Tempe naturopathic school offers mindfulness program for firefighters

TEMPE, AZ (3TV/CBS 5) - A Valley naturopathic school is offering a mindfulness program for firefighters looking to do some self-care and get some mental healthcare.

Tempe-based Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine is partnering with the Tempe Fire Department to help bring a sense of internal peace to the firefighters within the department. Dr. Dawn Jonas from the college said that she’s been working on mindfulness workshops, focusing on a state of awareness, and having a state of kindness toward the mind.

“Fire crews are under an enormous amount of stress,” Dr. Jonas said. “They see some really hard things, they experience something called vicarious trauma--and that really stays with them.” The doctor says she starts her mindfulness exercises by encouraging people to ground themselves by thinking about their feet, their location, and how it feels to turn off autopilot for a moment to recognize the body.

“Mindfulness allows a space for us to make a choice about how we want to respond to what’s going on,” she said. “Meditation is a tool that can really strengthen mindfulness. Mindfulness training is meditation; it’s like going to the gym for your mind. We can be mindful when we do the dishes, when we go for a walk, when we listen to our children speak.”

To learn more about Dr. Jonas and the Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine, click here.

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