The first module establishes group expectations and defines operational stress, operational stress injuries (OSIs), compassion fatigue, moral injury, and other terms relevant to the mental health of public safety personnel. It includes an overview of the history of Stoic service culture, when stoicism can be helpful, and when it can be harmful. Functional Disconnection and Reconnection (FD/FR) is introduced as a mechanism through which frontline workers can take an active role when they transition between their occupational and personal identities.

The second module discusses brain development, focusing on how the stress response has evolved to support survival. The module centers on the autonomic nervous system, its sympathetic and parasympathetic branches, hormonal dysregulation, and the impact chronic stress can have on the brain over time.

The third module focuses on how unprocessed trauma impacts the nervous system, especially in terms of dysregulation of the stress response. Participants learn how operational stress injuries can sometimes manifest in hypo- or hyper-arousal of the nervous system. The Window of Tolerance is introduced as a self-monitoring and self-awareness tool that participants can apply in their daily lives.

The fourth module highlights the connections between thoughts, behaviors, and emotions through a discussion of automatic thoughts, cognitive distortions, and cognitive biases. Participants learn practical ways to monitor their own thinking and disrupt unhelpful thought patterns when they arise.

The fifth module is about increasing emotional awareness, including describing the purpose of emotions, and helping frontline workers understand how emotions help make sense of experience. Cultural and societal influences on emotional expression are discussed, followed by an examination of how cultural expectations in frontline environments can lead to the suppression of emotions labelled as unacceptable.

The sixth module focuses on the role of avoidance in maintaining anxiety and post-trauma reactions, and how avoidance can interfere with the natural recovery process. The ideas of habituation and in vivo exposure are also introduced. Gradual exposure is proposed as a way to reduce problematic avoidance behaviours, with discussion of engagement strategies to increase self-efficacy.

The seventh module discusses how operational stress can negatively impact communication patterns, both at work and at home. Key communication skills are presented to enhance interpersonal understanding, reduce conflict, and help participants navigate difficult conversations more effectively.

The eighth and final module explores how empathy can be both a strength and a vulnerability in frontline careers. Functional Disconnection and Reconnection (FD/FR) is revisited as a strategy to balance that paradox. Participants are encouraged to identify specific strategies they’ll use to facilitate healthy transitions between their occupational and personal identities.