First Responder PTSD Research

First Responder PTSD Research Bringing the importance of mental wellness to the forefront of conversation, mental health is health After earning my Ph.D.

Dr. Joy Hutchinson, Ph.D., LPC-MHSP, NCC®, BC-TMH, CCTP-II, EMT-P

I am a Licensed Professional Counselor, Mental Health Service Provider (LPC-MHSP), National Certified Counselor (NCC®), Board Certified-TeleMental Health Provider (BC-TMH), and Certified Clinical Trauma Professional II (CCTP-II). Additionally, I am a former paramedic with over a decade of experience in emergency medical services. My career began on the front lines, where I witnessed the profound impact of trauma and high-stress environments on the mental health of first responders. in Counselor Education and Supervision, I dedicated myself to advocating for the mental wellness of first responders. Since 2015, I have been working to develop evidence-based mental health programs specifically tailored to the unique needs of those who face trauma and destruction daily. My work is driven by a passion to provide proactive, rather than solely reactive, mental health support to first responders. By gathering data and amplifying the voices of first responders, I aim to create wellness initiatives that foster resilience and promote long-term well-being. My ultimate goal is to deliver solutions so impactful that decision-makers can no longer ignore the critical need for comprehensive mental health care for this community. I remain committed to collaboration and welcome ideas, insights, and shared passion from those who want to make a difference. Together, we can develop sustainable programs to ensure that first responders receive the support they deserve. Please feel free to connect with me to discuss how we can advance this mission.

Emotion regulation isn’t about shutting it down—it’s about choosing your response.In this line of work, you’re trained t...
01/12/2026

Emotion regulation isn’t about shutting it down—it’s about choosing your response.

In this line of work, you’re trained to act fast. To assess, decide, and move—sometimes in seconds. That skill saves lives on scene and keeps order inside facilities.
But off the call, off the tier, and off shift, that same urgency can work against you.

Feeling anger, grief, fear, or frustration doesn’t mean you’re losing control. It means you’re human in a profession that exposes you to more than most people will ever see.
Regulation isn’t suppression.

It’s creating enough pause to decide how and where those emotions get expressed—so they don’t leak out sideways at home, with coworkers, or inward on yourself.

Intense emotions don’t always need immediate action.

Sometimes they need space, reflection, movement, or a safe place to land.

Strength isn’t never feeling it.

Strength is learning how to carry it without letting it carry you.

🖤

Thinking about starting therapy? Here’s what to expect—especially if you’re a first responder or corrections professiona...
01/11/2026

Thinking about starting therapy? Here’s what to expect—especially if you’re a first responder or corrections professional.

Therapy can feel awkward at first. That doesn’t mean you’re doing it wrong—it means you’re doing something unfamiliar in a profession that teaches you to keep it together.

You’re the expert on your calls, your shift work, your culture. A good therapist will listen, adjust, and welcome feedback—especially if something doesn’t land right.

Some sessions may leave you tired. That’s not weakness; it’s your nervous system finally having permission to stand down.

Progress often happens between sessions—on calls, on the tier, in the car ride home—when you apply what you’re learning in real time.

Not every session is a breakthrough. Most are quiet reps that build resilience over time.

And yes—you may need to shop around. Finding someone who understands first responder or corrections culture matters, and many offer free consults for that reason.

Getting help doesn’t mean you can’t handle the job.

It means you’re serious about staying in it—and staying well.

🖤

Being scared doesn’t mean you’re not capable.It means the stakes matter.Showing up anyway doesn’t always look heroic—it ...
01/09/2026

Being scared doesn’t mean you’re not capable.
It means the stakes matter.

Showing up anyway doesn’t always look heroic—it looks like:
• Taking the promotion even when you doubt yourself
• Sitting in the room where hard conversations happen
• Asking for help before things fall apart
• Trying something new after years of doing it one way

Growth in this line of work isn’t about chasing adrenaline.

It’s about choosing discomfort on purpose—so you don’t stay stuck in survival mode forever.

You’ve already proven you can run toward danger.

You’re allowed to run toward growth, too.
🖤

Your job trains you to live in the past (what went wrong, what to fix next time)and the future (what’s coming, what coul...
01/09/2026

Your job trains you to live in the past (what went wrong, what to fix next time)
and the future (what’s coming, what could happen).

But your nervous system only gets relief right here.

The present moment doesn’t always feel calm—or safe—or comfortable.
Sometimes it feels heavy, raw, or unfinished.
And still… it’s the only place where healing, regulation, and connection can happen.

You don’t have to forget the past.
You don’t have to stop preparing for what’s next.
You just don’t have to live there all the time.

Even a few seconds of “now” counts.

🖤

After trauma, the impact doesn’t always look like what people expect—and it doesn’t always show up right away.You might:...
01/07/2026

After trauma, the impact doesn’t always look like what people expect—and it doesn’t always show up right away.

You might:
• Minimize what happened because “others had it worse”
• Feel on edge long after the call, shift, or incident ended
• Struggle to sleep, focus, or truly relax
• Get irritable, numb, or shut down around the people you care about
• Tell yourself it “wasn’t that bad” and push through anyway

None of this means you’re weak.
It means your nervous system learned how to survive.

Trauma isn’t just one catastrophic moment—it’s cumulative exposure, repeated stress, and carrying what most people never see. Acknowledging its effects isn’t failure; it’s awareness.

