The Wellbeing and Resilience Workbook for Ambulance Clinicians

This interactive workbook has been tailored to provide ambulance professionals and those working within high-pressure emergency environments with an opportunity for self-reflection through activities which aim to promote their wellbeing and develop their resilience. In the first three sections, you’ll be introduced to factors influencing wellbeing and resilience, drawing on personal and organisational risk factors, in addition to protective factors. An opportunity for you to engage in a series of interactive activities to develop resilience and promote wellbeing follows, including tools for managing and coping with stress, increasing positive emotions and mindfulness and practising self-compassion. Rooted within academic literature, this workbook covers current challenges in wellbeing and resilience for ambulance professionals, including the shorter and longer-term consequences of COVID-19 in addition to wellbeing and resilience provision and funding. This workbook can be used in two ways; as needed, whenever you need to actively draw on self-management strategies, or as a journey, working your way through the workbook at your own pace. This workbook can also be used towards your Continuing Professional Development and as part of your professional portfolio.   Key features include: • 60+ activities to establish mindful habits and increase mental resilience • Aimed specifically at ambulance staff and other emergency professionals • Written by expert authors • Case studies and real life scenarios • Can be practically applied   About the authors: Laura Simmons is a Chartered Psychologist (CPsychol), who has trained and taught in the area of wellbeing at work. Blaire Morgan is a Senior Lecturer in Psychology with expertise in wellbeing. Jo Mildenhall is the Paramedic Psychological Health and Wellbeing Manager at the College of Paramedics and a registered Integrative Therapeutic Counsellor.

Table of Contents:
List of Activities About the Authors Foreword Welcome to The Wellbeing and Resilience Workbook for Ambulance Clinicians Introduction to Wellbeing and Resilience Factors Influencing Wellbeing and Resilience Developing Wellbeing and Promoting Resilience Adverse Challenges to Our Wellbeing Continuing Your Wellbeing Journey Appendix A: Peterson and Seligman’s (2004) 24-character strengths descriptions Index

About the Author :
Dr Laura Simmons is a Chartered Psychologist (CPsychol), who has trained and taught in the area of wellbeing at work. Laura first became interested in the wellbeing of ambulance employees after completing her PhD, which investigated sickness absence in the ambulance service in relation to stress and coping. Dr Blaire Morgan is a Senior Lecturer in Psychology with expertise in wellbeing. She gained her PhD at the University of Birmingham in 2013 and has subsequently worked in the areas of education and psychology at the Universities of Birmingham and Worcester. Her research has examined character strengths and wellbeing in children, adolescents and adults, and includes the development and evaluation of character strengths and wellbeing programmes. Her research appears in high-ranking journals and edited volumes and has appeared in print and broadcast media. Dr Jo Mildenhall is the Paramedic Psychological Health and Wellbeing Manager at the College of Paramedics and prior to this role was a Senior Lecturer in Paramedicine. Jo has had a long career in the NHS ambulance service, most recently as a Clinical Lead for Mental Health and continues to work on the frontline as a paramedic. Jo is also a registered Integrative Therapeutic Counsellor.