LA Fires Leave Emotional Scars—New Training Helps Firefighters and Police Cope

Elias Institute of Professional Coaching Launches Emotional Recovery for Crisis Response® for First Responders LA Wildfires

LOS ANGELES, CA, UNITED STATES, February 4, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Firefighters, police officers, and public safety personnel who faced the devastating impact of the LA wildfires now have access to specialized coaching and leadership training programs designed to help manage stress and reduce the negative impact of trauma.

Dr. Janine Elias PCC, president of the Elias Institute of Professional Coaching, is offering the Institutes Emotional Recovery for Crisis Response^® specialized coaching and training program delivered in a three-part series to provide coaching for emotional recovery for crisis response and resiliency leadership training for first responders and frontline professionals.

“Our coaching programs provide a nonclinical, trauma-informed approach to support recovery and resilience. Unlike traditional therapy, we focus on practical, actionable strategies to overcome challenges, build strengths, process trauma, and achieve personal and professional goals. This program integrates evidence-based practices aimed at fostering emotional recovery, along with cultivating leadership skills that promote resilience, fortitude, and a clear, forward-thinking vision.

“It's an ounce of prevention to reduce the negative outcomes of trauma,” said Elias, PCC, NBC-HWC, an expert in PTSD, PTSI, and resilience training. “By equipping first responders and other professionals with tools to navigate stress and foster resilience, we create lasting positive change that extends beyond the immediate crisis.”

“Let’s prioritize emotional health and support our leaders and frontline professionals in building resilience and a future forward vision” added Dr. Elias.

The Need for Resiliency Coaching

First responders routinely face high-stress situations, making emotional resilience essential to their well-being. The U.S. Army has used resilience training since 2009. In 2022, Walter Reed recommended shifting these programs toward a coaching and leadership model.
Unlike traditional therapy, resiliency coaching is action-oriented, leadership-focused, and designed to prevent negative long-term trauma effects. Participants in past programs reported a 60% reduction in stress levels and a 70% improvement in hardiness—key factors in reducing burnout, PTSD, and anxiety.

Program Details

The program specifically addresses:
• Building connection through shared experiences
• Apply the 3C’s of hardiness to mitigate survivors guilt and reduce secondary trauma
• Implement non-clinical trauma reduction techniques to reduce the onset of PTSD
• Utilize Resiliency Leadership & formal coach training for organizational wellness

The program includes:
• Individual & group coaching and resiliency leadership training
• Pre & Post Assessments to monitor the effectiveness of program outcomes
• Rank-specific cohorts (up to 24 participants) for open discussion without hierarchy concerns
• Small group for individualized support and customization of program content to participants
• In-person sessions for maximum engagement.
• Zoom options are available
• OnDemand Video Series

Evidence-Based

Our 6-Week Leadership Group Coaching: Transformational Leadership & Crisis Response program informed the development of our Emotional Recovery for Crisis Response^® programs. Both have been crafted for public safety and military personnel to utilize formal coaching skills in community engagement and navigating crucial conversations and for leaders to build hardiness and resiliency within the ranks.

These programs are delivered in rank-specific cohorts, differentiating front-line personnel, midlevel leaders, and chiefs into separate programs to allow for open dialogue among peers facing similar challenges while providing appropriate leadership support for all categories of their assignments.

About Dr. Janine Elias

“In 2004, the trajectory of my career shifted with a phone call from my cousin Sgt. Glyn Elias, who had returned from his second tour in Iraq. He called me crying. His third friend that month had died by suicide. He pleaded with me to help; he insisted that I promise,” she said.
“That promise, made with love, changed the course of my career.

“Inspired by Glyn, in 2006, I went to my first Center for Deployment Psychology training. I returned to train mental health professionals in Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) for War-Related PTSD. I worked closely with military personnel and their families, assisting with reintegration.
“I went on to combine what I had learned in my decades of working as a business and leadership consultant and coach with the unique experiences of military and emergency response personnel specializing in hardiness, resiliency, stress management, transfer of training, change initiatives, formal coach training, and organizational wellness.

“In 2021, I began working with Law Enforcement, providing a 6-week Leadership Group Coaching: Transformational Leadership & Crisis Response to mitigate the stressors of the pandemic, social unrest, and stress management.

“I continued to modify my training programs and conduct research on resiliency and effective leadership to reduce the negative impact of prolonged stress and permacrisis out of this ongoing work the Emotional Recovery for Crisis Response^® program was born. I had prepared this program to continue my work with Law Enforcement and military personnel.

“After being glued to my TV for three days with the LA Wildfires, where all the local and national networks held regular programming to cover the tremendous devastation of this horrific disaster, I knew it was time to release the Emotional Recovery for Crisis Response^® to first responders and support personnel here in LA. The tremendous loss of property, community, and life is unprecedented, resulting in an unsurmountable emotional toll,” she said.

She holds a master’s degree in clinical psychology and a doctorate in educational leadership. She is a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP).

Sponsorship Opportunities

“We’re accepting sponsorships to provide coaching support and training initiatives for Emotional Recovery for Crisis Response^® as well as scholarships to train and certify coaches, mental health professionals, and peer support trainers, allowing us to expand these vital services throughout Los Angeles communities in need.”

To support recovery efforts of LA Wildfires Elias Institute is providing 30% tuition reduction on coaching and certification programs.

Dr. Janine Elias
Elias Institute of Professional Coaching
+1 818-888-0191
Wildfires@EliasInstituteofProfessionalCoaching.com