Occupational Awareness Training for Therapists©

Understanding Firefighter Culture & Trauma

Enhance your clinical skills with Firefighters

Let us help you bring your expertise to Emergency Workers with this unique course.

It is designed to increase your understanding of Firefighter culture and trauma and the challenge these individuals face in balancing paramilitary work culture with personal life.

It will increase learner competencies in how to provide accessible, culturally competent mental healthcare support for Firefighters and their loved ones.

Purchase Course

Important Information

Please Read Before Purchasing

  • Time to Complete

    It should take you 8 hours to complete this course and you have 28 days to complete it.


    After 28 days it will no longer be available unless you re-purchase it.

  • Education Credits

    By completing this course, you will receive 10 hours of continuing education credits.


    Certification will be provided upon successful completion of the course within 28 days.

  • Class Workbook

    This course consists of 10 lessons, each consists of a video and class workbook.


    We recommend downloading the workbook for notes and future reference.

Course Curriculum

  • 1

    Course Instructions

    • How to successfully complete this course:

    • Couse Walkthrough
  • 2

    Learning Objectives & Course Curriculum

    • Intellectual Property

    • Learning Objectives
  • 3

    Course Instructors

    • Instructor for this course: Matt Johnston

    • Instructor for this course: Steve Farina

    • Instructor for this course: Scott Young
  • 4

    Class Workbook

    • Class Workbook

    • Complete Class Workbook (Optional to Download)
  • 5

    Lesson 1: Opening Remarks

    • Class Workbook (Optional to Download)

    • Video Lesson
  • 6

    Lesson 2: Organizational Structure and Mental Wellness Initiatives

    • Class Workbook (Optional to Download)

    • Video Lesson
  • 7

    Lesson 3: Recruit to Chief

    • Class Workbook (Optional to Download)

    • Video Lesson
  • 8

    Lesson 4: Current Challenge

    • Class Workbook (Optional to Download)

    • Video Lesson
  • 9

    Lesson 5: First Responders in Crisis

    • Class Workbook (Optional to Download)

    • Video Lesson
  • 10

    Lesson 6: Stress Response & Trauma Exposure

    • Class Workbook (Optional to Download)

    • Video Lesson
  • 11

    Lesson 7: Current Research

    • Class Workbook (Optional to Download)

    • Video Lesson
  • 12

    Lesson 8: Working with First Responders During Critical Incidents

    • Class Workbook (Optional to Download)

    • Video Lesson
  • 13

    Lesson 9: Chaplaincy and Narrative Healing

    • Class Workbook (Optional to Download)

    • Video Lesson
  • 14

    Lesson 10: Moving Forward for Clinicians

    • Class Workbook (Optional to Download)

    • Video Lesson
  • 15

    Course Recap and Reference List

    • Learning Objectives (Recap)

    • Learning Objectives (Survey)

    • Reference List
  • 16

    Course Review (Optional)

    • Review

Bonus material

Included in this course is this incredible additional content.

  • Interview with Rick Hanson

    Matt Johnston has a conversation with Rick Hanson, Ph.D., a psychologist and New York Times best-selling author. He’s been an invited speaker at NASA, Oxford, Stanford, Harvard, and meditation centers worldwide. His books are available in 28 languages and include Resilient, Hardwiring Happiness, Buddha’s Brain, Just One Thing, and Mother Nurture. His work has been featured on the BBC, CBS, and NPR.

Instructor(s)

Matt Johnston

Senior Instructor

Matt Johnston is the co-founder of First Responder Health, an organization dedicated to enhancing the behavioural health and well-being of first responders through online counselling, training for healthcare professionals and organizational support services.


A registered mental health professional and full-time firefighter, Matt has mastered the art of closing the gap between service providers and first responders. Matt’s skill set is grounded by twenty years of study in the field of psychology and over ten years in clinical practice. His unique approach to conceptualizing trauma is an introspective blend of academic training, clinical practice and direct experience of attending over 2,500 emergency calls as a firefighter in Metro Vancouver. Through his proactive, strengths-based approach, Matt’s ultimate goal is to alleviate the mental health crisis gripping public safety personnel across North America.