Bio-One Offices Across the Country

Crime Scene Cleaners
The Toughest Part

NOV 19, 2018 by Jennifer Salomon 

I have been a member of the Bio-One family for over 2 years now and every day brings new challenges. Some days are easier than others. Bio-One is a high stress, high paced environment that can be very demanding. When people find out what I do, they don’t understand how I could stand to do it. After the initial shock, they usually follow up with asking what the toughest part of the job is.The answer? Everything. Almost nothing about this job is easy, so having the emotional resiliency to bounce back and get the job done is a necessity. Keeping your mind sharp, being emotionally available, and mentally strong to help our clients through some of the toughest events in their lives is essential.

      This job can be very physical in many ways but having the emotional strength to accomplish the job is what is really needed. Not everyone can do what Bio-One does. It takes a lot of strength, mentally & emotionally. When dealing with the Crime & Trauma Scene Cleanup, it isn’t just the scene we need to remediate, there are also the loved ones to deal with. They are in pieces usually and grief comes in many forms. Bio-One team members need to be able to adapt to all kinds of different environments and emotions in any given situation. This takes a lot of emotional resiliency on our part. Therefore, Self-Care is so important for Bio-One members to practice. We need to ensure we are taking care of ourselves and doing what we can to stay mentally healthy. Working in a high stress job that deals with environmental hazards as well, we need to make sure we are at the top of our game. We love what we do, so staying our best selves is important.

       Self-Care is important in any job field, now matter where you work. You need to be your best you, so don’t put yourself on the back burner. Your Mental Health is important and should be right up there with exercising and health eating. So, next time you feel yourself getting overwhelmed by any given situation, take a step back and relax. Do what you need to do to regroup, recharge, and prepare yourself to take on the tsks ahead. You got this! Self-Care is Self-Love. 

Winter Blues & You!

By: Jennifer Salomon

11/20/2018

**This blog posting are ONLY opinions/thoughts, not professional advice. If you feel you are at risk of hurting yourself or others, please reach out to medical professional immediately, dial 911, or call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline @ 1-800-273-8255**

Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, and many other important holidays sprinkled in between are fast approaching. There is a sense is joy, wonder, and excitement buzzing through the air. People are more kind, more helping, and generous. This is the season to reconnect with family and friends. The weather is changing and becoming a bit cooler. This always makes me want to rush home, put on my warmest pajamas, and sip something hot by an open fire. Sounds lovely, doesn’t it? While the Holidays should inspire and bring about these types of positive feelings, sometimes it doesn’t. Sometimes the Holidays are just a season of dread and loneliness and not a warm, fuzzy feeling like it is portrayed on a Hallmark card. The stress of high expectations for the Holiday Season to be picture perfect can be a bit overwhelming. This is where the "Winter Blues" can sweep in and take over. Knocking you down and leaving you to dwelve in the despair.  And you know what? That’s ok! Believe that! It is ok to not be ok. But, what can you do about it?

First, acknowledge that you are upset, saddened, depressed, and/or lonely! It is alright to experience these emotions. These are normal human emotions, that every single person on the planet has experienced at some point in their lives. No one is happy all the time. No one is perfect, and life does not work that way.

Now that you have embraced the heavy emotion, release it! Don’t hold on to that negative energy. No need to let it consume your light and take over. Don’t let that emotion become you. And remember you are enough! Don’t let the expectation of throwing the best Christmas party, giving the perfect gift, or wearing the best festive outfit get in the way of your well desrved happiness. Just be you! You are enough and that is what is important. Not the stuff! The Holidays are about connecting with loved ones, the World, and the community around you. This brings me to my final tip.

Get out of your head and into the World!

Whether you are dining with family or friends, make the most of it! Some people may not have family or friends close by, but that doesn’t mean you cannot enjoy the Holidays. Go and start a new tradition, embrace the new. There is always a way to get out and relish in the Holiday spirit! Volunteer at a soup kitchen, foster a shelter animal, go see a play, or simply relax in your home and watch Christmas movies and dine on some delicious food! Whatever you choose, choose HAPPY! 

