First responders serve in challenging situations which can trigger painful emotions and memories from their own histories of trauma. To be an effective first responder requires a measure of hardiness in adversity. But being a "tough guy" can get in the way of expressing and resolving the buildup of negative [...]
First responders serve in stressful, sometimes traumatic situations which can impose heavy emotional burdens on themselves and their relationships. In addition, first responders usually have their own histories of pain and trauma which can be triggered by present-day, on-the-job experiences. By reacting in old, defensive or destructive patterns, first responders [...]
First responders serve in stressful, sometimes overwhelming situations which can impose heavy emotional burdens on themselves and their relationships. The first responder culture has tended to stigmatize the need for acknowledging these painful emotions and releasing them. First responders may feel that they must stay in control at all times [...]
First responders and caregivers serve others in stressful, sometimes overwhelming situations. To preserve themselves, these empathic professionals need to become aware of the emotional burdens of their work and release them. Through transparency and genuineness with themselves and with the support of their teammates, caregivers and first responders can use [...]
Death is an emotionally devastating event. To grieve is a natural response, and can bring healing and growth into our lives. We must allow ourselves to grieve, without denial, but also without becoming incompacitated and losing interest in life. It's also essential that we express our grief from ambiguous losses, [...]
The death of a loved one and other significant losses are emotionally devastating events. To grieve is a natural response, and can bring healing and growth into our lives. Traditions, old and new, can bring honor and respect to this most human condition. We must allow ourselves to grieve, to [...]
Hope is essential for resilience. Maintaining nurturing relationships with others who have been through difficult times helps us hold on to hope when we're living with uncertainty. Empathetic people we trust can help us gain perspective on our attitudes, behaviors, and situations. They can help us understand what we can [...]
Hope is essential for resilience. What does it mean to have real-world hope? When hard times come, do you believe you can get through them and that better times will come? Hope is a defense against despair and discouragement. It can give us energy to overcome adversity, a forward-looking attitude, [...]
Hope is essential for resilience. What does it mean to have real-world hope? How can we create and sustain a hopeful attitude during hard times? Dr. Peter Bernstein shares from his personal experience of holding on to hope through a lifetime of challenges. When situations are out of our control, [...]
Singer, songwriter, pastor and missionary Randy Mayfield shares from his lifelong career of service to hurting people in Iraq, Syria, Ukraine, Kenya and around the world. What does it take to sustain a calling to bring practical help, empathy and hope to people and families in desperate situations? How can [...]
Peter M. Bernstein, PhD is a coach, mentor, educator and trainer with over 47 years of experience providing strategies for enhanced performance and relief from trauma. An Army infantry veteran who served stateside during the Vietnam War era, he feels a deep commitment to meeting the needs of veterans and their loved ones and caregivers. Peter’s approach utilizes a combination of coaching, mentoring and bodywork to offer hope and healing through transformative resilience.