is Regulation
- Handout: Window of Tolerance
- Handout: Window of Tolerance Kids
- Book: The Gift of Fear by Gavin de Becker
Audience Comments
- She was well-versed on the subjects. She did a good job presenting the information. She provided attendees with handouts to further promote the topics of stress relief and communication. Excellent job! — Bridgette
- The stress test at the beginning. I knew I was stressed, but not THAT stressed! — Carissa
- Quality of Life survey was very helpful and I learned a lot about my own level of stress. — Lourdes
- This webinar provided an outstanding amount of information on the different types of stress and especially how to deal with or get rid of stressors — Max
- “Great topic that needs more attention.” — Gary
- “Practical ideas for mitigating the effects of stress.” — Brian
- “The Webinar was excellent! It addressed a very difficult topic that we all face – but oftentimes fail to deal with to save and better ourselves. The information was pragmatic and useful and hopefully, you will continue more webinars regarding this topic in the future….there just cannot be too many.” — Donald
- “I loved the different suggestions and ideas, as well as the self-survey.” — Daryl
- “I did not think I was the stressed one! I always diagnose or try to help others. What a wake-up call!!!! Thanks for your information, tips, and lessons learned from your experience. More Tracy HeroLight seminars please! … Sometimes we hit the “wall” and do not see it in ourselves. Thanks for the heads up and somehow making OK to not be OK!” — Kathleen
