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Building a Mental Health Toolkit for Public Safety Personnel

Introduction

Comment on QR codes

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I got married at the Fort Gary – I had not been back but it is neat to see the venue set up in different ways. I married an RCMP officer. For as long as I have been around there has always been friendly banter between Police and Fire. I gave birth to my first child 9 months ago….

As Im watching CJ crawl around in his cute outfits, dragging one leg behind him – my mind wanders to all of the people I have had the privilege of connecting with either through research, clinical work, or personal experiences. Looping through the words that create visuals but really cant emphasize the level of impact the stories have created on the person and those around them.

Public safety personnel face potentially traumatic events on a daily basis. Research shows that PTSD rates among PSP in Canada range from 10 to 30 percent. it’s important to note that trauma doesn’t always have to accumulate over years; even a single critical incident can trigger symptoms. When left unaddressed, stress and trauma can have serious consequences, not only for the individual but also for families, colleagues, and overall workplace safety.

Today, I will focus on two main areas. First, we’ll introduce the concept of a mental health toolkit; a practical, portable set of strategies and supports anyone can use to build pliability and flexibility. Second, we’ll explore an evidence-based intervention called Internet-delivered Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, or iCBT, which has been adapted specifically for Canadian PSP.

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CIPSRT: An Overview

PSPNET Related Research Systematic reviews

Gap analyses

Connecting PSP and researchers Evidence informed tools and resources for PSP

Research-Related

Knowledge Mobilization Evidence-Informed

Research Summaries

PSP Mental Health Information & Resources

Promotion and Outreach

The Hub

PSPNET

PSPNET for Families

Treatment

PSSC

ARCNET Community of Practice

Special Purpose Committees

Advisory Groups & Networks

Administrative Support

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Who We Serve

CIPSRT serves Canada’s public safety personnel. We recognize and aim to support those that are paid, volunteer, on scene, front line, management, uniformed, or not. This includes correctional officers, nurses, firefighters, boarder services, paramedics, police, dispatchers, and others who work in high-stress, high-risk environments.

You may wonder why tailored supports matter. PSP face repeated trauma, unpredictable environments, shift work, and constant pressures to balance safety and care. Generic programs often don’t address these realities, including concerns about stigma, confidentiality, and the intensity of exposure to traumatic events. CIPSRT develops programs that are tailored to PSP realities, accessible, confidential, and proven to improve well-being. For correctional nurses, these resources reflect your daily challenges and acknowledge the critical role you play in both patient care and workplace safety.

Border services officers
Correctional workers
Firefighters (career and volunteer)
Indigenous emergency managers
Operational intelligence personnel
Paramedics
Police (municipal, provincial, federal)
Public safety communicators
Search and rescue personnel

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Resources & Activities

Research

Treatment

Knowledge Translation

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Self-Guided Courses: Available Canada Wide!

Therapist Guided Courses: In indicated provinces

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The Case for a Mental Health Toolkit

Those of you here today understand the challenges PSP face. we've already talked about the prevalence of psychological injury for those working in public safety.

Research highlights the scope of the challenge: nearly half of PSP screened in a national survey met diagnostic criterial for at least one mental health disorder (Carleton et al., 2018), compared with about 10% of the general population. This comes from research from Dr Nick Carleton, a Canadian leading expert on PSP Mental Health.

The kinds of symptoms that can emerge are varied and may include:

Posttraumatic stress symptoms
Depression or persistent low mood
Anxiety or panic attacks
Anger or irritability
Difficulty sleeping
Social withdrawal or isolation
Substance use
Feeling “off” or disconnected
Flashbacks or intrusive thoughts

Left unaddressed, these challenges can have serious personal and professional consequences, affecting not only the individual but also coworkers, families, and workplace safety.

Managing mental health isn’t like applying a single Band-Aid to a cut. Imagine you reach into your first aid kit and the only option is a tiny Band-Aid. It might cover one small cut, but it won’t help for a sprain, a burn, or a larger wound. Mental health works the same way: relying on one strategy is rarely enough.

Different situations call for different approaches. Just as physical injuries require antiseptics, ice packs, or tweezers, mental health challenges demand a range of tools and strategies.

