Services
911 asks a lot of the people who do it. Supporting them should go beyond telling them to be resilient.
Help for the Headset provides training, coaching, and practical resources that address the human side of emergency communications, including the things this profession doesn’t always teach us how to navigate.
From cumulative stress and nervous system regulation to peer support, leadership, connection, and workplace culture, the focus is on what actually helps people stay well while doing work that asks so much of them.
Built from nearly two decades of experience behind the headset and supported by research, this work helps 911 professionals better understand what the job can do to us—and gives individuals, teams, and agencies practical ways to change what happens next.
For agencies outside of California: In order to book or schedule any service, please email: [email protected]
Any questions about the course content or resources, please email: [email protected]
For agencies within California, please email: [email protected]
Any questions about the course content or resources, please email: [email protected]
For agencies within California, please email: [email protected]
Training Sessions I Offer Outside of California through The Healthy Dispatcher as the Wellness and Peer Support Coordinator:
For agencies outside of California: In order to book or schedule any service, please email: [email protected] Communications Training Officer Wellness This course is designed to bring attention to the additional stressors faced by individuals in CTO roles, amplifying the inherent challenges of their already demanding jobs. Given the prevalent staffing shortages, CTOs are now experiencing an unprecedented demand to train a continuous influx of new hires aimed at addressing understaffing issues. Consequently, this heightened responsibility is leading to significant CTO burnout, decision fatigue, and trainee compassion fatigue. The course recognizes the reality where refusing to train another individual is not a viable option, compelling CTOs to navigate and address their struggles through choices that extend beyond basic self-care practices. Its focus is specifically tailored to address the mental, emotional, and physical needs of CTOs both as individuals and as integral members of their training teams. 8hrs Effective Peer Support and Critical Incident Care Effective peer support teams and proactive mental health strategies are key to fostering a resilient and healthy agency culture. When active and trusted, peer support teams build relationships, reduce stress, boost morale, and improve retention. However, inactivity or lack of trust can undermine these benefits. While Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) has been the standard for post-incident support, research shows that proactive approaches—like Psychological First Aid education, immediate support, and ongoing resources—are more effective in building long-term resilience. This session will explore these strategies to help agencies reduce stress-related injuries and support the well-being of first responders. QA Secondary Trauma and Wellness Quality Assurance (QA) professionals in emergency communications are routinely exposed to high-risk, emotionally charged incidents through repeated review of 911 calls, placing them at increased risk for secondary trauma and cumulative stress injury. This course examines the unique occupational stressors associated with QA work, including repeated exposure without control over outcomes, hindsight bias, moral and ethical strain, and role isolation. Participants will learn to distinguish secondary trauma from burnout and general work stress, recognize early cognitive, emotional, and behavioral warning signs, and apply practical, job-appropriate strategies for regulation, healthy containment, and sustainability in the QA role. 16 Hour Peer Support Certification Course This 16-hour, dispatch-specific course equips participants with the knowledge and skills to support both individual resilience and effective peer support within their agency. Participants will explore stress physiology, the hypervigilance–hypovigilance cycle, trauma encoding, and cumulative stress impacts such as burnout and secondary trauma, while learning to recognize personal patterns, understand emotional invalidation, and apply practical micro-practices for nervous system regulation. A structured self-guided debrief model provides a tool for independently processing difficult calls. The course then builds into the role of peer support, defining what it is—and is not—while emphasizing trust, confidentiality, and proactive connection over incident-based response. Participants will develop skills in identifying when someone is struggling, initiating and sustaining supportive conversations, applying Psychological First Aid, and navigating referrals, while also addressing team engagement and burnout prevention for peer supporters. 3 Day Experiential Wellness for First Responders™ (see page on website with details). www.helpfortheheadset.com/experiential-wellness-for-first-responders-course.html Courses Offered For Agencies within California: (if you are outside of California and are interested in any of the following, please reach out to [email protected] to get information) For agencies within California, please email: [email protected] The Individual Impact: Shaping Culture in 911 This course empowers 911 dispatchers to shape a healthier, more resilient control room culture by emphasizing the impact of individual behavior, emotional intelligence, and leadership at all levels. Students will explore how personal responsibility, communication, and mindset influence the workplace environment, while also examining the toll of chronic stress and trauma exposure. Through guided reflection and practical application, they will learn evidence-based wellness strategies to build resilience, lead by example, and foster psychological safety and trust within their teams. The course also underscores the importance of both formal and informal coaching and mentoring, guiding students to create a personalized plan for ongoing growth, peer support, and meaningful contributions to a cohesive and supportive work culture. 8hrs For California Agencies: POST and CalOES ATA certified Communications Training Officer Wellness This course is designed to bring attention to the additional stressors faced by individuals in CTO roles, amplifying the inherent challenges of their already demanding jobs. Given the prevalent staffing shortages, CTOs are now experiencing an unprecedented demand to train a continuous influx of new hires aimed at addressing understaffing issues. Consequently, this heightened responsibility is leading to significant CTO burnout, decision fatigue, and trainee compassion fatigue. The course recognizes the reality where refusing to train another individual is not a viable option, compelling CTOs to navigate and address their struggles through choices that extend beyond basic self-care practices. Its focus is specifically tailored to address the mental, emotional, and physical needs of CTOs both as individuals and as integral members of their training teams. 