You don’t have to earn rest.
You don’t have to justify impact.
And you don’t have to handle it alone.

🖤

If you’re able to attend, this is going to be a great conference in Memphis.
01/07/2026

If you’re able to attend, this is going to be a great conference in Memphis.

“If you can control your breath, you can control your reaction.”For first responders, stress doesn’t show up politely—it...
01/06/2026

“If you can control your breath, you can control your reaction.”

For first responders, stress doesn’t show up politely—it hits fast, loud, and often without warning.
You may not be able to control the call, the inmate, the scene, or the chaos—but you can control your breath.

Breathing isn’t soft.
It’s tactical.

A few steady breaths can:
• Lower adrenaline after a call or incident
• Bring your nervous system back inside its window of tolerance
• Create just enough pause to respond instead of react

This isn’t about being calm all the time.
It’s about having a tool you can use anywhere—on shift, off shift, in the car, or before sleep.

Breathe like your job depends on it—because sometimes, your health does.

🖤

For first responders:Getting your S.H.I.T. together doesn’t mean becoming perfect or suddenly “having it all figured out...
01/05/2026

For first responders:
Getting your S.H.I.T. together doesn’t mean becoming perfect or suddenly “having it all figured out.”

It means tending to the basics that keep you functioning in a job that constantly asks for more:
• Self-care so your body doesn’t stay in survival mode
• Happiness in small, realistic moments
• Inner peace that comes from boundaries, not avoidance
• Time that isn’t always owed to someone else

This work trains you to prioritize everyone but yourself.
Reclaiming your S.H.I.T. isn’t selfish—it’s necessary.

Take what you need.
Leave the rest.

🖤

Friendly reminder for first responders:You’re carrying more cups than most people will ever see.Work, shift work, overti...
01/05/2026

Friendly reminder for first responders:

You’re carrying more cups than most people will ever see.

Work, shift work, overtime, court, reports, family, partners, friends, the public, the people you serve—and still, you.
It is not possible to fill every cup, every day, even when you give everything you have.

Running empty doesn’t mean you’re weak.
It means the demands are real.

Protecting your time, your energy, and your limits isn’t selfish—it’s survival.
Some cups will be fuller than others on different days, and that’s okay.

Take care of the one pouring.
You matter too.

🖤

Simple daily habits—adapted for first responders.Your schedule isn’t predictable. Your stress load is heavier than most....
01/04/2026

Simple daily habits—adapted for first responders.

Your schedule isn’t predictable. Your stress load is heavier than most. And “self-care” often feels unrealistic.
But small, operationally realistic habits can make a real difference over time.

🛠 What this can look like in our world:

Write it down instead of carrying it into the next call or next count.

Stretch for 60 seconds before roll call or after shift—not a full workout.

Have one real conversation per shift (no phones, no rank, just human).

Practice gratitude in small ways: a partner who had your back, a call that went right.

Walk the tier, the bay, or the block after meals when you can.

Anchor your sleep/wake routine as consistently as shift work allows.

Tackle the hardest task early—decision fatigue is real.

Say “no” without overexplaining. Boundaries are survival skills.

Read a few pages instead of scrolling before sleep—especially after nights.

These aren’t about optimization.
They’re about staying regulated, present, and human in systems that constantly demand more.

You don’t need perfection.
You need practices that fit the job.

For first responders:Your brain is doing exactly what it was trained to do—scan for danger, prepare for worst-case scena...
01/03/2026

For first responders:

Your brain is doing exactly what it was trained to do—scan for danger, prepare for worst-case scenarios, and keep you alive. The problem is that survival mode doesn’t always turn off when the shift ends.

When anxiety kicks in, try these four thought checks—not to silence your brain, but to work with it:

🧠 “What is my brain saying right now?”
Hypervigilance can sound like: “Something bad is coming” or “I can’t mess this up.” Notice it without judgment.

🛑 “Is this a fact, or a worry?”
Trauma-trained brains fill in gaps fast. Ask yourself: What evidence do I have right now—on this call, on this tier, in this moment?

🔄 “Can I say this in a steadier way?”
Instead of “I should be handling this better,” try:
“This is a hard job. I’m doing the best I can with what I’ve been given.”

💬 Repeat the kinder thought—slowly.
The goal isn’t to stop anxiety. It’s to stay regulated enough to keep going safely.

Being anxious doesn’t mean you’re weak.
It often means your nervous system has seen too much for too long.

You’re not broken—you’re human in a job that asks you not to be.

Reminders to carry into 2026—especially for those who carry so much for others.In a profession built on responsibility, ...
01/02/2026

Reminders to carry into 2026—especially for those who carry so much for others.

In a profession built on responsibility, it’s easy to start believing everything is yours to hold. It isn’t.

✨ Other people’s feelings are not your responsibility
✨ Saying “no” is a form of self-respect
✨ Just because you think it doesn’t mean it’s true
✨ You don’t have to earn rest
✨ You don’t need permission to prioritize yourself

For first responders, dispatchers, corrections officers, EMS, fire, and law enforcement—protecting your mental health is not weakness. It’s sustainability. You are allowed to set boundaries, rest your nervous system, and choose yourself, even when the job demands everything.

Take what you need. Leave the rest.
You matter beyond the uniform. 💙

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New Orleans, LA

Website

https://appliedhumansciences.wvu.edu/about/faculty-and-staff/faculty-dir

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