First Responder Services
Individual Responder Services
First responders deal with stress from multiple sources, operationally, organizationally, and increasingly from social expectations and views. It is difficult to be the best you can be and meet all the work, social and personal demands in life. We encourage first responders to take a pro-active approach to their mental health, using professionals not only to address problems and difficulties but to be part of a more comprehensive self-growth and mental health strategy.
Common issues we would deal with:
- Learning to manage the daily stressors of the job – self-development.
- Balancing and managing work and home life.
- Personal issues are impacting work performance.
- Operational and organizational stressors
- Noticing changes in mood, sleep, relationships
- Cumulative stress
- WSIB claims
- Support returning to work after an absence.
Our goal is to ensure you are:
- Functioning at an optimal mental and emotional level,
- Building self-awareness and insight - what is your mental fitness plan?
- Developing critical skills that assist coping in chronically high stress environments. Helping you manage negativity in the work
- Building and/or maintaining healthy relationships at home.
Agency Services
APS has extensive experience conducting pre-employment assessments for high-risk positions including Police, Firefighters, Nuclear Security and Specialized Military Units.
The goal of mental health checks or ‘safeguarding” to assist in ensuring a new position is a good fit for an individual; provide support and assist in self-monitoring while in high stress job roles; help identify problems early in order to lower long term negative consequences.
A psychological FFDE is a formal, specialized examination. The central purpose of an FFDE is to determine whether the employee is able to safely and effectively perform their essential job functions. With many high-risk positions, this may include questions of having access to use-of-force weapons. Part of our assessment is to consider what is in the best interest of the service, the client and the public.
What to Expect
The intake process will vary depending on the nature of the service you require.
Please reach out to our intake staff if you have any questions or concerns that may be specific to your situation.
Initial Paperwork
Prior to your initial appointment you will be required to complete paperwork that will include basic demographic and personal information, consent for services forms as well as information for payments
Office Visit
If you are coming to the office, have a seat in the waiting room. Your service provider will greet you in the waiting room.
Virtual Sessions
If you are scheduled for a secure virtual meeting, please ensure you have received a link prior to the meeting time. If you don’t recieve please contact the office immediately. You can use a computer or mobile device for virtual meeting; however, you need to ensure you have a private location allowing you to focus on the meeting and have solid wifi connection.
Overview of the Process
Generally, information provided to us is confidential with somelegal and ethical exceptions, which will be explained to you (and which are outlined in our consent document). If you have any questions about those policies, please ask.