
Welcome to our July blog,
Connection & Community: Strengthening the First Responder Support Network
The job can be heavy, and often, it’s not the emergencies but the quiet after that hits hardest. Connection and community aren’t just nice to have. They’re what makes the weight manageable. A quick check-in, someone who gets it, or just knowing you’re not alone can make a difference. This blog offers small, real ways to strengthen that support for those who are always first to respond.
Building Bridges: Fostering Connection & Community Through CISM
From The Office of ICISF, Inc.
From immediate defusings to group debriefings, CISM creates safe spaces for sharing, normalizing reactions, and peer support after traumatic events. Learn how starting small with CISM interventions can foster resilience, reduce stigma, and strengthen well-being for those impacted by critical incidents.
The Secrets of Resilient Leadership
By: George S. Everly, Jr., PhD, ABPP, CCISM, Douglas A. Strouse, PhD, George S. Everly, III, JD, MBA
The Secrets of Resilient Leadership is a truly unique guide for leaders on how to create an organizational culture of resilience that can turn adversity into opportunity. The book introduces the reader to the four core pillars of crisis leadership and explains in clear language how to develop them.

“Community is much more than belonging to something; it’s about doing something together that makes belonging matter.”
– Brian Solis
Resources
Resource: CISM Quick Reference Cards
Book: Disasters
Resource: Critical Information on Interventions
Podcast: Champions of Adversity: What They Do That Most People Don’t
Learning with Leaders
Our subject matter leaders have done the work, understand the challenges, and are ready to share their expertise. These 60-minute presentations focus on delivering personal, in-depth knowledge and innovative ideas, all motivated by the ICISF mission and core values. The leaders and their presentations are dynamic, offering fresh perspectives and an inspiring vision that drives action and fosters your growth.
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Register anyway to receive the full recording after the event!

Crisis Journal Articles
“One of the marvelous things about community is that it enables us to welcome and help people in a way we couldn’t as individuals.”
– Jean Vanier

Lighthouse Health & Wellness: Reducing and Treating PTSD, Anxiety, and Depression as a First Responder
First H.E.L.P.: EP 59: You Have The Right To Go On Living
PTSD 911: EP 82 – Finding Purpose after the Trauma with Kris O’Neill
The Counseling Team International: Post-Traumatic Growth
1st Responder Conferences: Upcoming 2025 Conferences
C.O.P.S: National Conference on Law Enforcement Wellness & Trauma