In The First Person: A Firefighter’s Experience of PTSD

“Every time my pager went off, I felt like vomiting.”

In this episode, clinical psychologist Professor Mark Creamer sits down with former client and volunteer firefighter, Alex, and his partner Lyn, to reflect on Alex’s experience and clinical treatment for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

Tune in to hear the couple’s journey through and beyond the cumulative impacts of Alex’s role as a Country Fire Authority (CFA) volunteer firefighter, attending bushfires - including the Victorian Black Saturday Bushfires - car accidents, house and factory fires over his 20 years of service.

In sharing their powerful and personal story, Alex and Lyn highlight what helped and hindered their progress before, during and after seeking treatment, while Mark reflects on the challenges and opportunities that presented while treating Alex’s PTSD. 

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