Who Erin works with
Therapy for firefighters, between the station and the front door.
Fire service work is built on showing up: long shifts, nights interrupted by the tones, and a run of calls most people never see. First responders are a real focus for Erin L. Smith, MSPC, LPCC, LPC, and that includes firefighters. She offers therapy for firefighters at her office in Georgetown, KY, and by telehealth from anywhere in Kentucky, Arizona or Minnesota.
01Firefighters
Sleep that comes in pieces
Shifts can run 24 hours or longer, and the tones can drop at any hour. Going from deep sleep to full alert in seconds, again and again, can leave your system braced even on days off. You may wake at small sounds, struggle to fall asleep in a quiet house, or lean on caffeine to get going and something else to come down. Over months, it can also flatten your mood and shorten your patience. Poor sleep makes everything heavier to carry, including the calls, which makes it a practical place for therapy to begin.
02Firefighters
The crew as a second family
A firehouse is more than a workplace. You cook together, sleep under the same roof and trust each other with your lives, and that bond can be one of the best parts of the job. It can also make struggling harder to admit. Nobody wants to be the one the crew worries about, and station humor does not always leave room for a rough stretch. Friction with someone on your shift can feel like family conflict, because in a way it is. Therapy offers a place outside that system to say what you would not say at the station table.
03Firefighters
It is rarely just fires
For many crews, fires are only part of the job. Medical calls, crashes, falls and deaths fill a lot of shifts, and any one of them may be manageable on its own. The weight tends to come from accumulation: years of scenes with little time between them to settle. Some follow you home. A smell, a sound or an address you drive past can bring a call back in full detail. That is not proof you are wrong for the work. It can mean the load has outgrown the ways you have been carrying it.
04Firefighters
Switching from station to home
Coming off a long shift means changing speeds fast. The household kept running while you were gone, and stepping back in can feel like joining a routine that moved on without you. Some firefighters come home wired and short-tempered, while others go quiet and keep the day to themselves. Drinking to unwind or a quicker temper can creep in without a clear starting point. Erin's most experienced areas include addiction and anger management. Together you can look at what the drinking or the anger does for you, without shame, and decide what you want instead.
05Firefighters
What therapy for firefighters can include
If a particular call keeps coming back, Erin may suggest Accelerated Resolution Therapy, an eye-movement approach she is certified in. In a session of about 100 minutes, you follow her hand with your eyes while the scene is in mind. You stay awake and in control, she checks in throughout, and she stops whenever you say stop. You do not have to describe the call out loud. ART is often used alongside regular talk sessions, not instead of them, and like every method Erin uses, it happens only with your agreement.
Signs this is the right page
- Waking at small sounds on your days off
- Driving past addresses where a bad call happened
- Feeling like a guest in your own house
- More at ease at the station than at home
None of this is a diagnosis, and no outcome is guaranteed. It is a starting point for a conversation.
Questions
Common questions
- Does Erin report anything to my department?
- Erin does not report to your department. Your therapy records are protected health information, and telehealth means you can meet from home rather than sit in a waiting room in your own town. Any question about confidentiality in your particular situation is worth asking on the free 15-minute consultation.
- How do I fit therapy around a rotating schedule?
- Raise it on the free consultation, where Erin answers questions about scheduling as well as how she works. Telehealth helps because there is no drive, and if you are in Kentucky, sessions at the Georgetown office are also an option.
- What if no single call explains how I feel?
- You do not need one. For first responders, the load often builds through accumulation rather than one scene. Therapy can begin with what is happening now, such as sleep, mood, drinking or tension at home, and move toward specific calls only when you are ready.
In Erin's words
What she would say if you called today.
We will start where you are right now, not with the hardest call. I want to know what steadies you and what you already do well, because those strengths are part of the plan. Along the way, I will ask you directly what is helping, and we will adjust when something is not.
Free 15-minute consultation
Book a consultation with Erin
Fifteen minutes by telehealth, at no charge. You can describe what is going on, ask how Erin works, and decide afterward whether to book a first session. Scheduling opens in her secure SimplePractice portal.
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