Repurposing Fight or Flight: 3 Steps to Wellness in the Workplace
- sonoma09
- Apr 14
- 3 min read
Updated: Apr 15
by Hannah Gonzalez
Caitlin Clark, Investigator, knows that for first responders, stressors appear at work on the regular. From firefighters on the road to officers responding to a call, professionals in high-stress environments often find themselves in situations where they must put their best foot forward to help others, regardless of their internal environment.
“The stronger we are mentally and emotionally, the stronger we will perform externally!” - Investigator Clark
By employing the following strategies, in and out of the workplace, we are able to repurpose fight or flight.
Clark, assistant director of the local police academy in Morrisville, NY, has three top tips for practicing wellness at work — for first responders and other working professionals alike — to maximize peace in high-pressure environments.
1. Breathing
“Breathing is so underrated,” Clark says of her go-to mindfulness practice. Since beginning work with Kairos, the investigator often finds herself practicing breathing while on the road.
KWE coaches diaphragmatic breathing with aspiring officers through the police academy, group yoga and wellness classes, and one-on-one personal trainees. Returning to our intuitive breathing patterns and slowing down our breathing allows us to repurpose fight or flight.
By harnessing one’s instinctive holistic breathing techniques, first responders can achieve a strong sense of calm and intention before stepping into a stressful situation. This helps us to problem-solve more effectively and make the safest split-second decisions.
“I use breathing all the time,” Clark emphasizes. “Working with Al and Carol, I implement it even more so. I’m more intentional about it.”
For a more detailed account of diaphragmatic breathing, check out our article Practice Mellow: Wellness in 5D.
2. Reframing negativity and understanding intention
When working in a department or on a team of many individuals, conflict and tension can easily arise. In turn, when a workplace situation doesn’t turn out how we planned, we may often seek to place blame on others or dwell on negativity.
For Clark, reframing this negativity and working to understand a colleague’s intention goes a long way.
“Let’s take a moment, let’s reframe, let’s think about what the intentions were,” she says of her thoughts in a bothersome situation. “It seems like I'm getting the short end of the stick. Did it just feel that way, or was it intentional?”
Many first responders and other working professionals have directly witnessed trauma through their profession. This is true not only of officers, healthcare workers and firefighters, but also social workers, teachers and childcare providers. In any profession, in fact, one will likely face tension, interpersonal conflict, and situations that require quick-thinking skills.
By incorporating positive thought processes into her day-to-day details, Clark is better able to handle and work through the heavier aspects of her job. Not only does this allow her to be more intentional about her own self-care, but she is able to be a stronger colleague and teammate as a result.
3. Practicing gratitude and compassionate awareness
For Clark, one of the most essential aspects of working as a first responder is the team that supports you. Checking in on one’s teammates and colleagues, showing compassion and openly expressing gratitude are all central to maintaining positive relationships in the workplace. Having a compassionate and trustworthy community is a central element of the Social dimension of KWE’s Holistic Wellness in 5D.
Further, in a high-stress profession, having a strong support network makes all the difference in how you show up. One’s ability to stay calm and collected in times of trauma or stress is directly impacted by their holistic state of wellbeing.
For those in helping professions and first responders alike, this sense of community will promote one’s holistic wellness and improve our ability to serve others with respect, compassion and safety.
“It takes a village,” Clark states, “ and if you think it doesn’t, you will never be able to truly attain that calmness and gentleness. It is all about caring."
