We expect trauma to come from that terrible call- the drowning, the pediatric arrest, the MCI. But sometimes, it sneaks up on you when the calls stop altogether. What happens when the job you’ve built your entire life around is taken from you in an instant? For Dr. Alexandra Jabr, a career-ending back injury didn’t just end her time in the field, it cracked open a lifetime of everything she had been holding together. In this raw and honest keynote, she shares the moment that forced her to stop and finally face the trauma she had been carrying long before she jumped on an ambulance.

This isn’t a story about getting back on the ambulance. This is a story of pain, identity loss, maladaptive coping, and the slow, uneven path to healing. It’s about discovering who you are when the uniform comes off and how losing what you thought defined you can become the beginning of your next chapter in service.

What happens when even the most successful efforts result in futility and resuscitation efforts must be terminated? Historically, institutions have failed to prepare first responders for this outcome, and “training” for these situations is experiential, at best. Because of this, we have failed to recognize our unique role in the grieving (healing) process, which begins for the survivors at the moment that we determine time of death of the patient. In this class, you will learn the risks associated with continuing to overlook this training, tips on how to perform the skill of death notifications, as well as the positive impact that first responders can have on the survivors of these patients.

This lecture explores the challenges of delivering death notifications, focusing on the psychological barriers that often lead to avoidance for first responders. Through a group-centered discussion, participants will engage in an ethical dilemma scenario to understand the complex factors at play, such as empathy, discomfort with uncertainty, and emotional burden. We will examine why professionals might avoid these difficult conversations and how this avoidance can impact both the messenger and the recipient. This lecture will offer practical tools and strategies to help participants address these challenges effectively, preparing them to deliver difficult news with more confidence, clarity, and compassion during their next notification.

Designed specifically for first responders, ‘Identifying the Wounded Helper’ is based on the Jungian theory of the Wounded Healer. This lecture will examine underlying traumas that often accompany emergency personnel on the calls that they respond to and will explain the impact of intergenerational trauma and Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) on the mental health of those who serve their community. This course goes beyond recognition and traditional therapeutic interventions by educating on effective methods for reprogramming the subconscious mind to build resilience in proactive and transformative ways.

Ketamine therapy is rapidly emerging as a powerful intervention for psychological injuries commonly experienced by first responders. This session takes a balanced look at the science, the stigma, and the shifting conversation around ketamine-assisted therapy. Attendees will gain practical knowledge about this psychotherapeutic tool and understand its use as an integrative approach to support mental healing and recovery.

Moral injury is a lesser-known but a significant and often overlooked challenge for first responders. Unlike Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), which stems from exposure to life-threatening or overwhelming events, moral injury arises when individuals are placed in situations where their actions, or inactions, conflict with their deeply held values or sense of what is “right.” These experiences may create deep emotional and moral wounds that challenge a person’s core values and identity. This lecture explores the distinct nature of moral injury, how it differs from PTSD, and why understanding this difference matters for both personal and professional wellbeing. Through real-world examples and practical insights, participants will learn to recognize the presence of moral injury and gain strategies to respond to and mitigate its impact within first responder communities.