First Responders And Mental Health: Orpheum Event Benefits New Therapeutic Riding Program

Although first responders represent less than 2 percent of the population, they account for 20 percent or more of the suicides. To help combat this mental health crisis, a benefit to support a new first responders' program at Emerald Hollow Therapeutic Riding Center in Brewster is set for Thursday, May 8 at 6:30 p.m. at the Chatham Orpheum Theater.

 According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, first responders may be at elevated risk for suicide "because of the environments in which they work, their culture, and stress, both occupational and personal." This stress can be associated with a specific incident or a result of an accumulation of day-to-day stress.

 The documentary "First Responders in Crisis," which looks at the mental health struggles of firefighters, police officers and EMTs through a small town in New England, will kick off the program. The film was honored recently at the Awareness Film Festival in Los Angeles.

 A panel discussion will follow, emceed by Joseph Carr with the film’s director, Corey Moss, and first responder participants Keith Hanks, Brian Harkins and Lieutenant Dave Gambino, as well as local first responders Eastham police officer Victoria Wagner, retired Yarmouth Police Chief Frank Frederickson and Chatham Police Chief Michael Anderson. Musician and vocalist Sarah Swain and fiddler Alice Malone will also perform a song. 

 Anderson confirmed recently that the Cape is not immune from these statistics, and that police officers have taken their own lives here as well. He recalled the way mental health problems were seen when he started as a police officer more than three decades ago. 

"There were older officers, Vietnam vets who had seen a lot of stuff and brought that back with them,” he said. “There was a stigma in asking for help and towns did a bad job of recognizing the problems."

 About 10 years ago, with the push for confidential programs, that view began to change. 

"You weren't seen as soft or weak," he recalled. "Today these services are mandatory." He welcomes the new program being put together at no charge to first responders at Emerald Hollow. "I know a lot of people who are terrified of horses," he said. "If we can help them work through that it brings positivity to other issues as well." 

 According to Nicole Sheridan, who along with her mother Nancy owns Emerald Hollow, key to the new program is the "Equus Effect," a program that uses horses "to help first responders and veterans build resilience, improve communication and foster healthy relationships. Working with horses provides a sense of purpose and belonging, which is especially important for those feeling lonely and isolated."

 Event organizer Kim Roderiques noted that equine-assisted learning "helps first responders provide a safe space to process trauma, reduce stress and anxiety, build trust, improve self-awareness, ultimately enhancing their ability to cope with the demands of their work and improve their overall well-being."

 The difference between working with horses and with therapy dogs, Roderiques added, is that "therapy dogs want to please you. Horses have to decide to accept you. When you are working with a horse you can't think of anything else. This program has been shown to be incredibly effective."

 Tickets are $25 per person and available at chathamorpheum.org. All of the proceeds will go to Emerald Hollow Therapeutic Riding Center for the support of the first responder program.