In today's episode, we speak with Don Gillies, a retired paramedic from Australia. Don joined the paramedic field in the early 1980s after deciding the Police Force was not for him. Paramedics respond to everything from elderly people falling over, strokes, car accidents, cardiac arrest, and small children injuring themselves. Responding to situations like this can bring trauma and so PTSD is a common occurrence in those serving as paramedics.  

In this episode, Don talks about organizationally how the approach to PTSD has changed in the paramedic field over time, the culture towards PTSD and mental health in the paramedical field, the mental struggles in coming to terms with his PTSD, how PTSD affected his daily life, and how he deals with his PTSD today.  

“One of the reasons we respond is when people are having potentially the worst day of their lives or the worst thing that could happen to them or their family, that might be the biggest thing that ever happens in that family's life, but it's just another job for us (paramedics) to turn out to” - Don Gillies on this episode of Wellbeing 

Tune in soon when we speak to a Canadian Paramedic about their PTSD journey. 

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Hosted and Produced by Jack Hodgins
Wellbeing website: https://www.2nurfm.com.au/wellbeing 

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