Engaging First Responders: Enhancing the Therapeutic Relationship

This cultural competency class is for clinicians, is focused on serving patients in the fire service but is applicable for serving all responder disciplines and veterans.

Ret. BC Daniel DeGryse, presenter and instructor, will share insights he gained from his professional and personal experiences that included a 30-year career with the Chicago Fire Department, 14 years as Coordinator of the Chicago Firefighters Union Employee Assistance Program and lead Peer Supporter for the union's peer team.  He will describe factors a clinician needs to consider when engaging a first responder that he believes will foster a connection and trust between the provider and the individual in need.

About the instructor:

Dan DeGryse, CFO, BA, BS, CADC - Dan worked 30 years in the Chicago Fire Department.  He began his career in 1989 and was promoted up the ranks to Battalion Chief, earning the Chief Fire Officers designation before retiring in 2019. He has been a certified alcohol and drug counselor since 1991, which he utilized while serving as the Coordinator of the Chicago Firefighters Union Local 2 Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for 14 years. In his position, aside from providing assessments, brief counseling, and referrals, he developed a peer support team, called “Gatekeepers”.  Dan spent 22 years as a member of the International Association of Firefighters (IAFF) Behavioral Health Committee and is a master instructor for the IAFF Peer Support Training that he helped create.  Dan is also an instructor with the Illinois Fire Service Institute (IFSI) where he helped create the Resiliency project.  Dan is currently the National Referral Relations Specialist for Recovery Ways where they treat first responders in the “VALOR” program.