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Self-Awareness Tools

Self-Regulation Tools

Connection Tools

Recovery Tools

Toolkit Components

A personal mental health toolkit is a collection of evidence-informed strategies, resources, and supports you can draw on when needed. Depending on the situation, your toolkit might include mindfulness or grounding techniques to manage acute stress, peer support or team debriefs after a critical incident, access to professional mental health care, or practical stress-reduction strategies suited to the environment or situation. The goal is to have multiple options ready, much like a well-stocked first aid kit, so you can respond proactively rather than reactively.

Examples of things to do may be making sure to move your body every day, monitoring sleep patterns, practicing grounding techniques. It can also be learning to differentiate from the uniform, trying not to intermingle personal life with work.

Let's not forget about Peer support: sometimes the best way to reset is simply connecting with a colleague who understands.

By building this diverse set of tools, you have more than one option available when challenges arise. You have multiple ways to respond, much like a first aid kit prepared for any kind of injury, ensuring you can protect your mental health proactively, rather than reactively.

Making it to the end of the career is not about being unscathed but rather having the tools and supports to ensure injury is treated in a timely and responsive fashion.

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Self-Awareness Tools

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Self-Awareness Tools

Daily check-ins & mood tracking

Recognize warning signs early

Journaling/reflective practices

Regular self-assessment

Scan the QR code for CIPSRT’s self-assessment tools

It’s important to check in with yourself daily. Some days, you might wake up in a bad mood without realizing the impact it can have on others. Learning to pause, bring awareness to, and implement self-regulation strategies can help manage stress, bring down the body based responses, and recognize when additional support is needed.

Daily check-ins can be simple - using a journal, a mobile app, or even a quick 1-to-10 rating for your mental and physical health. Recognizing early warning signs like irritability, fatigue, withdrawal, or feeling “off” helps prevent small issues from escalating into larger mental health challenges.

Encouraging daily check-ins and mood tracking is a simple yet powerful way to build self-awareness and emotional intelligence. Taking a few moments each day to reflect on how you are feeling – physically, mentally, and emotionally, you can begin to notice patterns and triggers that may otherwise go unnoticed.

For those interested in CIPSRT's self assessment tools, you can use the attached QR link to access the screening tools available. These evidence based tools can help you monitor your mental health on a monthly or quarterly basis, allowing you time to plan and carry out interventions or access supports if needed.

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Self-Regulation Tools

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Self-Regulation Tools

What is self-regulation?

Tactile tools

Self-regulation apps

Taking a moment to reflect - how many of you bounce your foot during meetings (or this presentation)? Snap your gum? Click your pen? Twirl your hair? Bite your nails, lips, or cheek? Chew on candies? Peel paper? These are all examples of ways that each of us self-regulates on a daily basis. Many of us have developed self-regulation strategies without realizing it, and some of us rely heavily on using external self-regulation strategies than others.

Self-regulation is the ability to manage your emotional and physiological responses, especially in high-stress or high-stakes situations—a skill that is absolutely essential for public safety personnel.

It involves recognizing when you're becoming overwhelmed, anxious, or reactive, and using strategies to bring yourself back to a state of calm and control. This doesn’t mean suppressing emotions, but rather acknowledging them and choosing how to respond in a way that aligns with your values and responsibilities. In the context of emergency services, self-regulation can be the difference between reacting impulsively and responding with clarity and professionalism.

For example: (include a personal example of how you use self-regulation in your day-to-day)

Conversely, we can use self-regulation to get us ready for an activity when we are feeling low motivation or energy. Essentially, we can use it when we need to get hyped up.

Incorporating self-regulation into your mental health toolkit means having a set of go-to techniques that help you stay grounded. These might include breathing exercises, grounding techniques like the 5-4-3-2-1 method, using tactile tools (e.g., stress balls or textured objects), or even short mindfulness practices. Some people quite enjoy mindfulness exercises and there are a variety of apps and websites that are either free or low cost you can use such as CALM and quietkit.com

Apps designed for anxiety and stress management can also be helpful, offering guided exercises that can be used on the go. Practicing these tools regularly—even when you're not in crisis—helps build the "muscle memory" needed to access them quickly when it counts.

Purposeful review of internal and external self regulation strategies is important when developing your own mental health toolkit. What are you already doing, what might you add on and are there any external resources like apps or website that can support you in this area?

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Self-Regulation Activity

I know we are towards the end of the conference and you've been presented with a lot of information. Sometimes when we are faced with new learning, it can be a great time to do some self regulation and bring yourself back to a homeostatic state.

�Now, because conferences tend to be sedentary, I am guessing that most of us are feeling sluggish or sleepy, so we are going to do a stimulating self-regulation break today...

