I initially started the training part of my career with the 101st Airborne Division, the unit I myself served with, teaching performance and resilience psychology as a civilian contractor. Doing a combination of classroom training and “on the ground training”, I have trained teams to perform more effectively, cohesively, and strategically.
Where We Are Now
I am currently the clinical oversight for a first responder peer support program in Tennnessee. I quickly learned, thorough the resources my own team needed, that the practical “how to” part of peer support training was limited. After extensive interviewing of peer support teams across the state about their needs, I wrote a peer support manual that focuses on the how-to for identifying peer problems, how to have conversations, user-friendly tools to help have guided conversations, and resources about what to do in many difficult situations. The idea is to teach basic helping skills and identify the appropriate way forward in any given situation. My hope is that this manual will help build confidence in those who want to help, but worry about not know what to do or not getting it right.
How Guidestar Can Help
With the launch of the manual I have been able to reach departments all across the US, making quality training accessible to those who need it. If you are looking for in person peer support training, the team at Guidestar can support that! We also have the ability to do much more. Our services have expanded to offer customized peer support team training beyond the basic skills training. We offer customized support to meet the needs of each individual team. If you have a specific individual or team area for improvement, we can develop a training engagement custom for you. We also have the ability to offer leadership development training through the mental wellness lense.
If you aren’t sure what you need, but know you need something, reach out and we can work together to identify the best training opportunity for you.
In Person and Synchronous Online Training
I currently provide in person and synchronous online training that is customized to the requesting department. I also provide online consultation to peer support individuals and teams, along with therapists who work with, or would like to work with military or first responders.
The Way Forward
To further support the manual, this year I created an online program that first responders and their peer support teams can complete at their own pace. This offers increased accessibility to teams who either do not have specialist available to assist, or budget limitations prevent additional training. Day 1 training, teaching basic helping skills, is currently available. Day 2 and 3 will be available in the coming months!
I also provide customized training for your team for basic training or to meet specific team goals.
