Igniting the Shift Within: From Stress to Strength: The Power of Retreats

David Dachinger talks with Dr. Tracy S. Hejmanowski who is a licensed clinical psychologist with 24 years of expertise focused on occupational stress and trauma among first responders and military communities. She served as an active duty and contracted Navy psychologist for 19 years and is the founder of First Responder Project, running retreats for 13 years. She is an IAFF-trained Red/Blue Line Rescue provider. In this episode, Dr. Tracy Hejmanowski discusses the essential practice of resetting and recalibrating for firefighters. She highlights the risk of losing compassion and judgment without periodic self-care, which can lead to numbness or reckless behavior. Tracy's First Responder Project runs restorative retreats for first responders and their spouses, emphasizing the need to decompress and reconnect. These retreats allow individuals to be human, learn from one another, and benefit from nature and team-building. She stresses the necessity of taking time for healing to ensure firefighters can sustain their crucial work while maintaining healthy relationships.