Humanities & Social Sciences
September 2024
Tactical Brain Training
A Guide to Trauma and Stress Management for First Responders and the Professionals Who Support Them
by Gina Rollo White, MA
For first responders, stress and trauma are part of the job. But that doesn’t mean they have to let the chaos be part of their everyday lives. First responders—law enforcement, firefighters, emergency medical professionals, military personnel, and more—spend each day confronting stress and trauma head-on. Rarely is there time to process and recover from the turmoil and violence they encounter day after day. It doesn’t help that first responder culture encourages a “get on with it” attitude, offering limited resources for the internal struggle that builds up over time. It doesn’t have to be this way. Tactical Brain Training offers a solution for first responders to use their incredible emergency management skills to recover from the rigors of this demanding work. Developed by Gina Rollo White, a therapeutic mindfulness expert with over 10 years in the first responder world, this first-of-its-kind guidebook provides proven, sustainable strategies for regulating stress and trauma in real time and following the emergent event. Whether you are a first responder yourself, a clinician supporting someone in this profession, or a family member, this book will empower you to: Connect with real-life stories that showcase the types of challenges faced by first responders Learn scientific insights behind the long-term impacts of stress, trauma, and mindfulness Practice short, effective brain exercises, both written and in guided videos, that build mental clarity and put you in the driver’s seat of how you respond Develop a personalized mindfulness action plan for neutralizing stress and bringing your brain back “online” Although running toward chaos may be part of the job, living in a state of internal chaos does not have to continue to be the norm.
