How to stop Panic Attacks in First Responders

F.R.Y. The APP can help overcome panic attacks in First Responders

We all experience Panic Attacks 

Today I want to talk about panic attacks in First Responders. I am speaking from my experience as a former Police Detective and Chief. Every one of us in our lives experiences a moment of anxiety, a moment when you desperately want to run away from something or fight it off. Sometimes we do not know the true cause of our panic, but it manifests and it presents in different way
 
Every one of us at a certain point have tried different ways to deal with anxiety. These include: training, listening to music, doing something to run away from that feeling, to dampen that feeling. Nothing seems to work as it is the aversion toward that feeling of anxiety that makes the same anxiety bigger and stronger.
 

Panic attacks in First Responders

In my past I have participated in different retreats in different retreat centers. I hoped that a structured environment could help me learn how to meditate and release that tension in my mind and so in my body. Most of the time my mind was all over the place even during the formal meditations. Why? I was fighting the unpleasurable. When you fight the moment you are at you create more stress and anxiety within you
 
The moment I realize that learning how to live with your “weakness” and welcome it whatever it is, that feeling becomes an asset. It transforms
 
When you acknowledge and “welcome” your feelings of discomfort, they become suspended in awareness. They are still there but beneath them there is this field of awareness that is holding them. The first step to take to break the cycle of anxiety and noisiness of the mind is to become aware of it.
 

How to break the cycle of anxiety with the breath

 
There are different ways to achieve this. One is the basic awareness of the breath when you meditate but also when you are out of your formal practice. Be aware of your breathing pattern without the intention of becoming a good breather. Observe your inhalation and exhalation, without trying to change it.
 
First Responders you can break the cycle of anxiety and the lessen the effect of a panic attacks with breath anytime and everywhere, without explaining to the people around you what you are doing. 
 

How to break the cycle of anxiety with meditation

 
You can use an open monitoring meditation and be focused on the sounds that are present around you. And you step back from labeling the sound as pleasant and unpleasant. You just bring your awareness to them, noticing how fleeting they are: they arise, remain for a moment, and then disappear
 
When images, thoughts, or emotions catch the attention of the mind, instead of fighting them you allow them to be part of your experience. You allow them to be present in awareness along with the sounds without clinging or rejecting them; not reacting to them.
 
There is no need to focus on a particular sound. Simply know that you are hearing sounds, noticing how the awareness can accommodate any sound, without you having to do anything.
 

The benefits of Meditation for First Responders is a topic well explained by Khube Rinpoce in our Videos tab. It is a beautiful tool you have to manage panic attacks and if you are interested to learn more you can read the study about the “Effectiveness of a meditation-based stress reduction program in the treatment of anxiety disorders“ 

 

How to break the cycle of anxiety with mind-set

Another way is “shifting the thinking pattern”. Normally an anxious mind focuses on the negative and magnifies it. You can shift that pattern by thinking about the opposite, the positive instead of the negative. A simple way to do this is to bring in gratitude for everything you have that for sure is more than enough. No matter what the circumstances you are living in are, there is always so much to be grateful for.
 
Remember that you are not your thoughts, nor the chit chat in your mind, nor your emotions and feelings. You are “otherness” from all that.
 
First Responder, no matter if you are a Police, Firefighter, Paramedic or Dispatcher, whatever the feeling you are perceiving is, fear, anger, jealousy, remember those are just feelings. Let your mind to rest in awareness and allow everything to float in that field of mindfulness. Mindfulness-based interventions are effective to promote mental health and well-being in high-stress occupations like First Responders. It improves Quality of Life and reduces depression and anxiety symptoms. It nourishes First Responders’ physical, emotional, and mental fitness. It also contributes to the judicious and mindful use of First Responders’ power and authority, which can benefit society as a whole.
 

Let’s do it together. Let’s make our lives better. F.R.Y. is here to help. With F.R.Y. The APP you access to supportive tools 24/7. Learn more about how we help First Responders Organizations with F.R.Y. The APP

Sasy, F.R.Y. Director
www.FRYCanada.com

Mindfulness-Based Psychotherapy Approaches for First Responders: From Research to Clinical Practice

mindfulness-based approaches for First Responders

Mindfulness-Based Psychotherapy Approaches for First Responders’ Health

Our Director Sasy interviewed Doctor Gus Castellanos about the benefits of mindfulness-based approaches for First Responders. Gus shared with F.R.Y. his expertise in the field of medicine and Mindfulness with the goal to help First Responders. We truly thank him for this. The interview will be available on F.R.Y. website www.FRYCanada.com and socials in a couple of weeks as it is in postproduction.

Here we are posting an excerpt of the study touching on the same topic of mindfulness. The study has been conducted by Brian A. Chopko, Ph.D., Konstantinos Papazoglou, Ph.D., Robert C. Schwartz, Ph.D. The study is named “Mindfulness-Based Psychotherapy Approaches for First Responders: From Research to Clinical Practice” – 2018.

The full study is available to read on the American Journal of Psychotherapy

Mindfulness-Based Psychotherapy Approaches for First Responders’ Health – Excerpt of the study

First responders are psychosocially exposed to work-related stressors that occur frequently during required duties. Direct and vicarious symptoms of stress and interpersonal problems often affect first responders’ ability to perform effectively. They may have an impact on their personal lives. Mindfulness-based psychotherapies approaches such as ACT and MBCT have been shown to directly promote First Responders’ mental and physical health while providing increased resilience when facing work-related stressors. Generalizable mindfulness-based approaches can be used by psychotherapists, regardless of the specific theoretical approach chosen, to increase self-awareness, promote intentional responses, enhance self- compassion, and ultimately decrease suffering. Specific and easy-to-use mindfulness techniques can activate the PNS and reinforce a positive experience even in difficult situations by dampening the natural sympathetic nervous system and other potentially negative neural pathways that are prominent when someone encounters a critical incident. Incorporating mindfulness-based prevention and healing can therefore help psychotherapists build resilience and reduce symptoms of mental illness that are increasingly pervading the field. 