�

“Stand Up If…” – Rapid Connection Energizer (5–7 minutes)

Purpose: To get people moving, laughing, and connecting through shared experiences—while reinforcing the theme of connection and mental wellness.

How It Works:

Ask everyone to stand up.

Read a series of light, inclusive prompts. If the statement applies to someone, they stay standing; if not, they sit down.

After each prompt, give a moment for people to look around and notice who’s still standing—this builds connection and normalizes shared experiences.

Prompts:

“Stand up if you’ve ever worked a night shift.”

“Stay standing if you’ve ever helped a teammate through a tough day.”

“Stand up if you’ve ever felt overwhelmed at work.”

“Stand up if you’ve ever used humor to cope with stress.”

“Stand up if you’ve tried a new mental health tool in the last year.”

Wrap-Up:

Look around—notice how many of us share these experiences. You’re not alone. Connection is one of the most powerful tools in our mental health toolkit – which we will talk about next!

�How are you feeling now? Check in with the body.

Other self regulation strategies can include:

1. Thought-Stopping

What to do: When you notice a distressing or unhelpful thought, mentally say “Stop!” or visualize a stop sign. Then replace it with a more balanced or constructive thought.

Why it works: Interrupts negative thought spirals and gives you a chance to reframe.

2. Cognitive Reframing

What to do: Ask yourself, “What’s another way of looking at this?” or “If a colleague were in this situation, what would I tell them?”

Why it works: Helps shift perspective and reduce catastrophizing or all-or-nothing thinking.

3. 5-4-3-2-1 Grounding

What to do: Name 5 things you can see, 4 things you can feel, 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can smell, 1 thing you can taste.

Why it works: Brings you back to the present moment and calms the nervous system.

4. Breathing with a Statement

What to do: Inhale slowly while saying to yourself, “I am safe,” and exhale while saying, “I can handle this.”

Why it works: Combines breath control with calming self-talk, reducing physiological and cognitive stress.

5. Brief Thought Record

What to do: Mentally go through: What happened? What did I feel? What did I think? What’s the evidence for and against that thought? What’s a more balanced thought?

Why it works: Helps challenge automatic negative thoughts and strengthen emotional regulation.

These exercises are especially helpful when practiced regularly, so they become second nature during high-pressure moments.

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Connection

Tools

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Connection Tools

Peer support programs

Designated support contacts

PSPConnect

Scan the QR code for peer support program guidelines

Peer support is one of the most powerful tools in our mental health toolkits. It offers a unique kind of understanding and validation that can only come from someone who has walked a similar path. When peers are trained to listen, support, and guide others through difficult moments, it creates a bridge between informal conversation and professional help.

Many peer support programs provide evidence-informed frameworks for peer support that are tailored to the realities of public safety personnel. Informal peer connection is also valuable, and can provide you with an outlet to share your experiences and receive validation. At CIPSRT, we offer PSP Connect, which is an informal peer connection group that meets virtually throughout the year.

Including peer support in your mental health toolkit means knowing who your peer contacts are, how to access them, and understanding that reaching out is a sign of strength—not weakness.

Designated support contacts: (crisis lines, chaplains, peer leaders)

Building a culture of support within teams starts with intentional leadership and everyday actions. It means creating an environment where checking in on each other is the norm, not the exception. Leaders and team members alike can foster this culture by modeling vulnerability, encouraging open conversations about mental health, and celebrating efforts to maintain wellness. Simple practices—like starting meetings with a quick emotional check-in, recognizing signs of burnout early, or making space for informal peer debriefs—can go a long way.

Referencing the Peer Support Guidelines can help teams develop a shared language and structure for support. Ultimately, a supportive culture doesn’t just help individuals—it strengthens the entire team’s resilience and operational effectiveness.

For more information on peer support guidelines, please follow the QR code on the screen.

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Recovery

Tools

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Recovery Tools

Nature therapy, hobbies, exercise

Setting boundaries, utilizing debriefing or detachment strategies after critical calls

Formal, evidence-based treatment, such as cognitive behavioural therapy

Scan the QR code to access PSPMentalHealth.ca

Recovery strategies are a foundational part of any mental health toolkit, especially for those working irregular schedules and high-stress environments. This includes post-shift decompression routines, structured time off, and deliberately stepping away from work stress. Simple tools can help, like a personalized sleep checklist, calming rituals, or resources like the CIPSRT Sleep Toolkit.

