The Power of Hope: Strengthening Resilience and Wellbeing in First Responders

First responders face unique and repeated stressors which wear down the systems for resilient thinking. This course explores the role of hope in first responder resilience. The course examines Dr. Richard Snyder's Hope Theory and how it can be used to enhance resilience, wellbeing, and purpose for first responders - both personally and within your department. Topics include hope as it applies to moral injury, trauma, and agency, and the role of leadership, mentors, and peer support in cultivating hope in their responders.

Wendy Norris

Co-Founder

Texas LODD Task Force

Wendy is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Texas LODD Task Force, which is part of the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation's LAST program. She is a certified grief educator and a master chaplain with the Federation of Fire Chaplains. She has assisted with the development of a peer support curriculum for Texas A&M University-TEEX and also serves as an adjunct instructor for them. Wendy served as a committee chair for the State of Texas Disaster Behavioral Health’s working group for first responders’ mental health care following mass fatality incidents and is a member of the Texas First Responder Mental Health Consortium. She is the presiding officer of the Governor’s Advisory Panel for the Star of Texas Awards for injured and fallen first responders. She serves as a chaplain, PIO, and first responder for the Forest Bend Fire Department.