Generalizable Mindfulness-Based Approaches for First Responders’ Wellbeing 

In general, mindfulness theory explains that one’s mind takes on the qualities of what one dwells on. When someone expends effort struggling against something that is difficult or painful (e.g., a distressing experience during a critical incident), that person devotes more energy to the experience. Thus strengthening it in her or his mind. Acknowledging the experience, then accepting it as something one has gone through in the past and letting it go allows the experience to not become stuck mentally 

Acceptance, Present-moment and Meditative Exercises for First Responders’ Health

Developing calm, clear awareness involves being connected with what one experiences without judgment. When first responders are afraid, they know that they are afraid. As Bien stated, it takes little effort to feel sad when one is sad and angry when one is angry. Yet most people spend a great deal of effort trying to be unlike themselves. If first responders do so, they may be “worse off than if they knew nothing about mindfulness”. Present-moment and meditative exercises should be practiced throughout the day. Meditation, a form of purposeful focused attention, can be practiced during any activity rather than as an isolated and mechanical technique. One can be in the present moment with focused attention on one’s mind while eating, walking, speaking, and even during a critical incident. Learning acceptance does not imply passively submitting to one’s circumstances. “When you accept deeply the reality in which you find yourself, you know what to do and, just as importantly, what not to do”. This skill is important for first responders while on duty. Regardless of what someone wishes a situation to be, in the present moment the situation is exactly what it is. Accepting that fact, as difficult as it is during painful and confusing circumstances, is key to consciously responding as skillfully as possible. If one refuses to accept what is happening in the here and now, one may be acting on distorted and self-focused (rather than holistic and other focused) information based on regret about the past or fantasizing about the future. 

Compassion and Mindfulness-Based Strategies 

for First Responders’ Health

Finally, self-compassion is especially useful for first responders because it includes loving-kindness toward one’s self during difficult situations. Because first responders inevitably face situations in which prediction and control are lacking, feelings of remorse, guilt, anger, hopelessness, and helplessness may be evoked. Understanding this fact, showing support for one’s self, and believing in one’s intentions to help regardless of the hoped-for outcome can lead to a sense of self-caring needed during distressing events. As Desmond explained, psychotherapists can help clients develop a more loving, kind, and forgiving attitude through self-compassion, and those with mindfulness experience will find that self-compassion practices have the capacity to add new layers of depth to mindfulness-based psychotherapies. 

Hanson explained that one of the most effective ways to enhance mindfulness is to activate the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS). As opposed to the sympathetic nervous system, the PNS, or “rest-and-digest” neural pathway, can help first responders more fully understand a situation and act with intention (both grounded in the prefrontal cortex), maintain steadiness of mind during difficult circumstances, and dampen the stress-response system, leading to increased relaxation and tranquility. Research has shown that psychotherapists can use the following generalizable mindfulness techniques to promote these qualities, in addition to many other benefits such as cardiovascular health, immune system strength, gastrointestinal health, and broader nervous system efficiency. 

How to Activate the Parasympathetic Nervous System

Large, Deep Exhale 

This method takes less than one minute to complete and can be accomplished in any location. Inhale as much air as possible, hold the breath for at least several seconds, and then exhale slowly. This technique expands the lungs more than usual, stimulating the PNS (which governs exhalation). 

Diaphragmatic Breathing 

This method uses the muscle beneath the lungs and takes one to two minutes. It is highly effective for reducing stress. Place one’s hand on the diaphragm, the area of one’s stomach ap- proximately two inches beneath the center of the rib cage, and breathe deeply so that the hand moves perpendicularly to the chest. The most effective way to use this technique is to breathe in through the nose and out through the mouth, which cools the hypothalamus and activates the PNS. Watching the diaphragm sensitizes one to how it works, and this exercise trains the diaphragm to function fully. 

Progressive Relaxation 

Progressive relaxation takes about 10 minutes to complete through a systematic focus on different parts of the body. This method involves bringing awareness to each body part patiently and successively, noticing sensations as they occur. Each body part is then consciously relaxed. Focus on larger sections of the body first (e.g., legs, arms, shoulders) and, if time permits, move to smaller body parts (e.g., eyes, fingers, head). 

Mindfulness Imagery 

This method takes about 10–15 minutes to complete. It focuses on developing mental activity such as pictures and scenery that evoke relaxation and present-centeredness. Mindfulness imagery almost immediately stimulates the PNS. Close the eyes and relax the body while visualizing a calming tranquil environment. The more physical senses that are included in the experience (e.g., seeing, hearing, touching), the more PNS activation will occur because imagery enhances right hemisphere processing related to nonverbal behaviours. 

Why F.R.Y. The Method is the Go-To-Tool for First Responders’ Wellbeing

All the strategies listed above are part of F.R.Y. The Method. Each F.R.Y. class starts with some Breathwork exercise where we emphasize the importance of a diaphragmatic breathing and we keep maintaining that pattern even during the practice of postures. One of our Breathing technique is “Asamavritti – Not Squared Breathing”. It requires having the exhalation longer than the inhalation. The relaxation with Yoga Nidra element, taking from the new neuroscience discoveries, are the second last segment of F.R.Y. The Method whose class closes with a final Meditation, a moment in which we cultivate focus, develop awareness and become familiar with qualities that can help our lives and our performance during our duty. The dynamic functional movement and the passive traction applied during the class make F.R.Y. The Method your to-go-tool to have a healthy body-mind system and build resilience.

