Cops need therapy, too. Mental health counseling and therapy is imperative in preserving and maintaining emotional wellness

 

Trauma therapy is one of the most effective counseling treatments to treat long-term effects of traumatic exposures.It is time to give a big middle finger to the stigma surrounding mental health in the Law Enforcement and First Responder arena!

 

First responders and Law Enforcement respond to high intensity traumatic events on a regular basis. This leads to cumulative stress. When we leave cumulative stress unaddressed we will find impacts in our daily functioning, relationships, mental health and physical health.

 

​The typical human-being will be exposed to 3-4 traumatic events in their lifetime. An average cop is exposed to that many in just 1-2 shifts of work. Yep, read that again!

 

Many LEO's and personnel do not tend to their own health after exposures of trauma. Trauma impacts both an LEO's mental health and physical health. LEO staff have a higher risk for Type II Diabetes, Stroke, Heart Disease, Hodgkin's Lymphoma, and various forms of Cancer.

 

One of the reason's for the increased risk is due to the chronic stress put on the body. The chronic stress brings elevations to cortisol levels (stress hormones) and cause other biological changes that impact overall health. ​The cumulative stress in this profession has to be tended to. Ignoring the stress will lead to significant negative health impacts that will become too large to ignore.

 

Invest in yourself; it is time to put yourself first.