Awareness and First Aid

Trauma impacts people differently. An ER24 trauma support counsellor explains how specialist counselling helps first responders keep their mental health in check. 

For ER24 staff, handling calls about cardiac arrests, attending the scene of multi-vehicle accidents, assaults, drownings, and any number of emergency medical situations are a regular part of the job. But these intense and stressful experiences can significantly impact their mental health and overall wellbeing, says Nduduzo Vilakazi, a trauma support counsellor at ER24.

Paramedics and Contact Centre agents, known as Emergency Resource Officers (EROs), frequently face traumatic situations. And having to make quick life-and-death decisions under pressure increases the stress even more, explains Vilakazi.

Some first responders feel guilty and blame themselves if their patients don’t survive. EROs must provide advice over the phone to frightened family members who may be worried that their child is dying, or their mother is paralysed. Paramedics deal with traumatic scenes like severed limbs and burnt bodies at accident sites. If these experiences are not dealt with, they can negatively affect both their personal and professional lives.

ER24’s trauma counselling service

To tackle this problem, ER24 started a trauma counselling service in 2010. This service offers several forms of support, including:

  • Counselling over the phone or in person with a specialist trauma counselling team.
  • Help in managing severe incidents like hijackings, robberies, assaults on employees, and natural disasters.
  • Providing emotional support.
  • Referring individuals to a network of psychologists and psychiatrists when needed.

Tools to cope with trauma

“Our aim is to equip our paramedics and EROs with the tools to deal with traumatic events in healthy and appropriate ways,” says Vilakazi. “We want to empower people to clear their heads and not to bottle up their feelings.”

He adds that our bodies and minds aren’t designed to hold everything in. “Just like we need to get rid of food or drink we consume, we also need to release negative, traumatic experiences. If you don't express these feelings, you risk keeping the pain inside until it shows up in harmful ways, such as substance abuse, violence, or verbal abuse.”

Personalised approach to trauma counselling

The first step towards healing is to assess the extent of the trauma. “We talk to the person to see if their thinking or reasoning is affected,” Vilakazi explains. “We also observe their emotional state – are they angry, crying, falling apart? There is also the behavioural aspect – if they have any physical symptoms of stress such as headaches, chest pains, loss of appetite or insomnia.”

As a trauma support counsellor, he tailors his methods based on the individual’s personality. “Everyone’s coping mechanisms are different. For example, an introvert might internalise everything and pretend to be fine. In this case, I don’t overwhelm the person with questions. Instead, I listen and encourage them to talk about their experiences in a more relaxed way. I mostly stay quiet as they share what happened.”

Managing reactions to trauma

“As trauma support counsellors, we don’t expect you to ‘unhear, unsee or unfeel’ a traumatic event,” Vilakazi says. “Your mind has already registered it – we just want to help you manage your response to it so you can get back to living a productive and well-managed life.”

One of the first things ER24 trauma support counsellors suggest is physical exercise. This doesn't have to mean going to the gym; even a simple walk around the block can help stop you from dwelling on the negative event. “When you notice the sky, a neighbour, or a car, your mind will move away from negative thoughts,” says Vilakazi. “This helps prevent getting stuck in negative thinking and becoming depressed or anxious.” Spending time on hobbies and light activities, like playing cards, reading a book, or cooking, also helps.

ER24’s commitment to mental wellbeing

ER24 understands how important mental health is for the emergency medical services community. Looking after paramedics’ wellbeing means they can provide optimal care to patients in crisis and distress. “Taking steps to address mental health is crucial to ensure first responders can keep working effectively,” says Vilakazi.