In this episode, we discuss with three former and current emergency services for mental health and substance use issues, Susan Roggendorf, Cara Tirrell, and Bill Dwinnells. We discuss the highs and lows of the work we have done, how we got into the work, how it brought us closer to first responders, as well as some of the difficulties we all face. We also debate the word suicidality and how it is interpreted from a crisis clinician's point of view versus those who have never worked in the emergency department.
Susan Roggendorf is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor in Illinois and a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in Iowa. She's the LGBTQ+ owner of Coffelt Counseling Services in the Quad Cities. Susan works with folx living with anxiety in her LGBTQIA2s+ community. and with First Responders grappling with anxiety as well as other life issues. When not in her garden or busy annoying her adult kids, she's hosting and producing her own podcast, F*ck The Rules.
Bill Dwinnells has worked in the field of emergency services/crisis counseling for the last 26 years. He has worked with multiple law enforcement agencies helping to educate the officers on how to interact with mentally ill people. Bill has also created custom software for the management of emergency psychiatric service programs currently in use by multiple teams across the state. He also has a private practice where he works with individuals. You can reach his website here.
You can Cara Tirrell's website here.