Therapy for the weight the job leaves behind.
Confidential, practical therapy for RCMP members, corrections staff, and first responders in Winnipeg and across Manitoba.
Years of calls add up
You show up, you do the job, and you do it well. Over the years, the calls, the incidents, and the people you deal with add up. Most of it gets set aside, because there is always more to do.
That works for a long time. Then it gets harder to focus, harder to switch off at home, and harder to feel like yourself outside of work. Sleep slips, patience runs short, and the people closest to you start to feel further away.
Nothing has to be broken for this to count. Carrying this much for this long has a cost, and noticing it does not mean you cannot handle the job.
What could be different
Left alone, this tends to build: in your sleep, your health, your relationships, and eventually your work. When staffing is tight and stepping back does not feel possible, compartmentalizing becomes the plan.
Therapy is a chance to set some of that weight down, so you can stay sharp on shift, switch off at home, and keep doing work that matters to you for the long haul.
Early in your career, that might mean learning how to hold what you see and talk about it with the people at home. Later on, it often means working through what has built up over years of service.
Support from someone who understands the work
Meet Dr. Lindsay Berard
Many first responders I work with have never been to therapy, or tried it once and found a lot of talk and little change. Our work is direct and practical. I understand the culture, the pressure to handle it on your own, and why asking for help can feel risky.
I am a Psychologist Candidate, supervised by Dr. Sarah Chaulk, who started in peer support and training before moving into clinical work, and I have provided mental health care since 2017. I offer trauma-focused treatment, including Cognitive Processing Therapy and prolonged and written exposure, and I treat looking after your mind the way you would treat training and recovery: as part of staying good at the job.
Because I am also a Certified Mental Performance Consultant, our work does not have to stop at feeling better. Once things are steadier, we can build the skills people in high-pressure roles rely on: staying composed when it matters, making clear decisions under pressure, recovering well between shifts, and performing at your best for the length of your career.
Getting started is simple
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Book a free 15-minute call. Get your questions answered and find out whether we are a good fit, with no commitment.
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Share your background ahead of time. A few short forms and questionnaires mean our first session goes straight to what matters, and they give us a baseline to see your progress.
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Get a clear plan. In your first session, we look at what is happening and what keeps it going, then build a plan that fits your goals and your life.
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Put it to work in real life. Each session leaves you with something to use, so change shows up at work and at home, not just in my office.
I work with RCMP members, corrections staff, and other first responders and public safety personnel in Winnipeg and across Manitoba.
People often come to me noticing changes they did not expect. Maybe you are always scanning, even off duty: sitting where you can see the door, on edge in crowds, unable to fully settle at home. Maybe you have less patience or empathy than you used to, for the public, your family, or yourself. Maybe the work that once felt meaningful now feels heavy, cynical, or like something you just get through.
These are common responses to the job, not signs that you are weak or in the wrong career. Alongside them, people often bring trouble focusing, poor sleep, irritability, feeling distant from the people they love, trauma and PTSD, anxiety, or low mood. We work on what matters most to you, at a pace that fits your life and your schedule.
The goal is not to make you less committed to the work. It is to help you stay well enough to keep doing it.
Not a first responder, or looking for sport and performance support?
Is this for you?
Practical details
Sessions are confidential within the organizational and legal limits we will review during your first appointment. My office has a private entrance. Billing is direct for RCMP, WCB, and Veterans Affairs Canada.
Day and evening appointments in Oak Bluff, serving Winnipeg, or virtually across Manitoba. Self-referrals and provider referrals are both welcome.
The Mind Lab Collective does not provide urgent or emergency care. If you are in crisis, call 911, call or text 988, or go to the nearest hospital.
