Before I ever meet with your team, we have a private call — just the two of us. You tell me what happened, what your team is dealing with, and what you're worried about. That conversation shapes everything that follows.

The group session itself uses a structured protocol called ASSYST (Acute Stress Syndrome Stabilization). It's not a debrief where people are asked to recount the incident. It's not group therapy. It works directly with the nervous system's stress response — using bilateral stimulation and a guided process that helps regulate activation without requiring anyone to disclose personal details or relive what happened. Staff participate at whatever level feels right for them.

A follow-up session happens within a few days to assess how the team is stabilizing. Then you and I debrief privately to close the engagement and identify anyone who may benefit from additional individual support.

You probably don't know — and that uncertainty is normal. Most practice owners I talk to aren't sure whether what happened was "bad enough" to warrant a formal response. That's exactly what the first conversation is for, and there's no obligation after it.

What I'd offer is this: the threshold isn't whether something was objectively catastrophic. It's whether your team is carrying something that's affecting how they're showing up, how they're communicating, or how safe they feel at work. Undertreated acute stress doesn't resolve on its own — it just goes underground.

If you're wondering whether your team needs support, that instinct is usually worth taking seriously.

No. Staff participation is voluntary. ASSYST is designed to be safe in a group setting even when people are in very different emotional places — some may be visibly distressed, others may seem fine, others may be unsure how they feel. No one is required to share anything personal or speak at all if they'd rather not. The protocol works even with reluctant participants.

No. This is not therapy, and it's not a substitute for it. ASSYST is an acute stabilization protocol — it's specifically designed for occupational settings where the goal is to help people move through a critical moment with their capacity intact, not to do deep clinical work. If any team members need ongoing individual support after the engagement, I'll flag that for you in our closing call.

Yes. The protocol works with teams of any size. Pricing for independent practices reflects that range, and we'll discuss what makes sense for your situation on the initial call. A small, tight-knit team can actually be more acutely affected by a critical incident — not less — because there's less buffer when everyone knows everyone.

I'm a licensed professional counselor (LPC) with a PhD and over 20 years of clinical experience, including specialized training in EMDR and trauma-informed care. ASSYST is an AIP (Adaptive Information Processing)-informed protocol developed specifically for acute occupational stress, and my clinical background equips me to deliver it in complex group settings and to recognize when individual follow-up care is warranted.