Page 50 - July 2015 Issue
P. 50
A colleague told the oficer about a PTSD 3. Establish a Support System: Develop a trusted
therapy treatment called EMDR (Eye Movement support system and discuss how they can best support
Desensitization and Reprocessing). The oficer tried this and most effectively help you. Oficers’ physical,
therapy with the police psychologist and after only 2 mental, and emotional health and well-being, as well
sessions, never saw phantom blood again. The therapy as the quality of their life, all depend on their level
is speciically designed to heal the brain’s ability to of preparedness and the development of an effective
process the trauma and place it in its proper perspective. support system that is non-judgmental, caring, and
Although you will always remember the incident, with supportive.
treatments such as this you can remember it without
being emotionally crippled during those memories. 4. Get an Annual Emotional-Survival-and-
Wellness Checkup: As a form of prevention and
Wellness Practices to Bulletproof the Spirit wellness maintenance, oficers should consult with
a psychologist specializing in treating emergency
Contrary to popular myth, police oficers are not irst responders and trauma to determine if they are
invincible. We feel fear and are helpless at times. We being adversely affected by past trauma and to gain
suffer heartache, and we bleed just like everybody else. insight into how to deal with trauma and stress more
Wellness practices for the spirit, or spiritual wellness, effectively.
is a concept fairly new to the police profession, but
learning how to nurture, protect, and sustain one’s spirit The idea behind an annual checkup like this is not that
is critical for survival. “something is wrong.” Something may or may not be
affecting the oficer, but the emphasis is on getting a
Following are several emotional-survival and wellness wellness check and discussing the previous year—
principles that oficers can develop. All of them can both professionally and personally, as a preventative
help improve coping ability, mitigate stress, prepare an and wellness-maintenance measure. This is similar as
oficer to more effectively process trauma, and enhance going to a physician each year for a physical checkup.
overall wellness. The goal is to accomplish several different things:
1. Serve with Compassion: Search for ways to express 1. Discuss issues that are currently concerning to the
and demonstrate service with compassion. The virtue oficer.
of service is fundamental in making an oficer feel
alive and useful, while inding purpose in their work. 2. Explore the past year in general and look for areas
The most meaningful things in life cannot be seen or of concern or in which the oficer might wish to make
touched, but are felt with the heart. A police oficer changes.
with a healthy spirit is driven by the heart to solve
problems, help those in need, and make the world, 3. Examine the coping skills and resiliency the
home, community, and work better places to be. It is oficer has exhibited during previous stressful and
important to their spirit to learn to focus on what their traumatic events, and discuss what the oficer’s coping
spouse, children, community, work colleagues, and mechanisms are. Are they healthy? How might the
others need from them rather than what they want from oficer improve on them?
others.
4. Set goals for the next year.
2. Remain Involved with Outside Interests: Oficers
need to remain involved in activities they found fun 5. Become comfortable talking with a therapist
and interesting before becoming a police oficer. Most who is an expert in dealing with trauma, PTSD, and
police oficers spend signiicantly more time watching police oficers. That way, the oficer will be more
television and using a computer than they did before comfortable seeking assistance if they ever feel it is
becoming an oficer. Such activities tend to keep them needed in the future.
isolated and away from more productive, life-sustaining
activities that serve to breathe life into their spirit. 5. Questions to Discover Purpose in Work and
Relationships. Oficers should determine the
50
therapy treatment called EMDR (Eye Movement support system and discuss how they can best support
Desensitization and Reprocessing). The oficer tried this and most effectively help you. Oficers’ physical,
therapy with the police psychologist and after only 2 mental, and emotional health and well-being, as well
sessions, never saw phantom blood again. The therapy as the quality of their life, all depend on their level
is speciically designed to heal the brain’s ability to of preparedness and the development of an effective
process the trauma and place it in its proper perspective. support system that is non-judgmental, caring, and
Although you will always remember the incident, with supportive.
treatments such as this you can remember it without
being emotionally crippled during those memories. 4. Get an Annual Emotional-Survival-and-
Wellness Checkup: As a form of prevention and
Wellness Practices to Bulletproof the Spirit wellness maintenance, oficers should consult with
a psychologist specializing in treating emergency
Contrary to popular myth, police oficers are not irst responders and trauma to determine if they are
invincible. We feel fear and are helpless at times. We being adversely affected by past trauma and to gain
suffer heartache, and we bleed just like everybody else. insight into how to deal with trauma and stress more
Wellness practices for the spirit, or spiritual wellness, effectively.
is a concept fairly new to the police profession, but
learning how to nurture, protect, and sustain one’s spirit The idea behind an annual checkup like this is not that
is critical for survival. “something is wrong.” Something may or may not be
affecting the oficer, but the emphasis is on getting a
Following are several emotional-survival and wellness wellness check and discussing the previous year—
principles that oficers can develop. All of them can both professionally and personally, as a preventative
help improve coping ability, mitigate stress, prepare an and wellness-maintenance measure. This is similar as
oficer to more effectively process trauma, and enhance going to a physician each year for a physical checkup.
overall wellness. The goal is to accomplish several different things:
1. Serve with Compassion: Search for ways to express 1. Discuss issues that are currently concerning to the
and demonstrate service with compassion. The virtue oficer.
of service is fundamental in making an oficer feel
alive and useful, while inding purpose in their work. 2. Explore the past year in general and look for areas
The most meaningful things in life cannot be seen or of concern or in which the oficer might wish to make
touched, but are felt with the heart. A police oficer changes.
with a healthy spirit is driven by the heart to solve
problems, help those in need, and make the world, 3. Examine the coping skills and resiliency the
home, community, and work better places to be. It is oficer has exhibited during previous stressful and
important to their spirit to learn to focus on what their traumatic events, and discuss what the oficer’s coping
spouse, children, community, work colleagues, and mechanisms are. Are they healthy? How might the
others need from them rather than what they want from oficer improve on them?
others.
4. Set goals for the next year.
2. Remain Involved with Outside Interests: Oficers
need to remain involved in activities they found fun 5. Become comfortable talking with a therapist
and interesting before becoming a police oficer. Most who is an expert in dealing with trauma, PTSD, and
police oficers spend signiicantly more time watching police oficers. That way, the oficer will be more
television and using a computer than they did before comfortable seeking assistance if they ever feel it is
becoming an oficer. Such activities tend to keep them needed in the future.
isolated and away from more productive, life-sustaining
activities that serve to breathe life into their spirit. 5. Questions to Discover Purpose in Work and
Relationships. Oficers should determine the
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