I have been working in the field of trauma and emergency response for the past 20 years. I've dealt with individuals, teams, organizations, and communities that have been through many types of critical incidents. I am committed not only to improving the lives of first responders, military personnel and communities but also to advancing the field of emergency response at a local, provincial, national and international level. My proactive style, vast experience, and widespread knowledge in the field are valued when it comes to framework and program development, keynote speaking, training, consulting, and intervention.
EXPERIENCE IN THE FIELD
International Keynote Speaker
University Associate Professor
Trauma Expert (PTSD & OSI) and National Subject Matter Expert
First Responder Trainer, Military and Corrections Resilience Trainer
Disaster Response Team Lead
Program Development Lead
Conflict-Resolution Consultant
Media Spokesperson
Hospital Director of Strategic Development (current)
Director of Community Crisis Services, Mental Health Services and Addiction Services (past)
EMDR Certified Clinician, Consultant and Facilitator
Mental Health and Addictions Leadership Advisory Council Member, Ministry of Health (Ontario)
ORGANIZATIONS
Canadian Red Cross
Office of the Fire Marshal and Emergency Management
NAV Canada
Ontario Provincial Police
Fire Departments (e.g. East Hawkesbury)
Paramedic Services (e.g. County of Lennox and Addington)
Ministries of Community Safety and Correctional Services, of Health, of Long Term Care, of Labour
(See "WHERE" under W5 below for a more extensive list)
SPEAKING AND TRAINING TOPICS
OSI AND PTSD
Boot Camp Trainings, Levels I and II
PTSD Advanced Trainings
PTSD and the Brain
RESILIENCE
Resiliency Training for First Responders, Modules 1 to 5
Top 10 Techniques to Empower Critical Incident Responders
How to Dispute My Thinking Distortions
Supercharge My Brain with ESER: Eat, Sleep, Exercise, Relax
Powerful Gains: Mindfulness and Self-Compassion
10 Most Impactful Rapid Relaxation Techniques
STRESS AND
ANXIETY
Mastering Stress and Anxiety
Calming Arousal and Stress Reactions
Overcoming Burnout, Compassion Fatigue and Trauma
EDMR THERAPY
EMDR: What's It All About?
Self-Help EMDR Techniques
POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY
Formula for Happiness and Wellness
Creating a Meaningful Life
Top Tactics to Thrive @ Home, Work & Play
21 Days to Wellness
DEPRESSION
Essential Steps to Beating Depression
From Surviving to Thriving: A Lifestyle of Difference
SUICIDE
AND LOSS
Dealing with the Aftermath of Suicide
Ultimate Guide to Suicide Prevention
Is There Life After Loss?
THE W5 OF SERVICES
WHO?
PUBLIC SAFETY FIELDS that benefit from services:
911 and All Emergency Call Takers and Dispatchers
Aviation
Corrections, Probation and Parole
Emergency Medicine
Firefighting
Forestry
Healthcare
Inquiries and Investigations
Military (Air Force, Army, Navy)
Paramedics
Peace Keeping
Peer Work
Police
(Municipal, Provincial, RCMP)Rescue Work
Security
Ski Patrol
Welfare Work
WHAT?
Types of SERVICES offered:
KEYNOTE SPEAKING AND TRAINING
From "how to be resilient" to “what are the lessons learnt from canadian frameworks”, my presentations cover a variety of topics. Participants' evaluations show a high level of satisfaction pertaining to personal growth and increased professional knowledge and competency. Participants tell me that they appreciate my dynamic style, compassionate outlook, experience, skills and knowledge in the field. I thoroughly enjoy speaking and training!
PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION
Clinical services are offered at the prevention level (e.g. resilience building and burnout and compassion fatigue prevention) and the intervention level (e.g. debriefing, counselling and psychotherapy), and on an ongoing basis (e.g. symptom management, self-help techniques, disputing thoughts, mindfulness and relaxation tactics). Of course, emergency intervention services during critical incidents are also available.
CONSULTATIONS AND PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT
Whether it be a telephone consultation about a problematic issue at work or full-fledged program development within an organization, community, ministry, or province, I have extensive experience in this field. From program conception to implementation, my approach is based on empirical facts, best practices, interprofessionalism, and respect for your environment and culture. Values of quality, integrity, equity, safety, excellence and compassion permeate all my development work.
COORDINATION AND DIRECTION
Leadership, entrepreneurship and collaboration are my strengths, as evidenced in all my activities relating to business and finances, team management, community engagement, strategic direction, quality improvements and media relations. I directed multi-million dollar crisis, mental health and addiction services. I provide consultation as well as hands-on coaching services.
WHEN?
CRITICAL INCIDENTS requiring services:
Abuse
Accidents
Deaths
Explosions
Homicides
Illnesses
Killings
Mass Fatalities
Natural Disasters
Sexual Assaults
Suicides
Workplace Harassment
Others
WHERE?
ORGANIZATIONS that have benefited from services:
Canadian Mental Health Association
East Hawkesbury Fire Department
Hawkesbury and District
General HospitalLahaie & Sullivan Funeral Homes
Military
Ministry of Community and Social Services
Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services
Ministry of Education
Ministry of Health
and Long-Term CareMinistry of Labour
Municipality of Champlain
NAV Canada
Office of the Fire Marshal
and Emergency ManagementOntario Provincial Police
Paramedic Service - United Counties
of Prescott-RussellRCMP
Royal Ottawa Health Care Group
Russell Township
School Boards, e.g. Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario
Others
Because I truly care for the field of public safety!
WHY?
RATIONALE for services:
Natural Disaster:
Clarence-Rockland Flood
EASTERN ONTARIO, 2017
A disaster intervention model integrating mental health services was developed during this natural disaster, involving an interprofessional team from the United Counties of Prescott-Russell Paramedic Service, the Clarence-Rockland Fire Department, Victim Services of Prescott-Russell, the Centre de santé communautaire de l'Estrie, the Eastern Ontario Health Unit and the Hawkesbury and District General Hospital.
There was a 24-hour turnaround time from the initial conception of the model to the physical set-up and to service delivery. What a team!
Thanks to all, especially the victims who sparked this initiative by sharing their needs and intervention ideas with us during community meetings.