Everyone says that you should look forward to your retirement, but is it everything that it’s cracked up to be. Many first responders would say no, and they say that because retirement is completely different from going to work every single day and putting your neck on the line for other people. As a first responder, it is their job to run into a burning building while other people are running out. It is their job to approach a person with a handgun when other people are running away. It is a very difficult job indeed and one that deserves our appreciation every single day. However, as we look at these people and we marvel at their bravery, there might be a lot going on in their heads that even they are not aware of.

Asking a first responder to accept their EMT retirement plan and to move on, is like asking a fish not to breathe in water. These people have been dealing with exciting situations their whole working life, and now they are expected to take a back seat and to live a normal life. This is a lot easier said than done and for many of these workers, retirement counselling is something that they need. Counselling should never be seen as some kind of weakness and it offers many benefits. Here are just some of them.

• Some much-needed relief - Carrying around all of those mental images in your mind for many years is not healthy, and as an emergency first responder, you should be looking for someone to talk to about your experiences and how you are handing them. You do not want to be going into your retirement years with the stress of all of this on your shoulders, which might lead you to depression and anxiety in your older years. Taking part in some counselling will help you work through your difficulties and to be able to enjoy the retirement years that you have worked hard for.

• Confidence to face the future - Because you have been involved in the emergency first responder field, it’s likely that your whole day was set out for you when you went to work. This made your working life a lot more manageable and easier, but now that retirement is coming up, you will be expected to make all of your decisions by yourself. This can be a difficult transition for many and they may find it difficult to be confident and to make the right life decisions. Counselling will help you to build confidence which will allow you to live a better life.

The counselling opportunities out there, you just need to reach out and ask for some assistance. There is no shame in it and you will be talking to people who know exactly what you’re going through and they will help you to come out the other side smiling.