Book Review: The Hoarder In You - Dr. Robin Zasio

By: Jennifer Salomon

11/26/2018

When most people think of Hoarding, they almost always think of the TV show, Hoarders. How could you not? There is nothing like it in the history of TV. If you haven’t seen the show, it is a must see! Basically, the TV show consist of following the Hoarder through the process of dealing with and cleaning out their hoard. They accomplish this with the help of licensed professionals such therapists and cleaning crews. Along, with their family and friends to help support them through the whole ordeal. Not only does this give you an inside look to how Hoarders live, but it always explores the psyche a bit for plausible explanations, which led to their hoarding. Typically, the clean out process does have its ups and down, but typically the result is a clean home with light at the end of the tunnel for recovery. The average American viewer can feel satisfied watching, knowing there is hope.

Hoarding Disorder is a complex disorder of the mind, that effects your mental and physical World alike. This is what makes the disorder so hard to tackle. For people who aren’t Hoarders, grasping on to the concept on how someone would want to hold on to a receipt from 5 years ago is difficult. 

This is where Dr. Robin Zasio, one the wonderful therapist from the show, goes more in depth with it. She wrote this amazing book, The Hoarder in You. This is a book for literally everyone! Hoarders, therapists, family members, neighbors, you name it! This book in whole gives a better understanding about Hoarding, its tendencies, and how best to deal with and manage. Dr. Robin Zasio gives the theory that most people do fall somewhere within the hoarding spectrum. To what degree is what differs. Dr. Zasio gives awesome insight to dealing with hoarding, how to speak and interact with a hoarder, and how to overcome the emotions tied into the physical objects being hoarded. It is really an eye opener into the mind set and helps to with understanding how the disorder affects the individual and their environment. 

I would recommend this book to anyone who is a hoarder, knows a hoarder, in the hoarding business, or just wants to educate themselves about this disorder. I love how much more awareness is being made on Hoarding, which I believe leads to ending the stigmas associated with it. There are many layers to Hoarding, physically and mentally, so gaining awareness can bring about change. Mental Health Awareness is something society as of late is being more open about. Which is awesome! Bio-One has dealt with many Hoarding situations, so we are happy to see the community taking initiative to understand and help to bring about positive change on the matter. Pick up a copy of the book today, take a read, and let us know what you think. Happy Reading!

Change the World!
Spreading Suicide Awareness

Nov 5th, 2018 By: Jennifer Salomon  

"No matter what anybody tells you, words and ideas can change the World."

   – Robin Williams

 When I read upon this quote, it really strikes with spreading the message of suicide awareness. This speaks volumes and reiterates what Bio-One is trying to bring about. We want people to talk about suicide and the impacts it has on families, friends, and communities. We are living in a time where we can get a message out and all over the World in a matter of seconds. Yet, for some reason the idea or notion of talking about suicide is still considered very taboo.

Why is that?

If anything, this is the best time to be addressing the issues surrounding suicide and the effects it has. Bio-One deals in the trauma scene cleanups due to suicides and the heartbreak we see spread amongst loved one is devastating. It’s time to talk about it! In talking about mental health and suicidal thoughts, we are addressing a touchy subject and bringing awareness to the matter. With awareness brings about change! And with that, maybe just maybe, we can reach that individual who is struggling, by letting them know it is okay to speak their truths. There is no harm in reaching out for help. There are so many resources available within the community and online, all standing by to help someone dealing with a suicidal crisis.

We need to shed the idea that suicide is something only done by selfish, weak people. Someone overcome by depression becomes trapped in their thoughts and may begin seeing suicide as their only option. But, what if? What if someone close to them talks about suicide prevention? That right there could be the spark of light, the O.K. that someone needs to decide that talking about their feelings are welcomed. Not just welcomed but heard. Let’s open the door and change the viewpoint on Mental Health. You can’t change the World, but in that instant you may change someone’s World!