Relax and Unwind / CISM?

I agree with Brian that CISM is under-utilized not just at the Fire Department level but also at the EMS level. I had attended a class, which ended up with me being a certified CISM team member and this was one of the topics of discussion.. Unfortunately, it is the stigma that surrounds seeking help (it is often seen as well in people who suffer from Depression), they are not utilizing the resources that can help as the stigma is that they are not strong enough or often they get told to "suck it up and deal with it".

I personally think CISM is an integral, albeit widely unknown, part of the Fire and EMS systems. The ability to talk to someone who may not have been at the call, and can provide an objective listening perspective is sometimes more effective and less stressful than just talking to your crew members who were also on the call.

Personally, I am always trying to relax and unwind by exercising and doing things that I love (hiking, biking, etc. in the spring/summer; skiing, skating, etc. in the winter). Also sometimes, for me the best way to relax is to travel to a new location and explore it. Sometimes it is something simple like hearing the laughter of my nephew and niece while splashing in puddles that provides a calming and sense of relaxation for me.

I feel that CISM is an important but under utilized tool for both Fire and EMS. But, unfortunately, we are all "tough Guys and Gals" "we don't need that".
In reality I think many people need it more than they realize. Many people are probably also afraid to say anything for fear of, for lack of a better term, "ball busting" We also critique calls after it is all over with. To discuss what we did correctly and what went wrong.
Typically, after a bad/ugly incident, I try to leave all of that at the station. Obviously, that isn't possible but we all have our own outlets. Having a close knit team that you can share thoughts, concerns and feelings with, people you can confide in, without getting your "balls busted" is a huge part of people being able to admit that they are having issues dealing with incidents etc..

We also stick around the station and talk about different things, what was done, what could have gone better etc. I find that going to the gym , and/or going out for a run seems to clear my mind and wind down .

Being an emt at a volunteer fire department, I have a full time job in the engineering field so that takes takes my mind off of anything that occurs with the fire service but it does create its own stress. Biggest thing I do that relieves stress is exercise, followed by traveling and anything that gives you an adrenaline rush (skydiving, whitewater rafting, snowboarding).

I agree with some of the posts on this topic that the CISM is under utilized in the fire and EMS fields. I would say that the guys in my department are a close knit group and that we have no problem opening up to each other and discuss how certain calls went. A couple years back we had house fire that took the lives of two children and a young adult, there were some outside people such as the chaplain and some of the spouses that tried to talk to the responders about what happened at that house fire but was met with some resistance. Later that night, about 10 of us that went on the call got together at one of the members houses and for a couple hours just talked about what happened on the call. I think that helped out a lot of the guys get through with experiencing the deaths of those people because they were comforbatable opening up to close friends and people that went through the same experience as you did.

I find that physical exercise is one of the greatest ways to blow of stress and steam after a frustrating calls. A lot of my calls involve unruly and rude patients under the influence of drugs and alcohol (Hamilton College) and some nights can be very frustrating and test my patience. In terms of call debriefing, we have a list of questions that what brought to our agency by a former member. These questions dive into the root of what was uncomfortable, how you feel about it, and what you could do better next time. I also think it's important during call review to talk about the positives. Staying on top of your own mental health improves your quality as a caregiver and helps prevent burnout. 

I find that after a stressful call, getting some exercise is the best way for me to unwind. Even a 10 minute run can be very effective as a stress reliever, and as a way to the blood flowing. As far as CISM goes, I find that the Hamilton uses a very effective method of call debrief. We use the "what?", "so what?", "now what" method. I find that it is very useful for getting to the root of why a call was stressful, and developing specific ways to cope, learn, and grow from the call. This is a method often used in outdoor leadership settings as well.