Therapy for First Responders and Public Safety Personnel

You show up for people on their worst days. Over time, what you see and carry can build up, even when you're good at your job.

KP Psychological offers online EMDR and trauma-focused therapy for first responders and public safety personnel across Alberta, including Edmonton and Calgary. Sessions are by secure video, for people who are physically in Alberta at the time of the session.

You don't need a diagnosis to reach out, and you don't have to wait until things fall apart.

Book a free 15-minute consultation

Firefighter gear hanging on hooks at a fire station

Operational stress injuries, moral injury and burnout

An operational stress injury (OSI) is a lasting mental health difficulty that comes from the work itself. It can include PTSD, anxiety or depression. It's an injury, not a weakness.

Often it isn't one call. Cumulative stress is what builds up from repeated exposure to traumatic events, over many calls and many years.

Moral injury is the distress that can follow when something goes against your values. It might come from a decision you had to make, something you couldn't prevent, or feeling let down by the system you work for.

Burnout is a deep exhaustion that builds from ongoing work stress. You may feel detached or cynical about the job, or feel that nothing you do is enough.

Some signs the job may be staying with you:

  • Calls that replay in your mind, or images that show up uninvited
  • Poor sleep or nightmares
  • Feeling on edge, irritable or quick to anger
  • Feeling numb or disconnected from the people you care about
  • Reactions that feel bigger than the moment, without knowing why
  • Dreading shifts, or feeling you have nothing left to give

If some of this sounds familiar, it's worth talking about. Read more about trauma and PTSD therapy.

To help you spot burnout early, this Calm with Kyle video covers three signs to watch for.

Why EMDR can be a good fit

In EMDR, you don't have to retell every detail of a call out loud. You bring a memory to mind while following eye movements, tapping or tones, and notice what comes up. That can matter if talking through the details feels impossible, or if you've already told the story too many times.

EMDR is designed to help the brain process stuck, disturbing memories so they're stored more like ordinary memories. Working-memory research offers one explanation. Holding a memory in mind while doing eye movements taxes the mind's short-term "workspace", which makes the memory less vivid and less charged.

Researchers are still studying exactly how EMDR works.

EMDR is recommended for PTSD by the World Health Organization, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense (VA/DoD), NICE in the UK and the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies (ISTSS). The American Psychological Association conditionally recommends it.

EMDR follows a structured 8-phase protocol, adapted to your situation. Preparation comes first: before any memory work, we build practical ways to steady your body and mind.

You stay in control: you set the pace, and if you want to stop, we stop.

For a simple skill you can use anywhere, even between calls, this video walks through box breathing.

See how EMDR works over secure video, and what to expect in sessions.

EMDR isn't right for everyone in every moment. We also use other approaches, such as CBT and DBT skills, and we'll decide together what fits.

Confidentiality and your employer

You may worry about what reaching out could mean for your career, or how colleagues might see it. That's a fair concern, and we take it seriously.

Your employer isn't told that you're seeing us, or what we talk about, unless you consent or the law requires it. We explain the legal limits of confidentiality clearly at the start, before you share anything personal.

If WCB, the RCMP or a benefits plan pays, they may need some information to approve or pay for treatment. We'll explain what that means before you choose how to pay.

Sessions use secure platforms that protect confidential information, in line with provincial and federal laws. More answers are in our client FAQ.

Paying for therapy: WCB, benefits and RCMP

WCB-Alberta. For some jobs, WCB-Alberta presumes that PTSD and other traumatic psychological injuries are work-related. In plain terms, WCB starts from the understanding that the injury came from your work. The presumption covers:

  • First responders: firefighters, paramedics, police and peace officers
  • Correctional officers and emergency dispatchers (since 2018)
  • Registered nurses, registered psychiatric nurses, and certified graduate and graduate nurses (since July 2025)

If your job isn't listed, you can still make a psychological injury claim without the presumption. WCB may approve your own psychologist if they work with WCB on return-to-work planning. WCB pays for approved treatment directly.

Extended health benefits. Many extended health plans cover Registered Psychologists. Check your annual maximum and whether you need a doctor's referral.

RCMP. Serving members' benefits are through Medavie Blue Cross. Counselling is initially covered for up to 6 hours individually, plus 6 hours as a couple or family.

More needs pre-authorization (approval in advance) from your divisional psychologist, the RCMP psychologist for your area. The psychologist you see must be registered with the RCMP claims administrator.

Former members with an RCMP disability pension, which Veterans Affairs Canada administers, get Treatment Benefits through Medavie.

We accept WCB and RCMP coverage, and we bill these programs directly once your coverage is in place. See Fees and insurance for more.

Who we see

We see adults across Alberta who work, or have worked, in public safety and front-line roles, including:

If your role isn't listed but the work is weighing on you, you're welcome here too.

Why this work is personal for Kyle

KP Psychological was founded and is led by Kyle Poon, M.Ed., R.Psych. In his words, he has "a passion from personal experiences in working with First Responders."

Kyle is a Registered Psychologist and an EMDRIA Approved Trainer and Consultant who teaches EMDR to other clinicians. He has used EMDR for over 10 years and has offered it online for over 6.

His style is calm, collaborative, and direct when needed. We start by understanding where you are now, what you have been carrying, and what you want to feel different. Then we plan together.

Common questions

Do I need a diagnosis or a WCB claim to start?

No. You don't need a diagnosis, a referral or a WCB claim to start. If you have a WCB claim, or you're thinking about one, let us know at your free consult.

What if I can't point to one specific call?

That's okay. Cumulative stress comes from the build-up of many experiences, not one event. We'll look at what you've been carrying and decide together where to start.

How many sessions will I need?

It depends. NICE suggests EMDR for PTSD typically takes 8 to 12 sessions, and more if needed, for example after multiple traumas. Preparation comes first and its length varies. Sessions here run 50 minutes.

How do sessions fit around shift work?

Kyle sees clients Tuesday to Friday, 10 am to 6:30 pm Alberta time, and Marissa on Mondays and Thursdays. Because sessions are online, there's no travel time.

Processing can continue after a session, and you may feel tired or emotional. If you can, leave some buffer time afterwards rather than going straight into a shift.

Book a free 15-minute consultation

Written by Kyle Poon, M.Ed., R.Psych, EMDRIA Approved Trainer and Consultant · Reviewed September 2026

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