We worked hard to make those tools available anytime, anywhere at a push of the button for First Responders. Hence F.R.Y. The APP was born and it is now available for you. You can download it through our website at First Responders Organization Tab, Training School Tab or Individual First Responders Tab.

Join our community for a better life movement.

F.R.Y.’s got your six.

The Impact of Mindfulness Training on Police Officer Stress, Mental Health, and Salivary Cortisol Levels.

Police Officer and F.R.Y. The APP

The Impact of Mindfulness Training on Police Officer’ Stress and Mental Health

The impact of mindfulness training on Police Officer has been scientific monitored.

Stress and repeated traumatic exposure have similar effects in the brain as experiencing a traumatic event launching PTSD. They contribute to elevate rates of mental illness and suicide in policing and violent and aggressive police officer’s behaviour that impacts the community they serve. 
Daily exposure to direct and vicarious trauma, organizational stressors and police-community tension contribute to elevate rates of post-traumatic stress, depression, alcoholism, and suicide in police officers. The fatigue and burnout and absence of effective emotion regulatory strategies in the law enforcement contribute to aggressive and discriminatory policing practices, leading to distrust and anger toward the police.

Prolonged activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis that is the precursor of the stress response, what triggers the Sympathetic Nervous System and excessive cortisol release contribute to dysregulation of the biological systems influenced by cortisol. Among other deleterious consequences, prolonged HPA axis activation lessens cortisol’s ability to suppress inflammatory responses. Elevated inflammation is consequently associated with post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, cardiovascular disease, and metabolic syndrome

Mindfulness Training to Reduce Stress and Improving First Responders’ Mental Health

Mindfulness training may reduce stress and aggression and improve Police Officers’ mental health. This  leads also to changes in biological outcomes and lasting benefits, as the study described below has shown. 

A group of Doctors conducted a randomized controlled trial (RCT) of 114 Police Officers from three Midwestern U.S. law enforcement agencies. Doctors assessed stress-related physical and mental health symptoms, blood-based inflammatory markers, and hair and salivary cortisol. The study is available to read on the Frontiers in Psychology website. 

The 114 police officers participated to an 8-week mindfulness intervention and the same assessments were repeated post-intervention and at 3-month follow-up. In summary, an 8-week mindfulness intervention for police officers led to improvements in distress, mental health, and sleep, and a lower cortisol awakening response. These benefits persisted at 3-month follow-up, suggesting that this training may buffer against the long-term consequences of chronic stress. 

If you want to understand more about the benefits of the meditation in its wide aspect listen to our Khube Rinpoche’s interview 

This is one of the reasons why F.R.Y. The Method includes the mindfulness training, as it is not the movement but the relationship with it that can be a game changer. Specific mental training and meditation are part of our program available anytime, anywhere at a push of a button on our F.R.Y. The APP. Download it on Google Play and Apple Store

Trust it, follow our directions for a better body-mind system, for that overall wellness you deserve.

F.R.Y. supports you

FRY Wednesday Wellness Wisdom for First Responders

This is a collection of F.R.Y. Canada Wednesday Wellness Wisdom posts about Yoga and Mental Wellness for First Responders. You can also see them on our Social Media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn) in case you missed them.

*****

F.R.Y. Wednesday Wellness Wisdom

Restraints (Yamas) towards a compassionate life - Yoga and Mental Wellness

20211117 – F.R.Y. Wednesday Wellness Wisdom

How Yoga Helps Mental Wellness #1 – “Restraints”(Yamas) towards a compassionate life

Yoga is more than movement. People think “yoga” is bendy twisty poses. Poses are but one of EIGHT “limbs” of yoga that form the essence of how yoga increases mental wellness.

One limb is “Restraints”(Yamas) towards a compassionate life, meaning to hold to non-violence, truthfulness, non-stealing, and control of sexual energy.

Paying attention to these restraints can bring peace and calm within us.

Set a positive intention each morning for each of these restraints as a step on the road to mental wellness.

 

20211124 – F.R.Y. Wednesday Wellness Wisdom

How Yoga Helps Mental Wellness #2 – Habits or Observances for a Healthy and Happy Life (Niyama)

Remember, yoga is more than movement. Another of the 8 limbs of yoga is “Cultivating habits or observances for a healthy and happy life – Niyamas”: internal and external cleanliness, practicing contentment, self-control, feeding our mind with uplifting studies, and surrendering the ego.

Set goals and time for ourselves to nourish our minds. Pause and think of something everyday for which we are grateful. It can be as simple as that ideal parking spot, the warmth of the sun, or even that first sip of coffee.

20211201 – F.R.Y. Wednesday Wellness Wisdom

How Yoga Helps Mental Wellness #3 – Breathwork (Pranayama)

Breath is life. It affects our energy, and consequently our quality of life.  A controlled breath calms an uprising of emotional energy that may occur in life. Are you a chest breather or a belly breather?  As adults, we forget how to breathe. Watch a baby breathe. Their bellies rise and fall with each breath.

Deep abdominal breathing encourages a complete oxygen exchange: all of the outgoing carbon dioxide is traded for incoming oxygen. It slows the heart rate and manages blood pressure. Did you know that one of the reasons massages feel so good is because it causes old blood to flow out of the muscles, allowing fresh blood to flow in? When we belly breathe, the diaphragm naturally lowers into the abdominal organs. When inhaling, the diaphragm pushes on the spleen, pancreas, liver, and stomach, and these organs in turn push on all our other organs. When we exhale the pressure is then released, until the pattern repeats again. Whenever we practice deep abdominal breathing we give our organs a much needed massage, allowing them to be filled with the fresh blood supply to function their best, and increasing our overall wellness.

Practice abdominal breathing. Place a hand on your belly at your navel point. As you inhale, press the belly into your hand.  As you exhale, pull the belly in towards your spine. Take care not to slouch as you exhale.