Nature, animals, hobbies, and movement also play a vital role. Spending time outdoors can reduce stress hormones and boost mood, hobbies give purpose and joy outside work, and physical activity - from walking to yoga or team sports - helps regulate stress and improve overall well-being. Think of your toolkit as a “wellness menu”: a list of go-to activities, local trails, or a weekly self-care plan you can rely on. Within the PSPNET Wellbeing Course which we will talk about shortly, we actually include a "100 activities to try" list that can be helpful when starting out and planning recovery strategies.

Equally important is setting boundaries. Mentally “clocking out” at the end of a shift, limiting exposure to traumatic content, or saying no when your capacity is full helps protect your mental health. After critical calls, simple strategies like quiet reflection, peer check-ins, grounding exercises, or a short walk can prevent stress from building. These aren’t about avoiding the job; they’re about making sure you don’t carry it all alone.

For situations where you want more structured support, Internet-delivered Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (iCBT) through PSPNET offers confidential, evidence-based treatment tailored to public safety personnel, giving you another evidence-informed tool for your toolkit. Additional PSP supports can be found by following the QR code.

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Internet-Delivered Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (iCBT) www.pspnet.ca

Evidence-based & Studied for 20+ Years

Effective for many mental health disorders

Private

Convenient

Economical

I want to now introduce you to PSPNET, a Canadian initiative that provides free (to the user), confidential online Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (iCBT). There are therapist-guided and self-guided options, and the program is specifically designed for public safety personnel, including first responders and, their spouses or significant others.

PSPNET was developed with direct input from PSP, so it reflects the realities of your work: shift schedules, high-stress environments, and even the stigma that sometimes surrounds seeking help. Courses are multimedia-enriched, available in English and French, and accessible anywhere, which makes it easier to fit into busy schedules or remote locations.

The initiative was founded and is led by Dr. Heather Hadjistavropoulos, an international leader in internet-delivered CBT, under the Canadian Institute for Public Safety Research and Treatment (CIPSRT) with funding from Public Safety Canada.

When it comes to supporting your well-being, you deserve access to interventions that are rigorously tested, clinically effective, and tailored to your reality as correctional professionals. iCBT represents exactly that: a protocol with proven results.

PSPNET can be a key part of your mental health toolkit. It provides structured, evidence-based strategies to manage stress, anxiety, and trauma and it’s confidential, so you can use it safely and at your own pace.

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English &

French

English

Only

English &

French

ON, NB, NS, PEI, QC, & SK

Across

Canada

Wellbeing Course

Therapist Guided

Self Guided

Spouse Course

PTSD

Course

Therapist Guided

Sleep

Course

Therapist

Guided

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Therapist Guided Courses

We offer three therapist guided evidence-based courses specifically tailored to meet the needs of Canadian PSP.

All therapist-guided courses can be completed in as little as eight weeks, with most participants finishing in 10–12 weeks. A certificate of completion is provided at the end of each course. Each course teaches the foundational skills of CBT in a ladder style learning approach, letting you learn and practice skills each week before moving on to new content.

The PSP Wellbeing Course teaches practical cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) skills to manage symptoms of anxiety and depression.
The PSP PTSD Course focuses on skills to manage trauma and posttraumatic stress symptoms, designed specifically for PSP- no formal diagnosis is required.
Our newest addition, the Sleep Course, provides CBT-based strategies to improve sleep quality, helping participants rest better and recover more effectively.

Skills delivered by website

Focus on engagement through design

Clients work at their own pace

Course materials are accessible at any time

Therapist provides support

Brief weekly check-ins

Focus on answering questions and encouraging skill practice

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Self-Guided Courses

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Symptom Identification

Thought Challenging

Managing Physical Symptoms

Managing Avoidance and Safety Behaviours

Relapse Prevention

Internet-Delivered Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (iCBT)

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is a type of talk therapy that helps people understand how their thoughts, feelings, and actions are connected. The idea is that unhelpful thoughts can lead to difficult emotions and behaviours—and by learning to spot and change those thoughts, people can improve how they feel and respond in daily life. CBT is practical, goal-oriented, and focuses on building skills you can use right away, like problem-solving, coping strategies, and ways to see situations from a new perspective.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) typically follows a few key stages, beginning with assessment and goal setting, where the therapist and client work together to understand concerns and set clear objectives. This is followed by exploring patterns of thoughts, feelings, and behaviours to identify those that may be unhelpful. Clients then learn and practice practical skills—such as challenging negative thoughts, problem-solving, and relaxation techniques—both in sessions and in real-life situations. As therapy progresses, these skills are applied more independently, and the process concludes with reviewing progress and planning for long-term maintenance.