8hrs For California Agencies: POST and CalOES ATA certified Effective Peer Support and Critical Incident Care Effective peer support teams and proactive mental health strategies are key to fostering a resilient and healthy agency culture. When active and trusted, peer support teams build relationships, reduce stress, boost morale, and improve retention. However, inactivity or lack of trust can undermine these benefits. While Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) has been the standard for post-incident support, research shows that proactive approaches—like Psychological First Aid education, immediate support, and ongoing resources—are more effective in building long-term resilience. This session will explore these strategies to help agencies reduce stress-related injuries and support the well-being of first responders. 8hrs For California Agencies: POST and CalOES ATA certified QA Secondary Trauma and Wellness Quality Assurance (QA) professionals in emergency communications are routinely exposed to high-risk, emotionally charged incidents through repeated review of 911 calls, placing them at increased risk for secondary trauma and cumulative stress injury. This course examines the unique occupational stressors associated with QA work, including repeated exposure without control over outcomes, hindsight bias, moral and ethical strain, and role isolation. Participants will learn to distinguish secondary trauma from burnout and general work stress, recognize early cognitive, emotional, and behavioral warning signs, and apply practical, job-appropriate strategies for regulation, healthy containment, and sustainability in the QA role. 8hrs For California Agencies: POST and CalOES ATA certified 16 Hour Peer Support Certification Course This 16-hour, dispatch-specific course equips participants with the knowledge and skills to support both individual resilience and effective peer support within their agency. Participants will explore stress physiology, the hypervigilance–hypovigilance cycle, trauma encoding, and cumulative stress impacts such as burnout and secondary trauma, while learning to recognize personal patterns, understand emotional invalidation, and apply practical micro-practices for nervous system regulation. A structured self-guided debrief model provides a tool for independently processing difficult calls. The course then builds into the role of peer support, defining what it is—and is not—while emphasizing trust, confidentiality, and proactive connection over incident-based response. Participants will develop skills in identifying when someone is struggling, initiating and sustaining supportive conversations, applying Psychological First Aid, and navigating referrals, while also addressing team engagement and burnout prevention for peer supporters. 3 Day Experiential Wellness for First Responders™ (see page on website with details). www.helpfortheheadset.com/experiential-wellness-for-first-responders-course.html CalOES ATA certified How To Make Teaching CLETS Fun Join us and discover the exciting world of learning! You’ll be shown the many ways people learn, making your training experience more engaging and boosting your retention. Dive into the world of adult learner characteristics and learn how to tailor your training to make it truly effective. Get ready to participate in fun (I promise!) group activities and create innovative engagement methods for your agency! 4hrs, 8hrs For California Agencies: POST and CalOES ATA certified Emotional Intelligence - the Foundation of a Healthy Dispatch Center - Emotional Intelligence is the cornerstone of a thriving dispatch center. Recognizing and understanding both personal and others' emotions fosters a mindful pause between triggers and reactions. This skill transforms often toxic dispatch atmospheres. It reveals strengths, weaknesses, and focus areas, empowering students to take responsibility for actions and emotions. Equipped with self-awareness, they cultivate a positive work environment, demonstrating the transformative impact of Emotional Intelligence. 4 & 8hrs For California Agencies: POST and CalOES ATA certified Undoing the Damage of the Compartmentalization Culture - First responders adopt a culture of compartmentalization, suppressing the impact of their job and experiences. This has led to immense stress and unacknowledged trauma injuries. Listening to our bodies is vital to reduce further stress and trauma. 2hrs 4hrs Cumulative PTSI in a Dispatch Environment Cumulative PTSI significantly impacts emergency dispatchers, affecting their physical, mental, and emotional well-being in the long and short term. This can lead to reduced life satisfaction, low morale, and decreased work motivation, causing staffing retention issues. Students will learn to identify and mitigate Cumulative PTSI's negative effects, making informed choices to reduce their occurrence and impact. . 2hrs *online version available* For California Agencies: POST and CalOES ATA certified Leading Without a Title Believing we need official titles to effect change or lead is a common misconception. This session emphasizes individual responsibility, mindset, emotional intelligence, communication, and mentoring. With these skills, students can improve their environment, boost morale, create a healthier workplace, and increase retention. 2hrs For California Agencies: POST and CalOES ATA certified Realistic Wellness for First Responders We often reach a critical point of experiencing emotional and mental fatigue at such levels that we stop caring about making the right choices for ourselves. Too often we are told to be healthier without any guidance or we are given extreme choices to make that don’t account for the nature of this job. This course will provide realistic wellness goals that will allow you to be the best dispatcher you can be, by being the healthiest and most resilient person you can be. 2hrs *online version available* For California Agencies: POST and CalOES ATA certified Conference Sessions:
|
Peer Support CoachingIndividual Coaching
One-on-one coaching designed specifically for first responders who want practical support navigating the unique demands of the profession. Whether you're managing cumulative stress, recovering from difficult calls, preparing for retirement, strengthening resilience, or simply looking to improve your overall well-being, coaching provides a confidential space to build practical skills, gain perspective, and create sustainable strategies that support both your career and your life beyond the job. Agency Peer Support Team Coaching Strong peer support teams don't happen by accident—they require ongoing guidance, development, and intentional leadership. Agency Peer Support Team Coaching helps peer supporters and team leaders strengthen their skills, navigate challenging situations, build trust within their organizations, and create sustainable, proactive peer support programs. Through individual or team coaching, agencies receive practical mentorship that enhances confidence, effectiveness, and the long-term success of their peer support teams. 
|
