Dr. Vivek Murthy, surgeon general of the United States, called loneliness a public health crisis and admitted that he had struggled with it himself. Loneliness is different from solitude. Solitude restores whereas loneliness depletes. Loneliness is different from...
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Do You Do Too Much for Others?
Feeling resentful is a clue that you've done enough, perhaps too much. I recently facilitated a retreat for first responder significant others and spouses, all six of them women. They arrived exhausted and emotionally depleted. Tasked with jobs, raising children, some...
Treating Traumatic Stress in First Responders
First responders see things that no one should have to see, do things that no one should have to do, and go places no one should have to go. They console the inconsolable, encounter the unthinkable, and are exposed to some of the cruelest, most tragic moments life has...
The Uvalde Massacre: What’s in Store for First Responders?
I hadn’t planned to write another blog this month, but the school massacre in Uvalde, Texas, and the massacre in Buffalo, New York, compelled me to put my thoughts on paper. I’m thinking about trauma and first responders and the emotional wallop created by mass...
Growing Old in a Young Person’s Profession Pt. 1
One of the great pleasures of a long-lived career as a police psychologist is watching officers as they grow from wide-eyed, eager rookies to a more settled version of themselves. From recruitment to retirement, police work changes people and affects their families. A...
Women in Policing: How It Feels to Be a Reluctant Hero
Women in law enforcement face continuing doubts about their ability to be as brave, competent, and dedicated as their male counterparts. How we respond in a life-threatening crisis may be hard to predict. One woman may have exceeded expectations. Being hailed as a...