Public service Personal (PSP) like Firefighters, paramedics, and police officers deal with an unreal amount of stress and risk in their careers and it can also be difficult on their spouses and families.

PSPNET is an online support service that offers therapy courses for PSP workers as well as their spouses and significant others.

It’s a clinical research unit at the University of Regina supporting the Government of Canada’s National Action Plan on Posttraumatic Stress Injuries.

“This free internet-delivered cognitive therapy course is available across Canada and is a new way for these significant others to access support without the geographical, logistical, and stigma barriers that exist for in-person services and of course is tailored to their unique needs like providing educational guidance on simple techniques for managing mental concerns,” says Shane Madill, Senior Account Manager with Kaiser and Partners, the PR Firm on behalf of PSPNET.

The course focuses on low mood, depression, worry, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress injuries.

“This consists of five main lessons in an eight-week course which is supported by additional materials on various topics such as managing sleep problems, communication activities, and problem-solving,” says Madill.

This is a recently developed online course for spouses and PSPNET is currently gathering data for usage statistics and success rates. Results from the data collected will be evaluated in the first few months of 2023.

PSP workers and their families can access this support system by visiting its website.