First Responder Therapy
Support for Those Who Serve. Care for the Ones Who Care for Everyone Else.
As a first responder, you're trained to run toward danger, stay calm under pressure, and handle crisis after crisis — often without missing a beat. But beneath the uniform and the strength, you’re still human. The weight of what you’ve seen, heard, and experienced can build up over time, leading to stress, burnout, anxiety, trauma, or even PTSD.
At Abbey Rose Therapy, I provide specialized, compassionate therapy for first responders — including firefighters, law enforcement officers, paramedics, EMTs, lifeguards, dispatchers, and frontline emergency personnel — right here in Redondo Beach and the South Bay.
You Don't Have to Carry It Alone
Whether it’s one critical incident or the cumulative toll of the job, first responders often face emotional burdens that are hard to share — even with those closest to them. Therapy can offer a confidential space where you can process your experiences, regulate your nervous system, and reconnect with yourself outside the badge, uniform, or role.
I understand the culture of first responder work: the pressure to stay strong, the hesitation to talk about what’s really going on, and the fear of being seen as “not okay.” Therapy with me isn’t about judgment — it’s about support, understanding, and helping you find relief.
How I Help
I offer a trauma-informed, relational approach tailored specifically for first responders. Together, we can work through:
Critical incident stress and emotional overload
PTSD, flashbacks, and nightmares
Anxiety, depression, and burnout
Hypervigilance and irritability
Sleep issues and physical symptoms of stress
Relationship challenges due to the demands of the job
Grief, loss, or survivor’s guilt
Therapy That Understands Your World
As a first responder myself, working for two fire departments as an ocean lifeguard, I bring a personal understanding to this work that goes beyond clinical training. While I haven’t experienced the same level or frequency of trauma that firefighters, police officers, or EMTs often face, I’ve had a small but meaningful glimpse into that world — the adrenaline, the unpredictability, the responsibility, and the emotional weight that can come with the job.
That lived experience allows me to connect with first responders in a way that someone outside the profession may not fully grasp. I understand the culture of toughness, the need to keep going no matter what, and the pressure to appear unaffected. In therapy with me, you don’t have to explain the basics of the job — we can get right to what matters.
As a relational therapist, I look at the whole picture — not just symptoms, but the human behind the uniform. I create space to explore how the job impacts your relationships, your sense of self, and your mental and emotional well-being.
I also offer EMDR therapy (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), a highly effective tool for processing trauma and critical incidents without needing to relive every detail. Many first responders find EMDR especially helpful for resolving experiences that feel stuck or overwhelming.