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The Staff Wellness Resource Library provides links to helpful tools and information for TDCJ staff regarding wellness and resiliency. Our goal is to connect you to information that may be helpful for you in your work and personal life. While stress and trauma are an inherent part of the job, you are not alone in navigating your experiences. Equipping yourself with skills and knowledge for managing the stress of the job will help you maintain your quality of life off-duty.
Gratitude and How it Affects Anxiety and Grief
Article about the benefits of practicing gratitude and how gratitude can help with anxiety, stress, and grief.
Grounding Technique - 5-4-3-2-1
This five-step exercise can be very helpful during periods of anxiety or panic by helping to ground you in the present when your mind is bouncing around between various anxious thoughts.
Grounding Techniques - A Variety of Techniques to Practice
After a trauma, it’s normal to experience flashbacks, anxiety, and other uncomfortable symptoms. Grounding techniques help control these symptoms by turning attention away from thoughts, memories, or worries, and refocusing on the present moment.
Grounding Techniques: 30 Techniques to Quiet Distressing Thoughts
Grounding is a practice that can help you pull away from flashbacks, unwanted memories, and negative or challenging emotions. These techniques may help distract you from what you’re experiencing and refocus on what’s happening in the present moment. You can use grounding techniques to help create space from distressing feelings in nearly any situation, but they’re especially helpful if you’re dealing with: anxiety, post-traumatic stress, dissociation, self-harm urges, traumatic memories, and substance use disorder.
Tactical breathing is a method of using your breath to change how you feel physically and emotionally to focus your attention and improve your performance. Breathing is one of the most basic human activities, and learning to control it strategically can lower your stress, manage unhelpful emotions, and improve your long-term health.
Basic stress management principles that have been shown to help ease or moderate some of the reactions to a critical incident. Includes common immediate stress reactions after a critical incident.
Critical Incident Stress Information Sheets
Signs and signal of stress reactions, things to try and information for family members and friends.
Post-Trauma - How to Help Yourself and Things to Avoid
People who have experienced or responded to a traumatic event often demonstrate changes in behavior. These suggestions may reduce the probability of long-term stress reactions. They may also be useful in helping you retain your emotional balance and perspective.
Signs of Critical Incident Stress
Officers responding to emergencies will see and experience events that include trauma, death, serious injuries and threats. These events are called "critical incidents". Signs and symptoms can be physical, emotional, cognitive, or behavioral. Individuals express stress in different ways. Signs and symptoms are reviewed in this link.
Traumatic/Critical Incident Stress Information for Spouses, Families & Significant Others
Helpful information for families and significant others when your loved one has been involved in an emotionally charged event, often referred to as a critical incident. Signs of critical incident stress, effects and helpful hints are discussed in this resource.
AFT Disaster Relief & Emergency Preparedness
The AFT and our affiliates have responded to numerous calls for help over the years. We have witnessed local affiliates braving disasters big and small. Some of the most effective efforts have come from locals with emergency response plans already in place. Every union needs a plan. Our members look to us for guidance during emergencies. We have developed a toolkit, organized in sections, to assist you in creating a new emergency plan or improving an existing one.
Are You Ready? - A Guide to Citizen Preparedness
This comprehensive guide will provide you with detailed information on how best to prepare for disasters within your family and in your community. In this document you will learn general disaster preparedness tips for before, during, and after disasters, as well as best practices to inform your preparedness decisions about specific disasters, such as hurricanes, earthquakes, and active shooters.
Experiencing a house fire can be one of the most traumatic events in a person’s life. The aftermath can feel overwhelming, leaving victims unsure about what to do next. But remember, you’re not alone. There is a network of assistance for house fire victims available to help you through this tough time.
The U.S. Fire Administration has gathered the following information for you to share with community members who experience a home fire. “After the Fire: Returning to Normal” provides information on recovering from a fire, including what to do during the first 24 hours, insurance considerations, valuing property, replacing documents, salvage hints, fire department operations and more.
Texas VOAD is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, membership-based association that brings together more than 50 voluntary organizations that respond to disaster as a part of their overall mission. Our mission is to serve as a convening and supportive body for our membership, which is comprised of Texas organizations and local representatives of National organizations, all of whom adhere to the 4 Cs: Cooperation, Communication, Coordination, and Collaboration.
HSEM-Emergency Preparedness Resources
Austin’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (HSEM) plans and prepares for all types of disasters and emergencies the City may face. From flooding to wildfires to summer heat to winter’s chill, HSEM works with other departments and emergency personnel to a plan for response, recovery, and mitigation.
Natural Disaster Help- Catholic Charities of Central Texas
Our services vary for each natural disaster. Types of assistance could include emergency financial aid, material assistance, and more.
Our purpose is to meet the immediate disaster-caused needs of individuals, families, and communities.
No matter where disaster strikes, The Salvation Army is already there with a comprehensive emergency response plan. As one of the most well-known disaster-relief organizations in the country, The Salvation Army is ready with immediate response and recovery plans unique to the community affected. Plans forged from decades of recovery efforts and learnings from across the world. We serve in nearly every community in the United States long before a disaster happens. We’re among the first on the spot, providing wildfire, flood, tornado, or hurricane relief, and we stay long after a catastrophe has passed.
SAMHSA- First Responders and Disaster Responders Resource Portal
First Responders are exposed to demanding and tense situations on a regular basis, with some of the most intense situations during and after disasters.
