A career in any “helping profession” can create negative mental and psychological effects for staff and their families, and commonly results in related costs to their department through staff turnover and other personnel issues. While the incidence of staff experiencing career-impacting physical injuries may have declined over the years, the incidence of stress-related issues, including inappropriate coping mechanisms such as alcohol and other drug abuse, family discord and divorce, and situational depression and apathy continue to increase. Staff may have a difficult time adjusting and focusing quality attention on their personal lives, outlets, and families, resulting in understandable, but unhealthy, choices. This course is designed to accomplish three goals: to ensure staff understand the unique emotional and psychological health problems that are standard in their line of work; to provide staff the ability to identify potential problems within themselves and their peers, and to seek assistance, if needed; and, to present, discuss, and practice a variety of ways staff can sustain an emotionally healthy and mentally sound “self” that benefits the work they do.
