Holding Space for First Responder Families Impacted by Trauma, Mental Illness, and Addiction

In this episode, Ivona Bhadha, LCSW and Director of Family Services at FHE Health, joins Neely Carlton Lyons  and Erin McNamee from the Family Recovery Collective to share her journey of developing specialized support for first responder families impacted by trauma, addiction, and mental health challenges. She describes the unique pressures these families face, including common patterns such as caretaking, rescuing, and secret keeping, and explains how vicarious trauma and compassion fatigue often take root in their lives. Ivona outlines her 12-week family support groups, where spouses, parents, and loved ones learn grounding practices, boundary-setting, and communication skills, while also reclaiming their own wellbeing. She highlights the importance of breaking denial, building self-awareness, and creating community connection as families begin their own healing journey. Above all, she emphasizes that true support isn’t about fixing the first responder, but about finding strength, courage, and compassion within themselves—reminding families that they are not alone, and that their health and wholeness matter too. For more information on virtual platform of Family Recovery Collective, visit: https://www.familyrecoverycollective.com/