Listen to the Podcast at https://www.podcasts.com/air-medical-today-b8fe10bef/episode/Air-Medical-Today-Episode-30-May-30-2020-2c71
Jonathan Bundt intro-2:48
Organizational consultant and trainer with Masa Consulting since 1993
Provides support to Life Link
Degrees in child psychology, Jewish studies, counseling and psychotherapy and course work in human resource development and counseling psychology
Worked in Israel from 1987-1993
Employee, assistance program counselor, stress team member with the American Red Cross, psychological consultant with Hennepin county sheriff’s department, adjunct faculty member in human and organizational development in police psychology at the Alfred Adler graduate school, a behavioral scientist consultant with Minneapolis police department swat team, and private practice psycho therapist
Experience working with police in light of recent events- 5:12
Knows the department and spent years as mental health professional with Minneapolis swat team
Anyone who is a cop and looks at what happens and tries to justify it should not be wearing a badge
Police tapes still haven’t been released
There is immense stress in the day to day work of being a cop
There are peaceful protesters, but media focuses on rioting and looting
Many business that were damaged were family owned and minorizing businesses
Experience in Israel- 12:14
Come from Jewish faith background
Felt connection and sense of belonging to Israel
Israel created sense of purpose
After high school studied in yeshiva (seminary for Jewish faith)
Came back to US to get undergraduate degree in psychology and then came to Israel and worked with people with addiction
Served in the Israeli army in combat unit
Joined Israeli national police force in counter anti-terrorism unit and then became trainer
Took leave of absence from police force after 5 collogues died and did not think team did a great job of handling it
Got graduate degree in counseling psychology
Different culture in Israel- more in your face
Dual citizenship
Meaning behind “Masa”- 24:05
Masa comes from Hebrew word
Wanted name of organization to represent experiences he has had
In the Israeli military you have basic training and as you get to the end you have experience called masa aluca (journey stretcher)
Training where you are carrying a wounded solider
It is physically and mentally exhausting
Masa can mean either journey or burden
Wants to help people on their journeys as they are overcoming burdens/ being a victim
Psychological first aid- 30:30
Similar to regular first aid
Teaches about psychological first aid
First, talk about the severity of incidence
Pandemics come in waves and we don’t know what it is going to look like
So many unknowns and that creates a great deal of stress
Lack of singular guidance and clarity is being tested
No sense of control when it comes to the virus, but control when it comes to choices
There are opportunities during this time to discover new things, connect and spend quality time together
Need to be intentional when looking for opportunities for growth
Other industries are taking a very hard hit (restaurants, entertainment industry)
Disaster behavioral health and health care during COVID- 42:02
Has done a lot of responses to pandemics, but nothing has come to this magnitude
This pandemic checks so many of the boxes that cause it to be traumatic
Stressors ripple out into personal life
Ground and air medical crews- 45:35
Organizations need to have systems of wellness and support in place
Most air services have employee assistance program
Peer support programs
Having people on call
Having supervisors that are trained in stress and stress management and can notice certain behaviors
This is critical from a safety perspective
Mental health professionals that understand the work
Cumulative stress- 54:00
Long hours, outside of work events (personal life), financial issues
Stress never really comes down enough to allow you to breath and relax
If don’t release cumulative stress it will build physiologically in body
Cumulative stress will then start to impact others
Strategies for cumulative stress- 58:55
Stop and recognize that stress is happening
Welcome and agree with stress and notice its effects
Find something that is helpful and works for you
Personally: doing more outdoors, weeding
Need to be intentional about stress relief actions
Creates more meaning
Also need to be flexible, adaptable and open to new things
Can’t make people do these things, there needs to be a better dialogue
Need to have confidence to have honest conversations
Help direct to resources
Difference between triggers (acute) and cumulative stress- 1:10:20
Acute stress: overtime it decreases
More work to identify cumulative stress
Financial stress with COVID- 1:14:00
Individuals and health care providers
Not able to give other types of procedures and patients are worried about going to the hospital
People are losing health insurance because they are no longer employed
Need to have basic need of finance to get through other struggles and stressors
For the first time in a long time health care staff are getting laid off
Coping with the protest- 1:19:45
Minimize engagement to media, so that you are not stressed out
Health care providers as heroes?- 1:23:20
Some staff feel uncomfortable with people called a hero because they think they are just doing their jobs
Don’t always feel heroic because there is death and risks
Other health care staff like the recognition for all their efforts
Tricky topic we need to open up to and have a conversation about
Other ways to express gratitude: food, saying thank you
Post traumatic growth- 1:31:05
Refers to positive personality, development, growth after some high stress traumatic event
Traumatic event facilitates ability to grow
A newer concept within mental health field
Part of positive psychology movement
Not looking for disorder, looking for development
It is hard because need to be able to recognize “end point”
How has COVID 19 changed how you are doing work? - 1:35:07
Figuring out different strategies while also social distancing
Integrating mental health professionals- 1:38:05