Date: November 6, 2026
Time: 1700-2200
Location: The Manor, 42 West Boylston St., West Boylston
Cost: $25 per person – including dinner and seminar
Payment: Venmo: @MAFireDistrict8
RSVP: Email Chief Joe Flanagan at: jflanagan@boylston-ma.gov
Program Title: How Full is Your Bucket: Burnout and Career Survival for First Responders
Presenter: Dr. Nicole L Sawyer
Program Description: This is an honest (and sometimes harsh) discussion about the physiological and psychological impacts of a long-term public safety career. We will dive into the chemistry of stress and trauma, the bad habits that come from trying to cope, the impacts on our emotional self and family life, eating habits, drinking habits, poor sleep and personal accountability for all the above. This program is not about solutions; it’s about ownership and accountability for our wellbeing and communication and truth for our loved ones.
Presenter Bio:
Nicole L Sawyer, PsyD is a licensed clinical psychologist in New Hampshire. She has been in clinical practice since 2005 and works exclusively with public safety professionals and first responder agencies. Dr. Sawyer has served for more than 15 years as the supporting psychologist for the NH State Police Peer Support Unit, and she provides clinical support for various regional Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) teams serving both Fire and Police agencies. In addition to her role as an instructor for the NAMI Crisis Intervention Training (CIT) program for first responders, she is the professional crisis intervention specialist for the multiple SWAT and Negotiation Units, responding alongside law enforcement to community incidents. Having reached international audiences with her straight-talking, candid trainings and workshops, Dr. Sawyer is best known for taking a direct approach to the psychological challenges faced by public safety professionals and first responders over the course of their careers.
Note: This seminar is open to fire department staff members and their spouses/significant others.