City of Phoenix introducing new meditation tool for first responders
Apr 30, 2019, 4:13 AM
(Pixabay Photo)
PHOENIX — The city of Phoenix is introducing a new tool to promote total mental and physical health for its first responders.
In partnership with Scottsdale-based Vincere Cancer Center, which screens Valley first responders for occupational cancer free of charge, the city is adding Deepak Chopra InnerSpace meditation grounding devices to Phoenix fire stations and police precincts.
“Grounding removes the inflammation from your body. It helps restore normal sleep cycles and help with (post-traumatic stress disorder), as well as … help restore your sympathetic nervous system to a regulated state,” Patricia Hacker, co-founder of Deepak Chopra InnerSpace, told KTAR News 92.3 FM on Monday.
“By the end of the year, we will have grounded meditation centers in all 59 Phoenix firehouses and six Phoenix police precincts and the trauma van.”
Hacker met with doctors at Vincere Cancer Center, where one tool is already installed, as well as Phoenix Fire Chief Kara Kalkbrenner, two firefighters and Phoenix City Councilwoman Laura Pastor to educate them on the benefits of grounding and meditation.
“For a long time we have wanted to work with first responders because we feel like there is a definite need to reduce inflammation to help with all the stressful calls and dealing with trauma on a daily basis,” Hacker said.