Preview Mode Links will not work in preview mode

Bear Psychology Podcast


Dr. Anna Baranowsky is a Canadian Clinical Psychologist, CEO of the Traumatology Institute, Founder and President of the Board at Trauma Practice. She is the author of two books on trauma, numerous courses to help train professionals in trauma mental health and the developer of the Trauma Recovery Program for Self-Guided trauma care. She works with trauma survivors and those with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) on post-traumatic growth and recovery.

Through her work she believes that when we share, dialogue and feel supported, it provides a powerful foundation for forward movement in our understanding and the care needed. In her own words "I have found that the most profound changes occur when a person truly feels heard and understood - I like to think of it as deeply BEARING WITNESS to life evolving. We can feel incredibly stuck when we live with our fears, stressors and troubles in isolation."

Dr.Baranowsky is the host of the Bear Psychology Show, focusing on bearing witness to Evolving Mood, Mind, Health. Her talks revolve around recovery, relationships, work and life adventures.

She is dedicated to assisting organizations and health professionals who help trauma survivors to ensure a trauma informed lens of care can grow in community health networks. With that vision in 1998, the Traumatology Institute Canada (TIC) was established. TIC has trained thousands of individuals nationally and internationally.

Dr. Baranowsky serves on the board of directors of the Academy of Traumatology and is a Board Certified Expert in Traumatic Stress through the American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress and is recognized by The National Center for Crisis Management. She has published in the area of Post-Traumatic Stress, Compassion Fatigue, and therapeutic relationships (the Silencing Response).

Copyright:  Dr. Anna Baranowsky, 2020

Jan 28, 2019

The focus of this episode which aired on June 28th, 2018 is on the stress experienced by First Responders and the tools that one can use to bolster your resilience to that stress. This episode has two guest speakers, Gary and Andrew. Gary is a retired paramedic who shares insights on how he increased his resilience to the inevitable on-the-job stress he experienced.

The second guest speaker is Andrew Scollick who is the Director of PDA International, a Psychometric Behavioural Assessment and Consulting firm. This firm applies the DiSC behavioural profile theory in the workplace to understand individuals' underlying behaviours, reactions to stress and risk tolerance. Andrew works with police services and other first response teams, as understanding our tendencies can help us bolster our weaknesses. For more information about PDA International and the DiSC model, visit Andrew's website here.

For more information on Dr. Stephanie Conn, first responder turned psychologist, you can watch Dr. Baranowsky's interview with her here. She discusses 'strengthening your personal armour' and how police and emergency personnel can develop and increase their resilience.  

The Road to Mental Readiness is a mental health continuum model that can be useful for First Responder Teams and mental health professionals to understand what is happening to you when you are impacted by stress. You can find more information on this colour chart here.