first responder wellness

UP first faq

1. What is UP First?

UP First is a psychological resilience skill training program for first responders. Over the course of five appointments you will learn skills for how to more effectively manage your emotions, thinking, behaviour, and relationships both at home and at work.

2. What is Unique about UP First?

UP First is based on the Unified Protocol, which is a set of Cognitive Behavioural skills that decades of research have established as uniquely practical and helpful for improving and maintaining psychological health (Barlow, 2011). Recent research completed with Canadian police recruits further demonstrates Unified Protocol skills as helpful for building resilience for police officers (Carleton, et al., 2022). UP First is the adaptation of Unified Protocol skills to a first responder context.

3. Does Broadleaf Health have experience working with first responders?

Led by Dr. Andrew Ekblad, Broadleaf Health is an interdisciplinary clinic with physical offices in Guelph and providing online and phone based services throughout Ontario as well as Newfoundland and Labrador.

The majority of Dr. Ekblad’s clinical work currently relates to the assessment and treatment of psychological difficulties faced by those who work in policing. Dr. Ekblad is a sought after public speaker who has provided hundreds of training days on topics such as post-traumatic growth, resilience, peer support, and the impacts of a first responding career on family members throughout Canada during his career.

He is the Founder and Director of Broadleaf Health, a psychological and wellbeing clinic with offices in Waterloo and Guelph, ON. Broadleaf Health staff provide services (e.g., assessments, wellness check-ins, post-critical incident psycho-educational sessions) to persons employed in policing. Dr. Ekblad has participated in police and other first responder ride-alongs in the U.S. and Canada. Broadleaf Health is a multi-disciplinary practice which exclusively provides evidence-based treatment and assessments for individuals with a range of psychological needs (including but not limited to both assessment and treatment of trauma).

Dr. Ekblad is an Adjunct Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at McMaster University. He received his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Duke University in 2009. He has been registered in Autonomous Practice with the College of Psychologists of Ontario since 2009.

4. Can UP First lead to regular appointments with a clinician at Broadleaf Health?

Yes, if you wish. While the UP First program is designed as a brief resilience skill training program, it is also an opportunity to build a working relationship with a clinician who has an understanding of the unique psychological experiences of the first responder. Some first responders meet with Broadleaf Health clinicians for:

1. Annual “Wellness Check” appointments.

2. Review of skills beyond those included in UP First.

3. Regular appointments to address longstanding psychological, relationship, or other challenges.

5. Will my benefits cover the expense of UP First?

Yes, UP First and all other services provided by Broadleaf Health are typically covered by the benefit plans of first responder agencies.

6. I’m not sure UP First is for me, can I speak with someone to learn more?

Yes, we are happy to schedule a no cost phone call with Dr. Ekblad or one of our other staff members to tell you more about the program.

7. I am interested, what’s next?

Contact us and we will set you up for an appointment. Appointments can typically be scheduled in 1-2 weeks and we can work flexibility around your schedule.

Contact our administrator:

Email: admin@broadleafhealth.ca

Phone: (519) 265-7734

Web site: https://www.broadleafhealth.ca/contact

REINTEGRATION/ RETURN TO WORK

Reintegration or return to work can be one of the most meaningful and complicated steps in the recovery process of a first responder. Fortunately, Broadleaf Health has experience working with hundreds of first responders as they navigate the return to work process. While each responder’s situation is different, Broadleaf Health tailors its response to the needs of each particular responder. Key factors that are considered include assessing the reasons that led the responder to be off work initially and the duration of the leave up to that point. We regularly collaborate with employers and WSIB in order to facilitate the most successful positive return to work.

ANNUAL WELLNESS APPOINTMENTS

Dr. Ekblad has helped multiple police services develop Annual Wellness Appointment Programs and has conducted Annual Wellness Appointments with hundreds of police officers from multiple services.

Annual Wellness Appointments address several important mental health related needs:

1. Give you (the officer or communicator) an opportunity to raise any concerns you have about you current psychological health.

2. Receive feedback (if you wish) on any concerns you have related to your psychological health.

3. Establish and maintain a psychological “baseline” so that any changes and future concerns can be addressed as they become apparent over the years as the Wellness Appointments continue on an annual basis.

4. Normalize the process of talking to a clinician and, if you wish, begin a longstanding working relationship so that you can have consistency of a working relationship, whether you need appointments more or less frequently.

Annual Wellness Appointments include a review of your work and personal life and any areas of concern. These appointments can also provide a helpful touchstone that gives you an opportunity to compare your current experience to past appointments you have had. For example, you may notice that your experience of work or personal stress/substance use/relationship dynamics/other challenges has increased or decreased over time.

Annual Wellness Appointments can be an opportunity to discuss these changes and clarify areas of focus to move life in a meaningful direction. These appointments can also provide a kind of “ice-breaker” to develop rapport with a clinician and make sure the clinician has baseline knowledge of your concerns in case a need for more frequent appointments develops in the future. 

Just as regular appointments with a dentist, family doctor, physio-therapist, or other professional are recommended, Annual Wellness Appointments are not about “treating” psychological difficulties with “therapy”. Their focus is to help maintain and monitor your mental health so that you can continue to live a healthy personal and professional life.

Other SERVICES

If you’re experiencing difficulties related to trauma, substance use, relationships, and other areas, Broadleaf Health provides evidence-based treatments combined with knowledge of first responder culture to aid in recovery from these difficulties. 

All Broadleaf Health clinicians are available to work with and provide therapy to first responders who have developed post-traumatic stress disorder in response to traumatic experiences. 

Dr. Ekblad is one of a limited number of clinicians in Canada who are approved as both a Clinician and Trainer in Prolonged Exposure (PE) therapy, an evidence-based treatment for PTSD, by the treatment developer Dr. Edna Foa’s Center for the Treatment and Study of Anxiety.