Jackie has been in EMS/ Fire for about 20 years.  She has worked in private EMS, fire based, and in the fire service.  She currently works full-time as a Firefighter/Paramedic. Throughout her career, she has seen the toll working as a first responder has taken on coworkers and friends.

Jackie has worked difficult calls early in her career, with no direction on how to work through them, as the mentality was (and still can be) you don’t talk about it. She was shown that the way to handle these calls was to “stuff it” and move on.

Several years ago, Jackie had her own mental health crisis that led her down a very dark path that almost took her life. She sought help and luckily found that there is support out there, specifically for first responders. She spent time at Onsite Academy and learned that nothing we see is “normal” for anyone. She also found support in her peers. This was the beginning of her journey. Jackie also spent time in rehab for substance abuse and once again, found huge benefits and support in talking with peers. She saw how just talking about our stuff and sitting and listening makes the biggest difference to someone. How one single person sharing their story gave others the courage to open up and share their story when they were adamant they were not going to.

Talking about mental health is becoming less taboo, but these experiences have taught her how important it is to support each other. Starting her healing and working with a therapist has helped her to learn healthy coping skills through journaling, meditation, and spirituality.

Jackie has worked with Brian at a previous employer and reached out to him, as she knew he was passionate about helping others, about starting an in-person support group. In the few short weeks the group has met, there has been a huge difference made in people’s lives by giving them a place to vent where we don’t judge, we support, and we “get it”.