Behavioral Wellness Resources
Specializing in First Responder Behavioral Health
Behavioral Wellness Resources
Specializing in First Responder Behavioral Health
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About Us
The company, Behavioral Wellness Resources, is a progression from the “Scenes of Compassion” program created in 1995 by the company’s founder and CEO, Capt. Tim W. Dietz, EMT-P (retired). Tim recognized the impact stressful events had on human beings at tragic scenes, and his book “Scenes of Compassion, a Responder’s Guide for Dealing with Emergency Scene Emotional Crisis” has gained international attention as “the field guide” for assisting humans through emotional crisis. Tim took these principles into the first responder work setting as a foundation to understand the impact of stressful events on the responder. Tim then began building upon this “foundation” by gaining extensive experience working with first responders in their treatment and recovery of Acute and Post Traumatic Stress, and assisting first response organizations in their recovery of overwhelming, traumatic events. Behavioral Wellness Resources is a company that specializes in emergency responder behavioral health needs via education, professional counseling and setting up workplace behavioral health programs. The intent of Behavioral Wellness Resources is to have emergency responders enjoy their last years in the “service” as much as their first! The company is designed and dedicated to workplace stress recognition and reduction. The internationally recognized programs, custom designed for individual organizational needs, create stress awareness, build organization and responder stress resistance and resiliency, and help responders and organizations in recovery from overwhelming events. The programs, developed by a career firefighter who dedicated his career to keeping emergency responders healthy and happy in their high stress occupations, have seen great success in both the public and private sector.
About Tim
Tim W. Dietz, LPC Capt/Paramedic (retired) Founder, CEO of Behavioral Wellness Resources
Tim began his fire service career in Oregon in 1979. His first 22 years working on “the line” as a Company Officer/Paramedic, he retired at the end or 2008 as the Behavioral Health Specialist for a metropolitan fire district on the edge of Portland, Oregon. He is an internationally recognized speaker on crisis, grief, and staying happy and healthy in the emergency service professions. His career is devoted to teaching emergency responders and their organizations how to better serve the needs of emotionally traumatized people they may encounter at the scenes of injury or death, and he is also dedicated to preparing and providing tools for those emergency response organizations and individuals who are impacted by the inevitable stress that is an intrinsic part of their careers.
In addition to his fire service connections, Tim has worked with many organizations including the U.S. Coast Guard following hurricanes Katrina & Rita, the Oregon National Guard dealing with the combat stress associated with the Afghanistan and Iraq war, and the U.S. Forest Service, PNW Region 6. Tim was also one of the Clinical Advisors to the Peer Response Team at the Oso, WA mudslide. In 2017 Tim received the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation’s “Pioneering Spirit” Award as an “Industry Pioneer” for his programs on emergency scene control and compassion. He is a Licensed Professional Counselor and has a private practice specializing in first responder’s treatment and recovery from Acute Stress and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Oregon's beautiful Willamette Valley Tim is also the Director of the Oregon Chapter of the West Coast Post- Trauma Retreat.
Tim's guiding principles and philosophies for the company
· Make sure the men and women who have been hired into the “best job in the world,” continue to think that throughout their career (enjoy their last year as much as their first)
· To lose an employee who once thought they had the “best job in the world,” due to a stressful event or events should be unacceptable
· Create a “Culture” (embraced from the top of the organization to the bottom) that supports;
o We work in high stress occupations
o We hire human beings, and sometimes humans get overwhelmed
o It’s okay to say “that one got to me,” and then a system is in place to assist this individual
o Being overwhelmed IS NOT a sign of weakness or that you chose the wrong career…It’s a sign of being human!
Services Overview
Behavioral Wellness Resources works hard with organizations to create a “Culture” that understands and supports the notion that we hire human beings, and sometimes human beings can get overwhelmed!
Using the “Model,” to Build a Successful Behavioral Health Program
- Build the Foundation by Training all Employees on Stress Resistance, Resiliency and Recovery – i,e, Taking care of Ourselves and Each Other – PLUS taking care of our Customer when they are in crisis.
- Development of Internal Resources (Peer Teams), Identification/Training of External Resources (Culturally Competent Clinicians). and Development of Operational Guidelines to Assist Overwhelmed Employees.
