Contributed by MnFIRE Mental Health Director Melinda Coscarelli, PhD, LPCC, LADC As firefighters, you’re taught to always be prepared. Your department spends hours practicing and preparing for that moment when someone calls for help. But how do you answer the call from one of your own? Mental health problems can come in all sizes, from...Read More

To Our Minnesota Fire Service Sisters and Brothers: Everyone at MnFIRE joins the entire state as we mourn the loss of Burnsville firefighter/paramedic Adam Finseth and police officers Paul Elmstrand and Matthew Ruge in yesterday’s tragedy. During this difficult time, please remember that the full resources of the MnFIRE Assistance Program are available to all...Read More

While nutrition alone can’t solve the complexities of a mental health condition, a growing body of research is showing how diets that support brain health can benefit mental health and well-being, and also help reduce stress and improve focus. How nutrients support you Your brain and body need a variety of nutrients to support your...Read More

When you’re going through something stressful or feeling anxious, negative thoughts can make difficult situations and feelings even harder. That’s because how we think affects how we feel, and how we feel affects how we behave. Learning how to get ahead of unhelpful thoughts and reframing them to be more positive can help you get...Read More

Mental health conditions affect people of all ages, backgrounds and lifestyles in all kinds of ways. In fact, about one in five people globally live with a mental health condition. For firefighters, the rates are even higher than the general population – particularly in the areas of sleep disorders, depression, substance abuse, post-traumatic stress injury...Read More

By MnFIRE Assistance Program partner, Optum As the world at large wrestles with the pandemic, systemic racism and social injustices, among other complexities and difficulties, one thing you can control is how you treat yourself. It’s so important to support your own health and well-being. Whatever you’re going through — good, bad or neutral —...Read More