"In the Spotlight:"

EMDR and Critical Incident Stress Management Services at Netcare

Netcare’s Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) program responds to the needs of professionals, emergency personnel or individuals within an organization who are witnesses or victims of a traumatic event and need help dealing with the aftermath. CISM services are provided to organizations such as schools, businesses, law enforcement agencies and fire departments. These services are provided by specially trained mental health and emergency personnel. Group and one-on-one interventions, debriefings and consultations are provided to these individuals who may be experiencing unusually strong, emotional reactions, as a result of the critical incident situation. These discussions usually last 1-4 hours and are designed to accelerate the recovery and minimize the stress of the exposed individuals, thus maximizing the ability to function, either at the scene, or later. Examples of situations in which the CISM team has responded to include line of duty deaths and serious injuries, natural disasters, suicides, death of co-worker or friend, muti-casualty incidences and death or serious injuries to employees while on the job.

At times, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), is used by specially trained CISM staff to help maximize the effect of treatment. Psychodynamic, cognitive behavioral, interpersonal, experiential, and body-centered therapies are all part of EMDR. The EDMR Institute, Inc. describes EMDR as an information processing therapy which uses an eight phase approach. During EMDR, the client attends to past and present experiences in brief sequential doses while simultaneously focusing on an external stimulus. The client is then instructed to let new material become the focus of the next set of dual attention. This sequence of dual attention and personal association is repeated many times in the session.

After EMDR processing, clients generally report that the emotional distress related to the memory has been eliminated, or greatly decreased, and that they have gained important cognitive insights. Importantly, these emotional and cognitive changes usually result in spontaneous behavioral and personal change, which are further enhanced with standard EMDR procedures.

Kay Werk, LISW, Manager of Community Crisis Services at Netcare and Sr. Trainer at the EMDR Institute, has several years experience working in the field of trauma treatment and practicing EMDR. Kay reflects on these specific services offered by Netcare’s CISM team…

Early in my career at Netcare I determined that my most important personal goal was to have colleagues who were contributing to the world: by support one another and promoting growth and well-being both for our clients and for ourselves. We (colleagues, staff at Netcare, other service providers and our consumers) are all in this life together and we must help one another as much as possible! I have discovered this philosophy at Netcare in all levels of the organization (from excellent administrators and mentors to numerous line staff in every area of the agency) and, through my work at Netcare, I have been able to discover it in a variety of other organizations: law enforcement, fire service, organizations which are in the helping profession and which simply have a philosophy of service regardless of their specific business. I’ve been able to meet them through co-operative experiences including Critical Incident Stress Management and educational presentations.

It’s been a privilege to see what we’ve learned about crisis services and trauma treatment over the years. One of the major advantages of Netcare is their support in keeping abreast of the new developments in the field, their willingness to become aware of and operate on the leading edge of advancements in the field of trauma treatment. For me, this has been learning about and being able to implement EMDR, a remarkable and evidence-based treatment for psychological trauma and CISM. Both have allowed interaction with outstanding professionals in the public safety and emergency response arena where it has been possible to work together with those who are dedicated, outstanding in their fields, and willing to “give back” to those who have given to them in the course of their careers. Netcare has been instrumental in the training of possibly 1000 or more professionals in these approaches since the early 1990’s.

We now know much more than we previously knew about the potential of those who have been traumatized. They have an ability to recover and return to an even higher level of functioning through both CISM and EMDR. At one time, our profession didn’t even acknowledge PTSD, instead claiming the professionals experiencing it “must not be cut out for” their field. It wasn’t until the 90’s that we even recognized PTSD as a legitimate diagnosis (prior to that it was considered “shell shock” or even “malingering.” Then, once recognized, for a long time, we could only teach people to cope with it. We have now developed teams of mental health, public safety and emergency services professionals who, working together, assist others in their field. Being part of these teams and standing side by side with these professionals has been a highlight for me in the evolution of services at Netcare. We really can intervene meaningfully and assist traumatized individuals in the ability to return to satisfying, productive lives.

Most recently, there have been CIT (Crisis Intervention Team) trainings for law enforcement officers who have become ambassadors for helpful and effective early intervention for individuals who are mentally ill in the community. Again, I have been privileged to interact with countless people who have made this remarkable program possible in Columbus and Franklin County.

So, as I’ve enjoyed my personal evolution, there is also an organizational evolution and community evolution in the task that can be summed up saying “we’re all in this together: we can and do (and must) assist one another.” How good to be part of a system that believes in and acts on that premise on a regular basis.

For years, Kay has provided EMDR and CISM services to professionals in the community who have been impacted by a traumatic event. Here are some testimonies from individuals who have benefited from EMDR & CISM:

Dan Whiteside, E-17 3 Unit, Columbus Fire Department

David Conley, Retired Deputy Sheriff Franklin County Sheriff's Office


Netcare’s Critical Incident Stress Management Services are available 24/7 and can be accessed by calling Netcare’s Emergency Response Services at 614-276-CARE (2273) or 888-276-CARE (2273). If you’d like to learn more about these services and associated fees, call 614-278-0109.