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Garrett de Jong, McCall Fire Chief

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After 25 years of working as a first responder and regularly seeking out mental health hacks, it became clear that nothing was working at a root level. Dr. Crawford presented at a local fire chiefs conference, and it felt like she spoke directly to me and knew all of my issues. After her third presentation, I dared to work with her at an agency and personal level. The somatic modality Dr. Crawford practices and her ability to cut through my protective armor was challenging but probably the most meaningful work I have done for myself, my family, my agency, and my community. I’ve personally been able to utilize somatic practices at work and with my coworkers to assist in creating a culture of emotional health. Beyond agency culture, I have watched it transform emotional health in critical incidents and in the moment. It has also been very useful at home and allowed me the ability to be more present and aware with my wife and children. I cannot recommend Dr. Crawford enough and urge everyone to work hard with her at both individual and organizational levels. If you are an organizational leader, this is vitally important work, and it requires that you lead from the front and that you embrace the suck. The rewards far outweigh the pain.