Page 43 - September 2019 FOP Newsletter

Mental Health Spotlight
Follow This Road
‘Road to Resilience’ promotes strategies for police officers to achieve greater mental wellness
■ BY S.M. JONES
■ PHOTOS BY JAMES PINTO
For many officers, the time has come for the culture to shift.
In recent years, internal and external specialists have begun placing a premium on mental wellness resources and services for officers so that they can take care of themselves the same way they take care of their communities.
Many within and alongside law enforcement and first re- sponder communities are working toward transforming the conversation around mental wellness, trauma and substance abuse in an effort to destigmatize the subject and promote critical awareness.
The Road to Resilience seminar that took place in August at Chicago’s BRAVE Police and Public Safety Wellness Cen- ter brought together experts in law enforcement and related fields to educate attendees on cutting-edge resources — re- sources that have been designed and developed specifically for the women and men who wear the badge.
“We call the series ‘Road to Resilience’ because we want of- ficers to know that there is a pathway to taking care of your- self — mind, body and spirit,” said Dr. Robin Kroll, a clinical psychologist and owner of the BRAVE center, which offers a holistic approach to mental wellness. “There’s this fear of con-
Dr. Marva Dawkins, founder of the Center for Applied Psychology and Fo- rensic Studies and a board certified police and public safety psychologist, presents the opening session at the Road to Resilience seminar.
sequences for reaching out: ‘What’s going to happen if I see a mental health provider?’ ‘Is it going to show up on my record?’ ‘Am I going to have my FOIP card revoked?’ ‘Do I want to talk
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