Withdrawal of the senses (Pratyahara) - Yoga and Mental Wellness

20211228 – F.R.Y. Wednesday Wellness Wisdom

How Yoga Helps Mental Wellness #4 – “Withdrawal from the senses (Pratyahara)”

We are often limited by our habits, tendencies, impulses and weaknesses. We let our senses over-influence ourselves, generating a reaction.

This yoga element suggests we acknowledge yet distance ourselves from the over-stimulation of the world around us.

How?

Pause and give time to relax the body and mind.

Try taking a few minutes to “talk” your body into relaxation. Maintain rhythmic abdominal breathing and repeat the following in your mind:

– “I relax my toes. I relax my toes. My toes are relaxed.”

– Repeat for all body parts: feet, ankles, calves, knees, thighs, buttocks, hips, abdomen, abdominal organs, low back, mid-back, upper back, chest, heart, shoulders, arms, elbows, hands, fingers, neck, mouth, eyes, and face

– Close with “I relax my mind. I relax my mind. My mind is relaxed.”

 

 

Concentration (Dharana) - Yoga and Mental Wellness

20220119 – F.R.Y. Wednesday Wellness Wisdom

How Yoga Helps Mental Wellness #5 – Concentration (Dharana)

Concentration (Dharana), another of the 8 limbs of yoga, or steady focus binds the mind to one place, idea or object. It calms the “busy-ness” of the mind and permits you to focus and be present. It overcomes the “monkey-mind”, where the mind swings from one thought to another as a monkey swings from tree to tree. As a First Responder you can see the benefit of a calm concentrating mind.

Practice calming the mind. Acknowledge each thought, image, memory that arises but take control by mentally placing it in a filing cabinet that will only open when you are done with focusing on the present situation.

F.R.Y. wellness wisdom for First Responders

20220209 – F.R.Y. Wednesday Wellness Wisdom for First Responders

Do you know what is one of the reasons F.R.Y. decided to help First Responders’ wellness out there and create this series of post on our socials called “F.R.Y. Wednesday Wellness Wisdom for First Responders”? The answer lies in the following excerpt of the statement from Stephen Conforti, executive director, financial planning division, city of Toronto:

“Workplace Safety and Insurance Board costs (WSIB cost), which were less than $16 million in 2010, are expected to hit $45 million in 2022, mostly due to provincial legislation around post-traumatic stress disorder claims for first responders, cancer claims for firefighters, and more recently, COVID-19 related claims, according to Stephen Conforti, executive director, financial planning division, city of Toronto.

The $45-million figure does not include claims at the city’s many boards, agencies and commissions, and does not include the cost of WSIB claims at Toronto Police Service, which are expected to hit $16 million in 2022. WSIB claims at police services were up 18 per cent in 2021 alone, after a one-year decline of seven per cent in 2020.

WSIB costs have also risen dramatically at Paramedic Services in Toronto, from $700,000 in 2010, to $2.3 million in 2016. WSIB costs are projected to hit $13.3 million in 2022.”

F.R.Y. co-founders’ vision to help First Responders’ Wellness

We, the F.R.Y. co-founders, had a vision about how to help  First Responders’ wellness. We decided to share our experiences and knowledge for First Responders’ wellness. Those of you reading that are First Responders, you deserve to be at your best even when off duty.

F.R.Y. offers tools to First Responders for their body-mind wellness and resilience. Within F.R.Y. The Method First Responders can build up resilience, maintain the body strong and flexible. In addition with F.R.Y. The Method you  educate the mind not to react and to be detached from all the stressors that come with that line of duty. Muscle strength exercise alone and all the training First Responders receive about using “the tools” they carry, is not enough anymore. That way of thinking about First Responders’ training must change; it is out of date.

Why F.R.Y. The Method delivered through The APP is of value

The ancient tools F.R.Y. offers for the mind-body wellness and resilience, are supported by many medical studies. Now more than ever First Responders need these mind-body tools and learning:

  • how to manage stress disorders;
  • how to shift from fight and flight mode to a more relaxed rest and digest mode;
  • how to breathe to get all the benefits from the natural breathing pattern;
  • how to strengthen the body but also develop flexibility to maintain pliability in our tissues and muscles;
  • how to relax, and
  • how to develop awareness and mindfulness. 

All those tools make up F.R.Y. The Method.

How F.R.Y. can help First Responders’ wellbeing

F.R.Y. is a toolbox for First Responder mind-body wellness and resilience, designed by First Responders for First Responders, available through in-person/virtual sessions and employer/school-sponsored workshops. 

Tools include: 

  1. breathwork
  2. relaxation techniques
  3. mindfulness & positive affirmation techniques (neuroplasticity)
  4. trauma-informed functional movement (both energetic and passive)
  5. meditation

F.R.Y. The APP the first tool for First Responders’ wellbeing

With F.R.Y. The APP the tools for injury-prevention, stress management, and physical/mental health are available to First Responders anytime, anywhere, immediately when needed at the push of a button, 24/7.

Download F.R.Y. The APP on Google Play and Apple Store

F.R.Y. The APP is the digital representation of our book, “F.R.Y. First Responders Yoga. The BOOK” on Amazon. Click here to read more about it an buy it

Join our First Responders MeetUp Group here 

We are doing our best to share our experience for the benefits of The One who Serve. Do your part now! Take the first step to take care of your mind-body system. 

F.R.Y.’s got your six! 

FRY Tuesday Techniques For First Responder Mind-Body Wellness and Resilience

FRY Tuesday Techniques for First Responders Mind-Body Wellness and Resilience

This is a collection of FRY’s Social Media Posts on Tuesdays, focusing on asana/pose techniques for First Responders mind-body balance and resilience. This is ideal for police, fire, paramedic, and dispatch services to reduce stress, and prevent injury.

In case you missed any on FRY’s Instagram, Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn here they are.

