UCF RESTORES-Trauma Therapy Program

12/19/2025

✨ Happy Holidays from UCF RESTORES! ✨

Our office will be closed beginning Friday, December 19, so our team can spend time with loved ones and recharge for the year ahead. We will resume normal operations on Monday, January 5, 2026.

We are grateful for our community, our partners, and the individuals and families we’re honored to support. Wishing you all a safe, peaceful, and joyful holiday.

12/16/2025

🎉 3,000 trained and growing! 🎉

Yesterday, we proudly reached a major milestone for our REACT Peer Support Training Program: 3,000 participants trained since the program first began in 2017!

We were excited to mark this achievement during our REACT training with the Altamonte Springs Police Department and the Seminole County Sheriff's Office, complete with a cake to celebrate.

Thank you to every department, participant, partner and team member who has helped make REACT what it is today. Together, we’re strengthening peer support, and mental wellness and resilience across Florida’s first responder community.

12/16/2025

UCF RESTORES offers a peer support training program called REACT:

Recognize. Evaluate. Advocate. Coordinate. Track.

REACT gives first responders hands-on, confidence-boosting experiences that prepare them to support their peers. Participants learn how to recognize signs of “stress injuries,” assess a colleague’s well-being, offer meaningful peer support, and know when to connect someone with professional care.

For more information on UCF RESTORES’ REACT training program, please email the REACT team at REACTPeerSupport@ucf.edu.

REACT provides all participants with mastery experiences, designed to give them challenges at which they can succeed, bolstering confidence in their ability ...

12/12/2025

UCF RESTORES, now proudly including the 2nd Alarm Project, is a nationally recognized leader in trauma treatment and mental health training. Anchored in cutting-edge research, innovative clinical care, and strong community partnerships, we are dedicated to restoring hope and resilience for individuals and communities alike.

At the Rosengren Trauma Clinic, we provide specialized care for first responders, veterans, active-duty military, and survivors of mass violence, natural disasters, and other traumatic events. Based in Orlando, our expert team employs advanced, evidence-based therapies and technology to address trauma and PTSD, offering a range of treatment options tailored to everyone’s needs.

Discover how we can support you on the path to healing at

The 2nd Alarm Project has joined UCF RESTORES, strengthening our commitment to first responder mental health. Together, we’re setting a new standard of care ...

12/09/2025

UCF RESTORES offers two free, self-paced online trainings for clinicians supporting first responders.

Each course is:
✔️ Developed by trauma experts
✔️ Grounded in real-world experience and practical strategies
✔️ Designed to build trust, reduce stigma, and support culturally informed care
✔️ APA-approved for CE credit
✔️ A pathway to registration on Blueline & Redline Rescue

Equip yourself to support first responders with confidence and compassion:
🧑‍🚒 Firefighters: ucfrestores.com/training/supporting-firefighter-mental-wellness
👮 Law Enforcement: ucfrestores.com/training/supporting-law-enforcement-mental-wellness

12/04/2025

We’re proud to share that UCF RESTORES Executive Director Deborah Beidel, Ph.D., ABPP has been named Big 12 Conference 2025 Faculty of the Year - University of Central Florida – an honor recognizing her extraordinary impact on trauma treatment and mental health care.

A Pegasus Professor and internationally renowned clinical researcher, Dr. Beidel has spent her career transforming how PTSD is understood and treated. Her pioneering use of virtual reality has led to treatments more effective than traditional approaches, offering renewed hope to veterans, first responders, and emergency workers.

This year, she and the UCF RESTORES team also launched the nation’s first mobile Resiliency Command Center, bringing on-site support to crisis scenes and strengthening mental health care for those who serve our communities.

Dr. Beidel’s compassion, innovation, and unwavering dedication continue to shape lives and inspire change.

Please join us in celebrating this incredible achievement! Congratulations, Dr. Beidel! 🎉

Beidel is a Pegasus Professor internationally known for her ground-breaking research and effective treatments for veterans, first responders and emergency workers with PTSD.