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99%

Agreed it was worth their time.

99%

Would refer a friend.

90%

Reported increased confidence in managing symptoms.

Based on 94% completion of Week-8 satisfaction survey.

Treatment That Works

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At PSPNET, all of our research is published, peer-reviewed, and we update our outcome statistics monthly on our website for those who want to dive deeper.

When we look at results, 40 to 70 percent of our participants experience clinically significant change, depending on their initial symptoms. To put that into perspective, imagine what it feels like for someone experiencing depression, anxiety, or posttraumatic stress symptoms to have those symptoms decrease by one or more severity categories. These are substantial, tangible changes. Not just numbers on a chart!

And the impact goes beyond the individual. Previous clients have shared stories of real-world effects: children noticing their parents improved moods at home, supervisors commenting on positive changes at work, and even spouses choosing to participate in the PSPNET SSO course after seeing the difference in their partner’s wellbeing. It really shows how these programs can ripple out and support whole families and teams.

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Spouse or Significant Other Wellbeing Course

Knowledge

Strategies & Skill Building Tools

As we know, families are also impacted by the occupational risks associated with public safety work.

PSPNET Families launched in February 2022 as a wellbeing hub designed specifically for families of public safety personnel (PSP), providing information, strategies, and a self-guided ICBT course tailored to their unique needs PSPNET.

The initiative was made possible through funding from the Public Health Agency of Canada, and is a collaborative effort among:

PSPNET (within the Canadian Institute for Public Safety Research and Treatment at the University of Regina),

The Families Matter Research Group at Queen’s University, and

The Child Trauma Research Centre at the University of Regina

The project is led by three co-principal investigators:

Dr. Heather Hadjistavropoulos (University of Regina),

Dr. Heidi Cramm (Queen’s University), and

Dr. Nathalie Reid (University of Regina)

Inside PSPNET families you will find a knowledge resource centre, information on strategies and skill building tools, as well as the Spouse or Significant other Wellbeing course. This is a self-guided, internet-delivered, cognitive behavioural therapy program designed to support a PSP spouse or significant other in their BEING well with preventing or managing symptoms like depression, anxiety, worry, low mood, or stress. Many spouses take this course in order to better understand the emotional needs of their spouse or significant other.

Much like the iCBT course offered through PSPNET, topics Include:

Identifying the cycle of symptoms

Managing unhelpful thoughts

Managing physical symptoms

Managing avoidance and safety behaviours

Relapse prevention and goal setting

Improving sleep

Communication, assertiveness and problem solving

Anger and grief exploration

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Scan the QR code to access

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“To say I was skeptical in the beginning of the course was a huge understatement. I have been blown away by the progress.”

“I have talked to lots of my colleagues about how wonderful and easy this course is to access and how it helped me.”

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“I’m the type of person that really dislikes sitting in a room with a complete stranger and spilling my guts out and letting my guard down. This course has helped me more than a one-on-one appointment ever would have.”

“I loved that the course is focused on first responders. First responders often feel isolated because of their experiences, reading about cases similar to mine helped me feel less alone with what I'm experiencing in my life.”

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Building Your Personal Toolkit

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Ask Yourself...

What already works for me?

What new tools am I willing to try?

Who is on your support team?

What is in my mental go-bag?

Okay, this is where the work comes in…. you can use your phone for this, or a sheet of paper. I want you to record responses to the following….

What tools already work for you? These might be strategies you have used instinctively or intentionally—like going for a walk after a tough shift, talking to a trusted colleague, or using a breathing technique before a call.

What new tool are you going to try? This could include something we talked about during the session—like grounding exercises, journaling, or peer support programs, or something that you’ve heard about elsewhere. Remember, not every tool will work for everyone, and that’s okay. We all have our own needs and preferences.

Who’s on your support team? Who are the people you can turn to when things get tough. This might include coworkers, family, friends, peer supporters, or clinicians.

What else should be in your “mental go-bag? Make a note of the essential tools, reminders, or resources you can carry with you to stay grounded and supported. This can be a calming app, a grounding object, a mantra, or a list of emergency contacts.

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How do we support a coworker?

How can we support you to develop a mental health toolkit?

How can leadership help model mental wellness?

