During his career as an airline pilot, Captain Duarte has experienced high stress / high demand situations over short and long periods of time. He’s seen firsthand the impact this has had on himself, as well as on other aviator’s professional and personal lives and mental and physical health. As a result, he feels compelled to find solutions for these problems. As he looked into other high stress/ high demand professions, such as first responders, medical staff, ambulance drivers, security forces, ATC controllers, and even stock market brokers/dealers, he noticed some similar patterns connected with the impact of these professions.
After starting a Peer Support Group based on Critical Incident Stress Management, it became clear to Captain Duarte that prevention and awareness is paramount for individuals and organizations; he also found that honest and frank discussion are key. We must be willing to have the difficult conversations and become proactive instead of reactive.
