Firefighter Emotional Wellness: How to Reconnect with Yourself and Others

Firefighter Emotional Wellness: Reconnecting with Yourself and Others is a training exercise for your heart and mind. It’s an excellent, evidence-based self-help book with boots on the ground sharing interviews with firefighters and how they adapt.

From the author:

“You are looking at a critical part of your success as a first responder and human being, and it doesn’t mean that you will have perfect understanding right away – or ever, but what it means is you will begin to find tools that help you grapple with what you have seen.” – Jada Hudson

What they are saying:

“By sharing personal stories of her clients’ emotional wellness struggles, Jada Hudson takes away the stigma of talking about things like depression, anxiety, addiction, suicidal ideation. Firefighter Emotional Wellness is a must-read for every academy recruit, newlywed, leader, retiree, spouse, and individual who wants to become or remain emotionally well.”  – Dr. Thomas E. Joiner, academic psychologist, author and professor of psychology, Florida State University. 

“Jada Hudson’s years of critically important work with counseling first responders has come full circle in this book. Her insight, guidance and examination of the issues facing the men and women on the front lines is both remarkable and humbling. This book should be a must read for any first responder or medical professional.”   – Dr. Robert Langman, Northwestern Medicine, Chicago

“I highly recommend this book for first responders, peer support programs, chaplains and clinicians. Jada Hudson brings a considerable wealth of information regarding the mental health and treatment of first responders.  She covers a broad range of topics including PTSD, suicide, stress and trauma, resiliency, and treatment.  She shares her professional knowledge and writes from her personal experience and the book is richer for it.”  – Dr. Joel Fay, who teaches intervention, case law, PTSD, Suicide by Cop and Self Care for Sacramento PD CIT. 

“Jada Hudson draws upon her personal and professional experience as well as research and theory in writing Firefighter Emotional Wellness, a book that is timely and importan.  Just as first responders drill to prepare them for the physical demands of their jobs, reading this book should be considered a preparation for the emotional demands they will face.”  –Dr. Stanley McCracken, author, and lecturer (ret.), The University of Chicago. “

About the author

Jada Hudson is a licensed clinical professional counselor (LCPC) with special training in pediatric death and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and a Certified Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselor. She served as the Clinical Director of Program Development for Illinois Fire Fighter Peer Support (ILFFPS) and was a Clinical Consultant for Operation Shattered Stars (OSS).

Hudson currently works with first responders in private practice in Illinois.