North Bay Non-Profit Provides Holistic Help For First Responders

HEALDSBURG, CA — Coming out of an 18-month stretch when first responders and frontline workers saw their stress levels reach new levels because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, a Santa Rosa not-for-profit is helping train these vital workers in ways they may have never expected.

First Responders Resiliency, Inc., is striving to change the culture of work environments in local fire departments, police stations, hospitals and in other places and has trained more than 5,000 frontline workers since 2018, according to founder and executive director, Susan Ferren.

When a first responder attends a three-day training conference at Bishop’s Ranch in Healdsburg, they are exposed to several modalities that allows them to prevent injuries and illness that are caused by ongoing stress and trauma they are exposed to while on the job.

From yoga to meditation to better breathing techniques and energy discharge, first responders are taught how incorporating these modalities into their everyday life can improve their well-being.

“We are beginning to see a culture shift where these men and women are placing importance on their own health and well-being,” Ferren, a retired paramedic said in a news release.

First responders also learn how neuroanatomy, the nervous system, nutrition, substance abuse also factor into overall well-being and by going through training sessions over the three days, essential workers learn to take a more holistic approach to improving their lives.

The workers are also trained how to apply these principles to their lives on and off the job as they strive for a healthier way of life while coping with the stressors that often accompany their jobs.

First Responders Resiliency, Inc. is committed to improving the well-being of first responders — starting with themselves, they train those who save others to save themselves, according to a news release. The not-for-profit organization’s long-term goal is to build a legacy, the first-ever First Responder Resiliency Center in Cotati, followed by centers built across the nation.

The Resiliency Center will be for active and retired first responders and their families and will include massage rooms, yoga and meditation studios, a large lecture and conference hall, equine therapy, recovery programs, a cancer resource center, and family services department.