Emotional CPR Empowerment Heals Disconnection
Emotional CPR (eCPR)
What is eCPR? An introduction.
Emotional-CPR Overview
from the National Empowerment Center on Vimeo.
Click here to view other eCPR videos
Dan Fisher’s keynote address, “Heartbeats of Hope” to the Asia Pacific Conference, Brisbane, Australia, October 25, 2016
The radio interview of Dan Fisher and Jenny Speed on topic of Emotional CPR, by Australia Broadcasting Corporation, Dec. 4, 2016
Psychiatrist Daniel Fisher would like to shift the paradigm of mental health services and empower people to play a strong role in their own recovery—so he’s teaching emotional CPR. Click to listen
MH Weekly quotes Daniel Fisher pointing out the value of eCPR in avoiding hospitalization
It’s a decades-old debate — what is the best form of treatment for people with mental illness who are incarcerated or homeless? A number of contributors to the New York Times opinion page, “Room for Debate,” on May 9 tackled that question by commenting on what works and whether asylums should be reopened. Click to view/download(PDF, 234KB, 8 pages)
New Introduction to Emotional CPR Training Video is now available
A Public Health Education Program
This DVD uses a combination of discussion and scenarios taken from real life to illustrate the values and practice of Emotional CPR (eCPR), an exciting and innovative public health education program designed to teach people how to support others through emotional crisis/distress and into recovery.
Click here to preview this training video.
Click here to purchase the video.
Emotional CPR: Saving Lives, Healing Communities – Webinar Archive Now Available!
Click here for the archived webinar recording.
Emotional CPR (eCPR) is a public health education program designed to teach people to assist others through an emotional crisis by three simple steps: C = Connecting, P = emPowering, and R = Revitalizing. People who have been through the training consistently report that the skills they learned have helped them communicate better in all their relationships. They tell us that eCPR is a way of life. Presenters used real life stories to explore how eCPR is healing communities, including:
- How eCPR is being incorporated into diverse cultures and communities across the U.S. and overseas
- How eCPR is being used to heal trauma and intergenerational violence
- How eCPR is an effective suicide prevention approach
- How eCPR is useful for law enforcement/public safety personnel
Endorsements
CARF International cites Emotional CPR
CARF International cites eCPR as “a holistic, empowering approach to assisting persons served to cope with emotional crisis” in their Behavioral Health Standards Manual. eCPR is included as an example of staff training in the use of alternative interventions. CARF accredits health and human services, including behavioral health, on five continents.
International Association of Chiefs of Police Recommends eCPR
International Association of Chiefs of Police. Building Safer Communities: Improving Police Response to Persons with Mental Illness.
eCPR was recommended by the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP). According to a recent report, “Law enforcement personnel who learn eCPR will be better equipped to efficiently and effectively resolve a crisis call involving people in emotional distress, thereby reducing potential escalation, harm, or injury. eCPR is recommended by the IACP as a way to enrich CIT curricula.”
Click here for a flyer with presenter information (PDF, 306KB, 2 pages)
PDF version of PowerPoint for webinar (PDF, 1.48MB, 29 pages)
Click here to watch this informative webinar from 2012 which describes the fundamental concepts of Emotional CPR.
Use of a Reflecting Team
Emotional CPR (eCPR) Participant Workbook
This workbook was developed for the eCPR certification training and provides a thoughtful discussion of the values of eCPR, the features of dialogue, and the primary components of eCPR: C = Connection, P = emPowering, and R = Revitalizing. Other sections include how to prepare oneself to provide eCPR as well as tips for self-care. The workbook is filled with inspiring quotes, real-life examples of embodying the practice of eCPR, sample instructions for role plays, and other exercises. The workbook is designed for anyone who may encounter a person in emotional crisis – law enforcement, mental health peers, mental health providers, family members, and others.
Click here to purchase the workbook
What is eCPR?
Emotional CPR (eCPR) is an educational program designed to teach people to assist others through an emotional crisis by three simple steps:
C = Connecting
P = emPowering, and
R = Revitalizing.
The Connecting process of eCPR involves deepening listening skills, practicing presence, and creating a sense of safety for the person experiencing a crisis. The emPowering process helps people better understand how to feel empowered themselves as well as to assist others to feel more hopeful and engaged in life. In the Revitalizating process, people re-engage in relationships with their loved ones or their support system, and they resume or begin routines that support health and wellness which reinforces the person’s sense of mastery and accomplishment, further energizing the healing process.
eCPR is based on the principles found to be shared by a number of support approaches: trauma-informed care, counseling after disasters, peer support to avoid continuing emotional despair, emotional intelligence, suicide prevention, and cultural attunement. It was developed with input from a diverse cadre of recognized leaders from across the U.S., who themselves have learned how to recover and grow from emotional crises. They have wisdom by the grace of first- hand experience.
For more information, to schedule an introductory workshop or a certification training in eCPR, or If you would like to be an eCPR Ambassador and help spread the word about this exciting program, send us an email via the contact form, or call 877-246-9058.
What is emotional crisis?
Crisis as Universal Experience
Emotional crisis is a universal experience. It can happen to anyone, at any time. When we are exposed to this extraordinary situation, we develop amazing and creative ways to protect ourselves, To onlookers, these protective mechanisms may look very odd, even “crazy”. To us, they have meaning. Through using eCPR we can better understand and overcome our fear of seemingly unusual behavior brought on by an emotional crisis. Through eCPR we learn how to form supportive connections that empower the person in emotional crisis so they are able to feel revitalized and quickly resume meaningful roles in the community.