How can we integrate mental readiness as a core component of operational readiness?

Ask Others...

Ask others: Supporting a coworker in distress begins with creating a psychologically safe environment where individuals feel seen, heard, and respected. It’s important to recognize early signs of distress—such as withdrawal, irritability, or changes in performance—and approach the individual with empathy and discretion. A simple check-in like, “I’ve noticed you’ve seemed a bit off lately—want to talk?” can open the door to meaningful support. Listening without judgment, offering to connect them with resources (such as peer support or mental health professionals), and following up consistently are key actions.

The CIPSRT guide on supporting a coworker provides practical steps and language to use in these situations.

Leadership plays a pivotal role in shaping the mental wellness culture of an organization. When leaders model healthy behaviors—such as taking mental health days, openly discussing stress management, or participating in wellness programs—they signal that mental health is a priority, not a weakness. This modeling helps dismantle stigma and empowers others to seek help without fear of judgment. Beyond individual behavior, leaders can advocate for systemic changes, such as integrating mental health training into onboarding, ensuring access to confidential support services, and embedding wellness into operational planning.

-Ultimately, fostering a culture of mental readiness requires a shift from reactive to proactive approaches.

-Just as physical fitness is essential for operational readiness, so too is psychological resilience.

-This cultural shift involves normalizing conversations about mental health, embedding wellness practices into daily routines, and recognizing that mental preparedness is a shared responsibility.

-Organizations and individuals that embrace this mindset not only protect their people but also enhance performance, cohesion, and long-term sustainability.

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Steps You Can Take

Model the behavior you want to see — use CIPSRT resources, and be open to discussing your experience
Normalize discussions about mental health
Openness, transparency, support
Encourage colleagues to get involved with PSP Connect
Advocate for access to mental health resources

Appoint someone to be your team’s liaison with CIPSRT Outreach
Have mental health and wellbeing resources readily available

E.g., Place mental health resource weblinks on your desktop or your Intranet

Reach out — we’re always happy to direct you to further resources or to give talks to your team

Within Yourself

Within Your Organization

Further Steps

Prioritize sleep and rest
Eat well
Stay physically active
Connect with peers
Manage stress
Practice self-compassion
Know when to reach out for help
Build your mental health toolkit!
Take part in PSP Connect meetings

Follow the QR code for CIPSRT resources

Before we wrap up, let’s talk about practical steps you can take:

On a personal level, continue your daily self-check-ins, use your mental health toolkit, access PSPNET iCBT or other evidence-based supports, and set clear boundaries to protect your time and energy.

Within your organization, engage in peer support or informal check-ins, encourage open conversations about stress, participate in wellness initiatives, and advocate for training and resources that support your team’s mental health.

Beyond yourself and your immediate workplace, involve your family in wellbeing planning through resources like PSPNET Families, seek professional support when needed, and stay informed using CIPSRT webinars, guides, and resources. By sharing what you’ve learned and modeling resilience, you also help shift organizational culture toward mental readiness and psychological safety.

Taking these steps, personally, organizationally, and beyond, ensures that the strategies we’ve discussed today actually make a difference in your life, your team, and your family.

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How can you help us help you?

As we wrap up today, I want to leave you with a simple but important message: you don’t have to navigate the challenges of this work alone.

We’ve covered a lot: building a personal mental health toolkit, using self-regulation and recovery strategies, engaging in peer support, accessing evidence-based interventions like PSPNET iCBT, supporting your families, and creating a culture of psychological safety at work. Each of these tools is designed to help you stay grounded, resilient, and effective, both personally and professionally.

Now, the question is: how can we help you?

Access resources: Take advantage of CIPSRT and PSPNET tools. They’re free, confidential, and tailored for public safety personnel and their families.
Reach out for support: Connect with peers, supervisors, or mental health professionals when you need it. Asking for help is a strength, not a weakness.
Implement your toolkit: Use the strategies you’ve reflected on today: grounding exercises, recovery routines, journaling, or any other practices that resonate with you.
Build a supportive culture: Model wellness for others, check in with coworkers, and encourage open conversations about mental health in your teams.

Ultimately, we’re here to provide the knowledge, resources, and support you need to protect your mental health and thrive in this demanding work.

Remember: taking care of yourself isn’t optional. It’s essential. By prioritizing your wellbeing, you not only protect yourself but also strengthen your teams, your families, and the communities you serve.

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Questions?

We’re here when you need us!

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