Art for First Responders

A recent grad with a degree in expressive arts and mental health, Emilie DeGroff is turning her passion for art and movement into a mission to help New York’s first responders cope with trauma and stress. As a volunteer firefighter herself, she understands the emotional toll firsthand and plans to become a licensed counselor specializing in this field. She believes creative outlets like drawing and dance can break down the stigma—especially among male firefighters—that keeps emotions bottled up. With 94% of first responders reporting high stress and burnout, DeGroff’s unique blend of experience and training positions her to make a real impact, helping first responders heal through creativity and normalize mental health care as essential as physical check-ups. Support the show:Get a discount at https://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/37515e409d70dde7