Resilient Minds - Building the Psychological Strength of Fire Fighters

  • October 21, 2026
  • 8:00am-5:00pm
  • FESTI - 2025 Courtneypark Dr East, Mississauga, ON L5T 1J3

Facilitated by Carissa Campbell

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The Resilient MindsTM 8-hour course contains four modules that were developed by fire fighters for fire fighters to increase the ability to:

• Recognize the effects of psychological stress/trauma in self and peers
• Understand trauma-informed practices
• Communicate with peers who may be struggling
• Using evidence-based trauma informed approach to respond, safely, and appropriately to distressed citizens
• Apply personal strategies for managing stress, mitigating trauma, and boosting resilience

What fire fighters are saying about our program:

“The facilitators created a safe, comfortable and interesting learning environment. We were impressed with the interactive capabilities of the Zoom classroom and the way it was incorporated into the course. They taught us coping skills such as the 4R Action Toolkit that we will be able to take into our careers and use to remain healthy for ourselves and our families. As members of the fire service, we would recommend this course to anyone involved in emergency response.”

– Fire Fighter recruits in Class 2021-01 (A Platoon), Whitby Fire & Emergency Services, Ontario

Carissa Campbell

Carissa has been serving with Ottawa Fire Services since 2006, bringing nearly two decades of experience, leadership, and a deep commitment to both operational excellence and firefighter wellness. Promoted to Captain in July 2025, she previously served as a Training Officer for 18 months before returning to suppression for her promotion to Lieutenant earlier that same year. Her leadership journey has been shaped by resilience and purpose. After experiencing asignificant fire early in her career—an event that led to major changes in training, communications, safety, and equipment—Carissa was diagnosed with PTSD. Her path to recovery inspired her to become a champion for mental health, a peer support worker, and a passionate educator in Fire Dynamics.

Carissa is also trained as a Hazmat Technician and is known for her strong work ethic, unwavering dedication to fitness, and her natural ability to bring people together. Whether on the fireground or in the firehouse, she leads with authenticity, compassion, and the belief that strong teams are built on trust, shared purpose, and continuous learning. Beyond her operational role, Carissa was instrumental in founding Fire Service WomenOntario and helped develop Camp FFIT, initiatives that empower and support women in thefire service.

She brings warmth, insight, and a team-focused mindset to every leadership conversation—especially when it comes to building a positive, inclusive, and resilient station culture.