Deborah Green on Dispatchers' Mental Health, Stigma, and Resilience Strategies

Kyle Goodknight and Deborah Green delve into the critical mental health challenges faced by first responders, focusing on dispatchers. Deborah shares her trauma experience, highlighting the stigma and the urgent need to normalize mental health discussions. They discuss the impact of work conditions, high turnover, and lack of recognition for dispatchers, alongside vicarious trauma and training inadequacies. The episode covers financial challenges, retirement concerns, and the effects of PTSD, workman's comp, and COVID-19. They emphasize the importance of peer support, alternative treatments, and closure in dispatch work. The conversation concludes with resources and stories of resilience, encouraging engagement with the podcast.