12/04/2025

UCF RESTORES is redefining trauma care with innovative techniques such as exposure therapy and virtual reality. Our evidence-based methods empower individuals to regain control of their lives and rediscover hope after trauma.

Check out how our treatment programs can make a difference: https://ucfrestores.com/treatment/.

The Rosengren Trauma Clinic at UCF RESTORES provides clinical treatment services to first responders, front-line medical personnel, military veterans, activ ...

12/01/2025

A new statewide study led by UCF RESTORES Deputy Executive Director Kellie O’Dare, Ph.D., highlights both meaningful progress and critical gaps in mental health support across Florida’s EMS and fire-rescue agencies.

The study found that while 76% of agencies offer resources like peer support or EAPs, many face barriers from limited funding or lack of leadership support. Only 40% regularly evaluate whether their programs work and there’s a clear need to expand access to behavioral health services and move beyond traditional, one-size-fits-all models.

Review the full study and explore its recommendations for improving mental wellness in our first responder communities here: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15555240.2025.2569084?src= .

Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and Fire-Rescue professionals may face significant stress and exposure to potentially traumatic events, which can impact their mental health. In Florida, oversight ...

11/26/2025

Wishing everyone a Happy Thanksgiving week from our team at UCF RESTORES!

Our office will be closed starting today, Wednesday, November 26 in observance of the holiday. We will resume normal operations on Monday, December 1.

We are grateful for our community, our partners, and all those we’re honored to support each day.

Have a safe and restful holiday!

11/23/2025

Than you for all your hospitality, Brevard County Fire Rescue. It was a wonderful 2 days.

11/19/2025

Don’t miss this great opportunity to strengthen mental wellness within your department.

UPDATE: This training is full. If you are interested in being added to the waitlist and receiving notification of future dates and locations, please fill out the interest form:

https://airtable.com/appd6JqJ894JrohjF/shrtWwhfFCPaQsytk

🚒 Calling All Florida Fire Service Leaders, Peer Support Members & Training Officers

Ready to strengthen mental wellness in your department from the inside out?

The 2nd Alarm Project @ UCF RESTORES is excited to launch the Firefighter Mental Wellness Train-the-Trainer Program — a statewide initiative offered at no cost to departments that helps fire service agencies build long-term, in-house mental health training capacity. Instead of relying on outside instructors, your own team can become qualified to deliver our 3-hour, evidence-informed Firefighter Mental Health Awareness Course. This brings greater credibility, consistency, and sustainability to the way your agency supports its members.

📅 Upcoming Session — Orlando, FL
💻 Start with a self-paced online curriculum review
👥 Then join us for a 2-day, hands-on workshop on December 10–11, 2025

🔥 Who Should Attend?
Fire Departments are encouraged to send individuals who are passionate about wellness and training—whether from peer teams, command staff, or training divisions—to help lead the movement toward proactive, sustainable mental wellness in the Florida first responder community. The goal is for participants to take this training back to their agencies and continue delivering mental health awareness education to their members.

🎓 Training Includes:
✅ Trainer manual & teaching materials
✅ Access to the online Trainer Portal
✅ Quarterly support calls
✅ Additional technical support as needed

Only 5 seats left for the Orlando training — reserve yours today:
👉 https://qrco.de/bgQZwS jj st srrrm

11/14/2025

Over the past several weeks, UCF RESTORES has shared stories, strategies, and insights through our Stronger Together video series – created to support the families and partners of first responders.

From recognizing signs of stress and communicating with empathy, to navigating the challenges of shift work and prioritizing self-care, each video offered practical tools to help families build resilience and connection.

One theme has been clear throughout: you are not alone.

First responder families carry a unique emotional load, but when we lean on support systems, open conversations, and care for our own well-being, we create stronger, healthier families and communities.

Thank you to everyone who followed along each video of this series. Our goal is to ensure first responders and their loved ones have the tools and support they need to thrive. If you missed any topic, you can revisit them all here:

Being part of a first responder family is something truly special. The experience can be filled with pride, purpose, and strength. When a member of your fam ...