20211116 – FRY Tuesday Techniques for First Responders – FISH POSE

Tight clothing or equipment, neckties, tightly buttoned shirt collars, and shoulder straps create limitation of movement, especially in the shoulders and cervical region. This is greatly emphasized by spending hours hunched over a computer, steering wheel or desk. This posture relieves stiffness and tightness in the neck and shoulders.

 How to:

  • Lie down on mat with legs together, extended forward

  • Place both hands, palms down under body

  • Reach hands as far down towards knees as possible, pulling shoulders further back

  • Take a deep inhalation

  • Bend elbows, pushing them into mat, lifting chest up

  • Slowly and mindfully lower head back so the crown of the head lightly touches the mat (NOTE: if head does not yet touch the mat, place a small folded blanket under the head until the flexibility arrives)

  • All the weight should be in elbows and forearms and not on head

  • Exhale, taking care not to collapse as you exhale
  • Take a few breaths here
  • To exit, lower down onto your back, releasing hands from underneath
 

 

20211123 – 

FRY Tuesday Techniques for First Responders Mind-Body Wellness and Resilience – SPHINX POSE

“Taking care of the spine should be of utmost importance for everyone, especially for First Responders who need to have the ability to move freely during on-duty circumstances, risky for them and the people involved in a specific situation. Without a healthy spine, sitting up straight, bending over to pick up objects, walking, twisting and moving your neck can become extremely difficult or painful.”  ~F.R.Y. First Responders’ Yoga. The Book page 197, available on Amazon

How to:

  • Lay down on abdomen, place hands on the mat, palms facing downward and elbows aligned directly under shoulders, 
  • Reach the top of the head forward, while lifting your chest, elongating the spine
  • Pull shoulders back from the neck so that shoulder blades slide down back. You should feel your breast bone slightly lift in the process
  • As you breathe, feel your breath go deeply in the direction of abdomen and lower back
  • To exit, lower head and shoulders to mat, release hands

20211207 – FRY Tuesday Techniques for First Responders – LOW LUNGE POSE

This pose not only stretches the hip flexors, front of the back leg and the muscles around the knee, it also provides a stretch for the intercostal muscles, the small muscles between the ribs. It helps to improve the strength and flexibility also in shoulders, arms, abdomen, back and knees. 

How to:

  • Stand at the top of your mat, feet hip distance apart
  • Both hips and both shoulders align with the short end of your mat
  • As you exhale, step straight back with your left foot, landing on the toes with the leg straight, reaching the left thigh to the sky while the toes are grounded
  • Bend the front right knee
  • Lower the back knee to the ground
  • Both hips and both shoulders should still be aligned with the front end of your mat
  • Reach your arms forward and up to point to the sky, upper arms by your ears

20220118 – FRY Tuesday Techniques for First Responders Mind-Body Wellness and Resilience – REVERSE PLANK

Many First Responders push weights to build strength, and also don heavy safety equipment, and carry and lift heavy loads. These all create tightness in the shoulders and impinge mobility.

Reverse Plank (or Inclined Plane) stretches the front portion of the shoulders and wrists as well as strengthens the arms and wrists.

How to:

  • Sit in the middle of your mat with your legs extended straight in front of you
  • Place your hands behind you, fingers pointing backwards, stretching forearms and  wrists
  • Lean back slightly, feeling the opening in the chest and front shoulders
  • Take a deep inhalation
  • As you exhale, push into the heels and raise your hips as high as possible into a reversed plank
  • Try to bring the feet flat to the floor, stretching the front of the ankle
  • Lower the head backwards if possible, to stretch the front throat
  • To exit, lower down gently

20220208 – FRY Tuesday Techniques for First Responders – SHOULDER ROLL

First Responders use the shoulders and neck almost constantly. Whether you are on duty, driving, cleaning, working on the computer, checking your cell phone, you are using these joints and muscles throughout the day. Because of this, many people carry tension and stress in these areas, which can gradually increase to pain and transform to arthritis or tendinitis. Repetitive movements and bad habits cause a gradual injury by wearing down joints or muscles. By keeping the deep tissues stretched around joints you will allow those joints to move freely, avoiding strains and sprains. 

How to:

  • Lie on your stomach and stretch your arms outward in a T-shape 
  • Turn your head to the left so that the right ear is on the floor or a support Roll your body behind you to your right
  • The upper leg (left) is bent into the air, with the bottom of the foot rested on the floor and the bottom arm (right) stretched out straight in this version
  • Increase sensations by lifting your top hand to the ceiling before laying it across your back
  • Lay here, allowing your head to remain on the floor or support for three minutes
  • To exit, unroll to your abdomen, arms by your hips
  • Repeat other side

20220215 – FRY Tuesday Techniques for First Responders Mind-Body Wellness and Resilience – WILD LEG CHILDS POSE

As First Responders, you may sit for long periods of time and your hips become tight. Wide-leg pose is an excellent and calming pose for stretching the hips and inner thighs (the adductors). It also can relieve neck and back pain, as long as the head and torso are supported. (“F.R.Y. First Responders Yoga. The BOOK” page 133)

How to:

  • On hands and knees (table top)
  • Both hips and both shoulders align with the short end of mat
  • Wrists, elbows and shoulders in one vertical line; knees and hips are in another vertical line
  • With a deep inhalation, reach the crown of your head forward away from the tailbone, elongating the spine
  • As you exhale, send your hips back towards your heels, resting the glutes on the heels if possible separating your knees, keeping the arms long (if it is not possible to rest the glutes on the heels, roll a blanket or towel and place it behind your knees on your calves. Eventually the support will not be required)
  • Keep big toes touching
  • Allowing forehead and maybe chest to the mat (If the forehead does not reach the mat, stack arms, or use a rolled towel to support the head)
  • Take at least 5-10 breaths here
  • Exit back to table top

