Sunday, May 30, 2010

Hey, First Responders: Something Better than STFU

It's called Police Mental Health blog, and its author calls it "Emotional Kevlar for Cops." 

Jeff Shannon is both a police officer and a certified Marital and Family Therapist in California. Here is an excerpt of one post, and it's funny plus relevant:
In response to a mass text message to all my cop buddies about the blog and what it’s about, I received multiple versions of this simple reply: “I DON’T GIVE A FUCK.” Cute. Mental health isn’t interesting to most cops. Shrinks are seen as “quacks,” unnecessary, overly-sensitive hippies who want to give hugs all day.
Those hippie-type therapists? I hate them too. I call them "mental-health creeps" and Jeff Shannon is not one of them.

Everything he has written is substantive but not hard to "get" right away: about stress, the police social network, warning signs. He gives names to phenomenon that you see every day, and naming is a powerful analytical tool.

It looks like a great resource, for oneself or to help others. Go check it out, whether you need Kevlar today for somebody or not. Then it's there when you need it, ready-to-hand.

I learned a few things that I can use too. I like it a lot.

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