- All Employee Continuing Education – Typically taught by Peer Team Members (Behavioral Wellness Resources has created several “Train the Trainers” for Peers to educate their co-workers.
- Complete these and you will have Resilient Employees and a Resilient Organization
We provide education and training to organizations, and their responders, on the impact of working in a stressful career and offering tools for stress resistance, stress resilience, and stress recovery, we create this “Culture” resulting in happy, healthy and productive emergency workers and organizations.
We also educate on and provide tools for self-care and adjustment to change, create and maintain organizational internal “Peer” teams, establish behavioral wellness programs including operational guidelines, and offer counseling to individuals as needed. It can all be found here.
Behavioral Wellness Resources also responds across the nation to the needs of communities, organizations, and individuals to assist in their recovery from overwhelming events. We can assist state and local resources or organizations in the management of disaster or workplace mental health response and provide specially trained mental health professionals and peer counselors to work with organizations and individuals in their recovery.
The intent of Behavioral Wellness Resources is to create organizational/responder resistance, enhance resilience, and aid organizations and individuals in recovery from work and life stressors.
Behavioral Wellness Resources Model
Program Samples
Additional Information
On-Site Classes designed to meet the needs of your organization/conference. Here is a “sampling” of what we offer….
Internationally recognized programs
- Scenes of Compassion; A Responders Guide for Dealing with Emergency Scene Emotional Crisis
- Emergency Worker Stress; Staying Happy & Healthy in the Emergency Services
- Coping Beyond the CISM Response; Practical Approaches for Reframing Traumatic Events
- Organizational Response to Crisis; Lessons Learned from the Field
- “Got Change?” Practical Approaches for Dealing with Change in the Ever-Changing Workplace
- Death Notification: Delivering the Worse News in the Best Way; Practical Skills for Responders & Clinicians.
Additionally, examples of other programs for the workplace
- Couples Communications; A “Successful Communications” Program for Emergency Workers and their Families
- Workplace Addiction Disorders; Giving the Skills for Co-Workers to help Co-Workers
- EAP Training for Therapists working with Emergency Responders
- Diffusing Angry & Escalating Behaviors in the Field.
- Disaster Mental Health
- Individual and Group Critical Incident Peer Team Development, Training and Maintenance (Certified through the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation [ICISF])
Behavioral Wellness Resources tailors all programs to meet your training/presentation needs, or can develop new programs to fit your organization goals. For Additional Educational Ideas, take a look at some of the Articles on the following page!
"Scenes of Compassion"
"Scenes of Compassion," A Responder's Guide for Dealing With Emergency Scene Emotional Crisis
This book offers the education and insight to become aware of the tremendous impact we have during even the most brief encounter with people going through significant emotional events, and will offer simple tools for scene compassion without becoming "too wrapped up in someone else's emotions." On the contrary, you will come away from even the most tragic scene with the knowledge and sense that you did the right thing.
Reviews
"In Scenes of Compassion author Tim Dietz clearly and concisely describes the benefits of emergency scene compassion for victims, survivors and first responders. What is said or not said during those initial critical moments has a lasting impact on victims and survivors. Not being adequately prepared to handle these difficult situations could contribute to the development of Compassion Fatigue. Practical skill building and self-care topics are woven throughout the book."
"Scenes of Compassion bridges the gap between technical skill and the human connection of helping others under stressful conditions. It should be mandatory reading for every student in an EMS program and is a great resource for all first responders."
"A very practical and encouraging book filled with information and inspiration. An important read for all chaplains and other leaders who work with first responders (Fire, Police, EMS). Excellent material for training in the art of compassionate care!"
"Very helpful, incisive for anyone interacting with family of victims in highly charged emergency events."
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"Managing A Fire Company"
John Brunacini and Tim Dietz have over 30 years of combined experience as Company Officers managing and supervising actual fire companies. Managing a Fire Company presents on an effective Company Officer’s traits and expectations, along with managing readiness, service delivery, HR matters, as well as addressing personnel issues in the most positive, corrective manner possible.
John Brunacini has always been passionate about writing a book to assist company officers in doing their jobs effectively and safely. He brought Tim in to write about everything the CO needs to understand to keep their crew mentally healthy!
Resources