 

Download F.R.Y. The APP for Apple and Android

https://www.firstrespondersyogacanada.com/#DownloadTheAPP

Buy “F.R.Y. First Responders’ Yoga. The Book” on Amazon: 

https://www.firstrespondersyogacanada.com/books/#Books

 Join our First Responders MeetUp Group https://www.frycanada.com/our-community/

 

#breathwork #yang #yinyoga #functionalmovement #relaxation #positiveaffirmations #yoga #yoganidra #meditation #firstresponders #firstresponder #firstresponderhealth #firstrespondersupport #emergencyresponse #frontliners #dispatch #911telecommunications #emergencycomm #firefighter #firefighting #fireservice  #paramedics #EMS #EMT #paramedicine #police #policeservice #policeofficer #lawenforcement #selfhelp #selfcare #mindfulness #wellness #stress #stressmanagement #stressmanagementtraining #firstresponderstress #mentalhealth #fightingdepression #resilience #health #injuryprevention #mentalhealth #firstrespondersyoga #yogaforfirstresponders #yogaforpolice #yogaforcops #yogaforparamedics #yogaformedics #yogaforfirefighters  #yogafordispatchers #yogacanada #yogaalliance #anxiety #PTSD #traumainformed

Yoga and science: it is not just a pose!

First Responders’ Yoga and science: it is not just a pose!

Yoga and science: there is a lot to talk about it to discover that yoga it is not just a pose. 

We would like to emphasize the benefits of this ancient practice called Yoga that, in its full spectrum, is what FRY offers to First Responders plus more.

What is Yoga and how it can benefits First Responders

Becoming a Yoga practitioner does not mean you are trying to reach your feet with your hands or training to become a performer for the Circle du Soleil. Doe not mean learning to bend over like a rag doll. Yoga is a body-mind system that has the ability to free yourself. It frees your joints and loosen the kinks within your body. It frees your mind by creating more space and helping you to differentiate without emotional engagement.

Postures are only a little part of yoga. Many other practices and techniques belonging to the yogic path can open the road to your freedom and awareness. Yoga with all its aspects such as postures (asanas), meditation and breathwork may influence multiple psychological mechanisms, such as and just as examples denial, repression, projection, intellectualization. It influences your emotional well-being. Yoga is not just a pose. 

A Study about the benefits of Yoga. First Responders need it

A 2020 study examined psychological and emotional changes across a single session of yoga. A group study made of 144 regular yoga practitioners completed measures of mindfulness, body consciousness, self-transcendence, social connectedness, positive engagement, revitalization and tranquility immediately before and after a yoga session. The results have shown that the levels of positive emotions (engagement, tranquility and revitalization) increased post-yoga while exhaustion decreased. What must be underlined is that the study revealed that even a single session of Hatha yoga can improve mood. Yoga with a greater emphasis on restorative postures was associated with greater self-transcendence (going beyond the perceived limits of individual self), spirituality and the emotion of tranquility. Yoga with a greater emphasis on breathwork was associated with greater increases in body consciousness and self-transcendence.

The full study can be read on U.S: National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health

What F.R.Y. suggests to our First Responders

Our suggestion? As Confucius said: “I hear and I forget, I see and I remember, I do and I understand”. So, try it and through your practice you may have an experience and through your experience you can begin to understand things on a deeper level.

Choose the right teachers. Investigate their background, their studies and experiences. Yoga can be beneficial but can also hurt yourself and mislead you to some wrong beliefs. Wrong movements and improper techniques cannot give any benefit to you.

Once you have done your research, practice. Do it “all in to win it”.

Trust it and you will get the most out of your practice. FRY The APP is here to help with hundreds of follow along videos, mind-set suggestions, live classes and events, meditation, breathwork and specialized classes. All that available anytime, anywhere at a push of a button. Download the APP by using the links available on www.FRYCanada.com

F.R.Y.’s got your six! 

Stay safe.

9 Benefits Of Meditation. First Responders Need it

2021-11-15 Benefit of Meditation #1 – Improved Decision-Making

“Did you know that Meditation activates the centers in your brain responsible for decision making, allowing you to make better decisions even when you are not actively meditating? According to the US National Library of Science, meditation has been proven to improve decision-making. All you need to do to receive this benefit is to practice meditation on a daily basis and you will experience this benefit all day long.”

~ “F.R.Y. First Responders’ Yoga. The Book” Pg 37, available on Amazon

2021-11-22 Benefit of Meditation #2 – Memory Boost

“The Association for Psychological Science has found that meditation can greatly improve your ability to consolidate new information, memorize new information and access memorized information. The coveted theta brainwaves achieved in meditation enhance recallability.” 

~ “F.R.Y. First Responders’ Yoga. The Book” Pg 37, available on Amazon

2021-11-29 Benefit of Meditation #3 – Increased Focus

“Studies have found that meditation increases focus. Instead of reaching for the coffee, all you have to do is regularly practice meditation. Even a simple five-minute meditation session can help promote focus when practiced regularly because focus is a consequence of the lower frequency brain waves you enter in meditation.” 

~ “F.R.Y. First Responders’ Yoga. The Book” Pg 36, available on Amazon

2021-12-06 Benefit of Meditation #4 – Increased Sense of Well-Being

“The U.S National Library of Medicine has found that by practicing meditation you can increase your overall sense of well-being. This means that meditation is proven to increase happiness and peace. The studies associated with meditation and well-being found that it has significant therapeutic benefits, increasing peoples’ quality of life. In short, if you want to improve your life, make the change to practice meditation daily.”

