Our program offers individual treatment for current and former emergency service workers including Police, Firefighters, Paramedics and Military personnel who are experiencing ongoing distress related to traumatic events experienced during their careers. While the program focuses primarily on post-traumatic stress reactions, it also includes information about dealing with organisational stress and other common difficulties that can arise following exposure to multiple traumas, including depression, substance abuse, panic, anger, and guilt.

As with our other research trials, the emergency service workers program is based on Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) and on the best available evidence from scientific and clinical trials. International studies have shown that CBT is the most effective treatments available for PTSD and related difficulties. The aim of this study is to examine new ways of enhancing existing CBT treatments and of tailoring them to emergency service workers who have been exposed to multiple traumas and organisational stresses.

If you think you can be helped by this program:

Contact the Traumatic Stress Clinic, and a telephone interview will be arranged. You will be asked some questions about your trauma exposure and the problems you are seeking help for. This interview should take approximately 30 minutes. If we think this program is right for you, we will first proceed with a full assessment, and then you will be invited to commence the program.

The research trial involves 12 weekly one-on-one sessions with a clinical psychologist, each lasting approximately 1 ½ hours. In the context of COVID-19, we are now also providing the option of participating in the research trial via Telehealth (video call). If you are interested in accessing our services in person at one of our Sydney clinics, you must first present evidence of double vaccination status.

The government funds the clinic with research grants in order to investigate treatments for post-traumatic stress and grief. This enables us to provide a free, specialist service.

View our participant information and consent form here.

UNSW HC230221