International Critical Incident Stress Foundation, Inc.
International Critical Incident Stress Foundation, Inc.
By: Marc “Junk” Junkerman
Each of us has a song. A sequence of melodies and rhythms which make sense to us as individuals and which guide us through our lives. Unfortunately, the turmoil of 2020 has made many of us feel out of tune. I believe this is particularly true for our safety and service professionals. Here is my take on perhaps why.
I visualize culture as a triangular prism with facets consisting of knowledge, tradition, and experience. Stimuli and data stream into this “cultural prism” and are bent and refracted into perspectives which combine to form our perception. COVID-19, political and civil unrest, and everything in between have overwhelmed our personal processors which regulate this system. We have been plunged into a “global” crisis of indeterminate length with few places of safety. The limits of our knowledge and experience have been tested forcing us to forge ahead with few accurate or consistent signposts upon which to rely. Most alarming, these events have made our traditional natural tendency to seek the comfort and support of “the group” a contraindication. Feelings of helplessness are magnified for our safety and service providers who often equate self-worth with the ability to control situations into which they are placed. Handcuffs, hoses, nor tourniquets can stop a virus leaving those charged with protecting the public and their own families feeling unprepared and inept. The situation is further compounded by shifting societal norms which challenge long-standing traditions and personas of already taxed front-line care providers. So, what is the solution once we recognize how our cultural lenses shape our view of current events? No panacea exists however there is an available convention which uses a litany of tools to form a comprehensive, integrated, systematic, multi-faceted approach to our needs. We call it CISM. (Everly & Mitchell, 2017)
One point which bears reminding is that CISM includes not only back-end response but also embraces front-end preparation sometimes described as a “left of bang” approach. (Van Horne & Riley, 2014). It is my belief the application of personal and organizational pre-event wellness inoculation such as described by Dr. George S. Everly Jr. during his work in developing the John’s Hopkins Resiliency Model (Everly & Mitchell, 2017) is paramount for building not just healthy first responders but health people. I argue this front-end approach hones and develops individual coping skills and works to build acceptance of the CISM process laying a foundation for positive post-event outcomes in particular as it pertains to the application of the group intervention models pioneered and defined by Dr. Jeffrey T. Mitchell. (Everly & Mitchell, 2017). In short, I encourage you to use of your CISM skills and “wellness RADAR” to anticipate risk, identify looming issues, and to implement mitigation efforts well before they impact.
Second is making the conscious decision to win by design not by default. Do not be fooled by a lucky winner inside the casino. The odds always favor the house in games of chance. Hope is good but it is not a plan. We cannot account for every contingency we may face however knowing the game and playing the percentages will mathematically increase our chances of success. One simple exercise I advocate as part of this step is the implementation of a daily personal action plan. Make a habit of setting realistic personal goals every day. It matters not if they are grand or small so long as they get you out of bed and start you moving. Next is to unflinchingly take ownership for yourself. This includes learning not to fear to face the mirror even if you are not always thrilled with what is reflected. Remember that some societal and cultural constructs can trap us in a cycle of guilt and self-loathing. (Ruiz, 1997) Realizing you can choose to break this cycle will help you become the captain of your own ship. Another important but challenging self-ownership concept is embracing the idea that sometimes the only way to gain balance and control is to relinquish it in areas beyond our actual scope of influence. The third step of the action plan defines the transition from the “me” to the “we” by reminding us that everyone needs to be accountable to and for his or her peers. In the end, I encourage you to use whatever strategy helps you commit to success as part of your win by design efforts.
The final major component of what I call “Planning to Thrive (P2T)” is defined by the mantra “create a wellness culture not just a wellness program”. One study found that nearly 80 percent of corporate training programs fail primarily because they yield only temporary results and focus upon what is broken as opposed to building upon what is working. (Oakely & Krug, 1994) Creating and maintaining this culture requires a holistic commitment to healthy individual habits and organizational norms as opposed to policies or initiatives. A workplace in which people believe it is acceptable to turn a blind eye towards the needs of others or to that of the group because it is “not my job” is an indicator of organizational dysfunction. Those habits can be changed through consistent but firm followership and leadership. Let us revisit our music metaphor to further explain. An orchestra has different musicians specializing in different instruments. However, we should remember it is the dedication and cooperation of the entire band and its conductor which enhances the success of the soloist. That is one factor which defines an orchestra from just a group of people playing music. A culture of accountability and stewardship leads to a culture of success.
The second part of this culture equation is realizing the main goal is fostering an opportunity for members to thrive and not just survive. This requires across the board recognition that organizational wellness and resilience is more than just mental health. Agencies sometimes demonstrate a tendency to bundle everything from physical ailments to performance issues or inappropriate employee behavior into a behavioral health wrapper. Clinicians are and will continue to be staunch and unwavering partners but are not the antidote to every situation. It is frankly unfair and unwise you use them as a hasty default or a “quick fix” in response to systemic normative issues which should be directly addressed by the individual or the organization. Think about our safety and services providers as trapeze artists. They are specially selected, highly trained, and expected to continually perform and succeed in a high-risk environment. The safety net below is what provides them protection and confidence. Remember, that net consists of multiple ropes designed to catch the performer regardless of how he or she falls. Mental health is just one strand of a “wellness web” which consists of many other interlocking threads to include physical wellness, occupational and operational safety, and family support. This overlap helps ensure everyone who falls is caught.
Circling back, your music may be a bit off because the unprecedented challenges we are facing have short-circuited some of the cultural control mechanisms we crave within our human society. One possible remedy is for us to reset our playlist through the implementation of CISM by specifically applying the “Planning to Thrive (P2T)” principles consisting of working left of bang, winning by design, and building a wellness culture. It may take some work to find your sound however you may end up with the thrill of creating an original composition of your own. After all, nobody remembers cover bands!
Bibliography:
Everly, G. S., & Mitchell, J. T. (2017). Critical Incident Stess Management (CISM) A Practical Review. Ellicott City, MD: ICISF.
Oakely, E., & Krug, D. (1994). Enlightened Leadership: Getting to the Heart of Change. Whichita, KS: Fireside.
Ruiz, M. (1997). The Four Agreements. San Rafael, CA: Amber-Allen Publishing.
Van Horne, P., & Riley, J. A. (2014). Left of Bang: How the Marine Corps’ Hunter Program Can Save Your Life. NA: Black Irish LLC.
Biography:
Marc “Junk” Junkerman is an active law enforcement commander with over 27 years of experience in assignments such as Patrol, Special Operations/SWAT, Special Investigations, and Warrant Apprehension. He has been involved in various peer support roles since 2009 with a special focus on front end wellness since 2016. This led to the development of his “Planning to Thrive (P2T)” program which he has been honored to deliver to various audiences across the country as member of the ICISF faculty. “Junk” holds a BA in Psychology from Lebanon Valley College and an MS in Organizational Management from Johns Hopkins University. He is also a veteran of the United States Army.
Copyright © 2025 International Critical Incident Stress Foundation, Inc
International Critical Incident Stress Foundation, Inc is a 501(c)3 Non Profit