Working in expedition, wilderness and emergency medicine means facing situations that can have a lasting psychological impact. While technical skills are essential, understanding how to manage stress, process trauma and build resilience is equally important for delivering safe and sustainable care.
In this World Extreme Medicine webinar, clinical psychologist Fin Haley explores the psychological demands placed on clinicians working in high-pressure, austere and remote environments.
Drawing on evidence-based approaches and real-world experience supporting expedition teams and emergency responders, Fin shares practical techniques that can be applied before, during and after critical incidents to reduce the impact of trauma and promote long-term wellbeing.
In this session you’ll learn:
- Why first responders are at greater risk of trauma-related stress and PTSD
- How traumatic experiences are processed by the brain
- Practical grounding techniques for maintaining performance during high-pressure situations
- Strategies for processing difficult experiences without becoming overwhelmed
- How graded exposure and supportive conversations aid recovery
- Building resilience through social support, healthy routines and psychological flexibility
- Creating psychologically safe teams that support long-term wellbeing