Course Description

911 professionals are often the unseen first responders—repeatedly exposed to the trauma, panic, and crises of others while managing their own physiological arousal in high-stakes situations. This training explores how EMDR therapy can be used to address the cumulative, vicarious, and moral injuries that can arise from this emergency work. Participants will identify ways to adapt EMDR protocols for indirect trauma exposure, enhance stabilization and resilience, and address the sensory and auditory components unique to this population.

Two 911 professional organizations, APCO International (The Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials) and NENA (The National Emergency Number Association), have designed this course to provide cultural insight into the 911 community. In the course you hear the stories of 911 professionals, the kinds of challenges they face and the culture and norms that are an inherent part of this community.

There is content at the beginning and the end that ties those personal experiences to EMDR therapy.

EMDRIA members who complete the course will be identified in the EMDRIA Find An EMDR Therapist® Directory as having achieved training in cultural awareness for 911 professionals.

Learning Objectives

1. Describe the occupational demands, cumulative stressors, and trauma exposure patterns common among 911 Professionals and their impact on mental health.
2. Explain the mechanisms of vicarious trauma, secondary trauma, and compassion fatigue as they apply to 911 Professionals.
3. Identify key elements of EMDR case conceptualization relevant to cumulative trauma and indirect exposure to traumatic material.