~ “F.R.Y. First Responders’ Yoga. The Book” Pg 36, available on Amazon

2021-12-13 Benefits of Meditation #5 – Reduce Stress

“The American Journal of Psychiatry, among many other publications, has found that meditation goes a long way in reducing daily stress. In one study, it was found that when meditation is practiced regularly over a three month period, stress is drastically reduced. Another study shockingly found that by practicing meditation you can even reduce the density of your brain tissue that is connected with anxiety and stress.”

~ “F.R.Y. First Responders’ Yoga. The Book” Pg 35, available on Amazon

2021-12-20 Benefits of Meditation #6 – Immune System Boost

“The International Journal of Yoga and the Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine have found that regular meditation can boost the immune system, reducing your risk of getting the flu, viruses, and infections because meditation can downregulate the activity of major stress axes in the body such as the HPA axis. … The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA axis), is responsible for your central stress response, as it intertwines the central nervous system and the endocrine system.”

~“F.R.Y. First Responders’ Yoga. The Book” Pg 39, 46, available on Amazon

2021-12-27 Benefits of Meditation #7 – Increased Cardiovascular Health

“Diet and exercise are always a good idea, but so is meditation according to JAMA International Medicine. Studies have found that by regularly practicing meditation people can both improve their overall heart health and reduce their risk of heart attack or heart disease because it is also related to shutting off the sympathetic nervous system, your fight-flight-freeze response.”

~“F.R.Y. First Responders’ Yoga. The Book” Pg 38, available on Amazon

2022-01-03 Benefits of Meditation #8 – Overcome Addictions

“A 2005 study published in The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse has found that meditation is incredibly helpful in overcoming addiction, including addiction to drugs and alcohol…when someone is addicted their brain relies on the external stimuli of their addiction to produce the feel-good hormones such as dopamine, serotonin and oxytocin to feel good. Meditation will train your mind to be happy and naturally “high”, without the need for any addictive substance to feel good.”

~“F.R.Y. First Responders’ Yoga. The Book” Pg 38, available on Amazon

2022-01-10 Benefits of Meditation #9 – Increase Empathy and Connection

Feeling alone, disconnected from society, family, friends, co-workers? This is very common in our world. Maitri meditation has been proven by the U.S National Library of Medicine to increase empathy, compassion, and your connection to society.

~“F.R.Y. First Responders’ Yoga. The Book” Pg 36, available on Amazon

Buy “F.R.Y. First Responders’ Yoga. The Book” on Amazon: https://buff.ly/3aQWthT

As seen on Yahoo! Finance: https://buff.ly/2Z3gA7h

Welcome 2022!

Here we are at the end of this 2021, whose restrictions, worries and some losses made it a difficult one. A bumpy year but WE DID IT!

We have reached the end and maybe for some of you this can be a moment for a yearly recap. Instead of planning for the next unpredictable year, be focused on all the beautiful things you have accomplished this year, on your ability to overcome the uncertainties, and your ability to adapt and move forward. A daily meditation moment teaches you the practice of letting go, which is the practice of stopping the doing, stopping holding on to something or someone. You will become slowly slowly the witness of your mind movements, free of all the recognized emotional entanglement.  You will recognize that train of thoughts come and go. It’s like a river with its constant flow of water. Sometimes it is gushing quickly and sometimes it is gushing slowly.
You have 2 choices:

  • You can jump into that river and get swept away by that river, meaning you get involved in your thought process. Sometimes it’s relaxing to float down the river; sometimes, extremely scary. It is part of our existence
  • You can sit on that riverbank and just watch the river. Whether or not it is a raging torrent or a calm serene river, you can be relaxed and watch it.

Becoming familiar with your mind process and becoming aware of all the emotions that normally give colour to your deeds, speech and thoughts, are the core principles for righteousness. It is a process that will lead you toward non-judgement acting, putting aside all the emotions, unhealthy repetitive patterns and habits that create reactions. And more, you will develop a deeper level of observation: observing your judgments without judgment.

WHAT F.R.Y. ACCOMPLISHED IN 2021, FIRST YEAR OF ACTIVITY:

  1. “F.R.Y. First Responders’ Yoga. The Book” was launched in February 2021 on Amazon, available in both paperback and kindle format.
  2. Our first press release was captured by major media outlets, such as Yahoo!Finance. Click here to read about it.
  3. F.R.Y. The APP, the digitization of The Book, was launched in November 2021 and is now available for download on both ANDROID and APPLE. Live streamed Classes and Events, Life Style and Mind-Set suggestions, Specialized Classes and more are available at a push of the button
  4. We recorded over 700 videos of breathwork (pranayama), Yang & Yin movements (asanas), relaxation techniques, positive affirmations (yoga nidra), meditations, classes and specialized classes.   
  5. Our co-founders, Julia and Sasy, penned essays for well known First Responder magazines: Canadian Paramedicine (click here to read the essay) and Canadian Firefighters (click here to read the essay).
  6. Our Director Sasy was interviewed by Life Boost about his experience in the law enforcement field and and how his knowledge about yoga and meditation have helped him during his 20 years of service as Police Detective. You can listen to the interview here.
  7. We reached over 182,000 people who looked at the content we published on our Facebook and IG pages.

F.R.Y. UPCOMING EVENTS:

  • Our CEO Julia is leading a 3 hour in-person workshop in the Ottawa area “2022 Vision Board Energy – Create the Life You Wish to Live™“, creating individual vision boards for 2022 while exploring the influence of Kundalini Yoga for Prosperity and Classical Yoga Nidra neuroplasticity. Reserve your spot here (January 9, 2022 9AM-12) 
  • Our Director Sasy is leading “Yin Yoga. Approaching the Functional” online course about Yin yoga and the functional approach to the yoga practice. Reserve your spot here now and get your early bird ticket (course starts on January 22, 2022)
  • Our CEO Julia is leading a Classically Based Yoga Nidra online course for anyone interested in a deeper understanding of Yoga Nidra for their own practice and self-healing OR Yoga Teachers interested in Certification. No experience with Yoga Nidra required. RELAXATION*VISUALIZATION*MANIFESTATION™. Reserve your spot here (course starts on February 2, 2022)
  • F.R.Y. The Method In-Person Classes (4-week sessions) will be available  Monday nights starting in January 2022 in the Ottawa Area at Willow Wellness.  More details and to hold your spot click: Session #1 (January 10, 17, 24, 31), Session #2 (February 7, 14, 21, 28), Session #3 (March 7, 14, 21, 28) and Session #4 (April 4, 11, 18, 25). No experience necessary.

Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or book at your convenience a 15 minute appointment with us to know more about our services by using this LINK to our Calendly.

We are available to work with your teams.

Have a wonderful 2022

from the F.R.Y. Team to yours.

Coregulation! What is that? First Responders need it

Coregulation! What is that? First Responders need it

Today we talk about “coregulation” and why is important for First Responders.

Stephen Porges, PHD and leader in studying and treating trauma, collected neuroscientific and psychological constructs regarding the role of the vagus nerve in emotion regulation in what he called the Polivagal Theory. One of his affirmations, which I like the most, is: “If you want to improve the world, start by helping people feel safer” 

What a credo for First Responders.

Coregulation: First Responders and Empathy

As a front-liner can you recall a moment in your career when you felt truly supported? I have memory of very few moments where I felt very supported. That feeling was perceived by me anytime the helper had a settled nervous system, an empathetic approach to the situation. The empathy was the reason why I felt safe.

No matter what the person’s training was: a therapist or a higher rank than me. If they showed empathy I felt supported. What was perceived by me and made me feel safe was “the heart” he/she put into the interaction with me.

There is a name for this: coregulation. It is a warm interaction that provides support in a given moment. There is a beautiful explanation I found in an article from Khiron Trauma Clinic in UK that says “Coregulation lies at the heart of all human relationships. It is the reciprocal sending and receiving of signals of safety. It is not merely the absence of danger but connection between two nervous systems; each nourishing and regulating the other in the process. Because it is baked into our evolutionary past, it is not a desire, but a need – one developed to facilitate survival. As humans, we therefore are programmed to seek interpersonal connection: it is a biological imperative.”

Nowadays, there is an emphasis on resiliency and mastering our self. They talk about self- regulation, which is the act of managing thoughts and feelings, in a way they can enable goal-directed actions. 

But it is necessary to have support in self-regulation. It develops and becomes efficient through interaction. Let’s call the helpers caregivers, for some can be parents, some coaches or therapist, some mentors, some their superior. That process of mutual reinforcement allows us not to stay in a defensive state. The established connection helps us to replace that defensive mode with patterns of protection.

The unknown, the unfamiliar and the nervous system. What First Responders need

This is my point: we are always in a transition of some kind during our career and in our life. We often walk on some unfamiliar path, the unknown path that makes us feel groundless and disregulated. Because of that our nervous system is not completely settled. Fear and stress during work-shift can boost some old subconscious patterns as hope and anticipation can push us in a direction far away from the present moment and the reality of the facts. These are only some ways our nervous systems can become disorganized.

We need interactions, we need to establish warm, heartfull connections. We need coregulation. A good police officer, firefighter, paramedic, and dispatcher needs to be in a state that doesn’t take on their counterpart’s distress and also preserve a space were the other can be at ease in; a place nourished with empathy, where the interaction is based on comprehension and co-regulation support.

It is the same for a good person. Let’s coregulate ourselves for a better world, to help people feel safer and to improve the world.

Read other articles on our FRY Resources Page

Sasy, F.R.Y. Director

Repeated Trauma Exposure. What is the price First Responders pay?

repeated trauma exposure first responders-sad police officer

Repeated Trauma Exposure. What is the price First Responders pay?

Repeated Trauma Exposure can be a big price to pay for First Responders.

35 trauma-exposed firefighters, 32 trauma-exposed CSI police and 23 unexposed matched for health, gender, age and years of education volunteered to participate in a study about the price of repeated traumatic exposure among first responders. The goal was to compare the performance of non-PTSD trauma-exposed firefighters and CSI police, and trauma-unexposed matched controls.

The full study is available to read on Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience website.

The results of a Repeated Trauma Exposure amongst First Responders

The results of the study have shown a possible hidden price of repeated trauma exposure among First Responders, which is not reflected in the standard measures of PTSD. The price of repeated traumatic exposure is not limited to trauma related conditions. Instead, it reflects a more general impairment, which may affect the way first responders interpret and react to various aspects in their environment.

F.R.Y. Director’s experience as a former Police Detective 

By reading the study above I could link the trauma exposure I had during my career as Police Detective with some automatic responses I had at that time. It is amazing how easy you can better analyze the events when everything belong to the past. It is sad how in a given moment you cannot understand what is happening.

I was able to override my default reactions and provide myself more behavioural flexibility by acknowledging those reactions and becoming aware of them. The effort I put in developing that awareness gave to me a greater control by anticipating the reaction and planning ahead to act instead.

My meditation practice and the effort I put in being mindful about what I was feeling in a given moment, were a medicine to me. It is not easy to change unconsciousness behaviour; but if you put effort into increasing your awareness the real change happens.

F.R.Y. The Method for First Responders’ Health

All the above is one of the reason F.R.Y. The Method has a mindful approach to the movement. It is the relationship you have with the movement and not the movement itself that can be a game changer. Meditation and a mindful approach to your life can help you.

Keep practicing constantly and trust The Method. Things simply fall into place.

To help you First Responders and to support Employer, School and Association we released our FRY The APP with hundreds of videos for your mind-body wellness and resilience. Download FRY The APP by using the direct link to the store available on this FRY’s website page

Sasy, F.R.Y. Director