In this episode of Beyond the 1st Response, Christy and Robyn discuss with Bob Barc, a Firefighter, who has a passion for peer support and clearing the mental Rolodex
The Rolodex
Bob started his firefighting career in a small town. The lessons started there, along with many experiences that developed his understanding of clearing the mental Rolodex. The Brain is much like a Rolodex, it pushes things back, so it gets lost among other events in life that push the old farther back. Barc makes a point to remind us that we have to push it forward to clear it out.
Family Rolodex
What can we do to help our family understand the replay of the events? Add a card to the family's Rolodex explaining that when there is a difficult call or calls start adding up, we can get stuck in that time, making it difficult for us to talk about what we saw. If family has that card to pull out when we come home a little different, this will help us all.
Stranger Therapy
There is something to be said at times when it feels like we want to fix something or someone and can’t to talk with a stranger. Barc talks about times when you can have a conversation in the back of the ambo, letting that person know that you are there to listen and help them understand this is just a moment in time. Being able to remove any preconceived notions of personally knowing the person. When that person moves on the next step in that moment, they hopefully have some of the stress removed, because the conversation has helped them process what has happened.
The Dinner Table
In a firehouse, everything is fixed at the table. Although, many things go unsaid that need to be released. Whether it is a call that just occurred or a build of struggles in someone's life. The dinner table is a place of no judgement and freedom to be open to the process. Regardless of where that dinner table sits, add it to the Rolodex on a card for you and your family. Pull that card as often as you can, so it keeps in the front of all the cards that are added during our life.
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