TAC Disaster Recovery Resources Page
The Texas Association of Counties has created this page to assist counties recovering from weather events and other natural disasters.
Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs, Disaster Relief Resources: Individuals & Families
Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs, Disaster Relief Resources: Individuals and Families
Texas Firewalkers are a non-profit, 501(c)(3) charitable-organization that aids families displaced by residential fire, supports First Responder incidents and provides hot meals to communities effected by natural disasters across Texas. Texas Firewalkers created a safety network to provide a disaster deployment response that is funded by your donations and our annual events.
Texas General Land Office- Disaster Preparedness
The General Land Office works closely with local governments around the state to help communities stay ready.
The Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) - Resources for Texans
Individual Assistance Program (IA) is FEMA’s direct assistance through grants to supplement disaster damages not covered by insurance. Contingent on an Emergency or Disaster Declaration, IA is financial assistance and direct services for survivors who are uninsured and underinsured for necessary expenses and serious needs that help eligible residents get back on their feet towards recovery.
9 Ways to Build Strength in Law Enforcement Family Relationships
Research shows that when families are knowledgeable about law enforcement work and feel supported by their loved one’s department, their relationships are stronger and more resilient. Building stronger and more resilient families leads to stronger and more resilient officers who feel supported both at work and at home.
Traumatic/Critical Incident Stress Information for Spouses, Families & Significant Others
Helpful information for families and significant others when your loved one has been involved in an emotionally charged event, often referred to as a critical incident. Signs of critical incident stress, effects and helpful hints are discussed in this resource.
Correctional Officer Care Checklist
Tips for prioritizing your basic needs while at work and outside of work. This resource also includes tips for taking care of your team.
This resource includes contact information for a variety of support resources and helplines.
Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy - What Is EMDR?
EMDR is a structured therapy that encourages the patient to briefly focus on the trauma memory while simultaneously experiencing bilateral stimulation (typically eye movements), which is associated with a reduction in the vividness and emotion associated with the trauma memories. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is an extensively researched, effective psychotherapy method proven to help people recover from trauma and PTSD symptoms. Ongoing research supports positive clinical outcomes showing EMDR therapy as a helpful treatment for disorders such as anxiety, depression, OCD, chronic pain, addictions, and other distressing life experiences.
The EMDRIA "Find an EMDR Therapist Directory" is an up-to-date resource to find EMDR therapy in your area. The directory includes searches by location, name, and other criteria.
Warning Signs of Possible Mental Health Issues
What warning signs might feel like or look to co-workers when someone might be experiencing mental health issues.
At times it's easy to recognize signs that you need to talk to someone. But while the difficult shifts add up, you may underestimate the effects of trauma and stress - and it becomes easy to overlook the signs that you need support.
Chairman's PEAK Performance Challenge
The one-stop shop for enrollment and other great performance videos, podcasts, and webinars regarding the Chairman's PEAK Performance Challenge. You’ll be given the tools to live an overall healthier lifestyle - lowering stress, losing weight, improving sleep and emotional health! The program is available at no cost to TDCJ employees, retirees, or dependents who are 18 or older enrolled in a HealthSelect plan (excluding Medicare-primary participants).
How to Eat Healthy With Shift Work
Healthy eating tips to help you navigate changing work schedules and what to eat when working night shifts.
4 Pillars of Resilience for Law Enforcement
Information about resilience, why it is important and the four types of resilience.
7 Myths and Facts About Mental Toughness
Mental toughness is often described as a psychological edge that helps people endure challenges, overcome adversity, and achieve more success. There are many common myths about mental toughness that can influence your beliefs about where it comes from and your willingness to work at getting more of it. Check out these 7 common myths and facts about mental toughness.
Resilience can be developed through attention to external supports, inner strengths and learned skills. This resource outlines the core elements of resilience that will help you build your ability to recover from difficulties.
Methods to Maintain and Enhance Resilience
Methods for managing stress, preparing for crisis, recovery and other resilience tools and skills from the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation.
Sleep is essential to maintain and repair bodily functions and systems. Sleep, or lack of, has effects on all functions of the mind and body, which not only affect an officer's job, but also family wellness.
Stress from a traumatic event can often lead to a variety of sleep problems. This resource from the National Sleep Foundation includes tips for coping with sleep problems after a traumatic event.
5 Steps for Communicating With Someone Who May Be Suicidal
The five action steps for communicating with someone who may be suicidal are supported by evidence in the field of suicide prevention.
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
Whether you have struggled with suicide yourself or have lost a loved one, know you are not alone. AFSP provides resources, information and support.
Tips for recovering from a suicide attempt and how to help others who are recovering.
Find a Suicide Loss Support Group
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention lists U.S. and international suicide bereavement support groups as a public service to loss survivors.
If someone you know is struggling emotionally or having a hard time, you can be the difference in getting them the help they need. This resource discusses warning signs and action steps to help.
How to Help After Suicide Loss
Tips for taking care of yourself if you have lost a loved one to suicide and tips for supporting someone who has lost a loved one to suicide.
Suicide Awareness and Prevention Resources
Links to organizations providing services, support and information about suicide and prevention.
Suicide Loss Survivors - Alliance of Hope
Find support and connect with others who have experience a loss due to suicide.
Suicide Screening - Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS)
Suicide is preventable, and asking the right questions to identify who is at risk is a critical first step to ending it. This screening tool is simple, effective and evidence-supported.