Stress Management Program for World Trade Center (WTC) Responders

The 3RP is designed to decrease psychiatric and physical health symptoms and build resiliency by teaching skills to (1) elicit the relaxation response, (2) decrease stress reactivity and (3) increase social connectedness. Eliciting the relaxation response involves sustained mental focus with an attitude of receptive awareness with strategies aimed at reducing muscle tension, breathing rate, heart rate, and blood pressure. Decreasing stress reactivity involves increasing awareness of the stress response and learning skills to proactively address stress. Increasing connectedness involves skills to promote positive growth, self-efficacy and social support. Other skills and experiential exercises focus on increasing acceptance, optimism, empathy, and appreciation to promote resiliency.

The HEP is designed to address comorbid physical and mental health symptoms via psychoeducation, self-monitoring and goal setting techniques. It is an 8 session manualized group intervention which addresses topics including sleep hygiene, nutrition, exercise, working with a healthcare team, and substance use. The program uses a variety of in-session activities to engage participants in discussion related to self-care and wellness principles. Relapse prevention and long-term goal setting are addressed. The program is designed to be implemented by professionals with a background in mental health.