Description:
This course is designed for anyone interested in becoming a law enforcement therapeutic provider. Ideally, attendees should have a masters degree or higher in Counseling Psychology, Social Work, or a related field of study. The WA licensure credentials include but are not limited to, LMHC(A), LMFT(A), MSW, and LICSW.
Attendees will become familiar with facets of law enforcement as an industry, profession, culture, and environment with its own challenges and unique setting in which peace officers function. Further, this two-day course will familiarize the attendee with the family dynamics that interplay with law enforcement as a profession.
After the two-day course, licensed therapists and social workers will have systems familiarity and knowledge in the following areas:
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Law Enforcement 101
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Structure of the workplace
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Paramilitary culture and “sense of family”
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How individuals become law enforcement officers
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Components of training and expectations of law enforcement
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Physical demands of the job
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Types of calls law enforcement go to-Trauma exposure
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Types of roles law enforcement can hold within a department
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Court process, reporting, prosecution, defense, public disclosure requests
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Job Security-Complaints, Compliments, “Under the Radar”, resisting counseling
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Firearms familiarity / Firearms as an extension of the person
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Cultural Introduction
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Warrior / Guardian Mentality
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Dark humor and desensitization
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Types of behavioral health issues first responders face
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Suicidality
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Peer Support in police vs Peer Support in Therapy
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Substance abuse indicators
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Barriers to seeking care
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Political Terrain Navigation-criticism, kudos, and everything in between
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Line of Duty Deaths and symbols
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Personal Life and Family Dynamics
- Family dynamics, divorce, children, relationships
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Resources available for law enforcement and their families
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Common coping skills
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Your first session and building a therapeutic alliance (trust means something completely different)
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Therapeutic Approaches
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Understanding the process of a de-brief and a critical incident stress debrief
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Balancing the duty or services to others and duty to self – sacrifice mentality
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Mock Scenarios / Table-Top Discussions for Therapeutic Processing
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Demonstrating true unconditional positive regard and non-judgement
Objectives:
Participants will be able to:
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Will become familiar with facets of law enforcement as an industry, profession, culture, and environment with its own challenges and unique setting in which peace officers function.
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Will be familiar with the family dynamics that interplay with law enforcement as a profession.
About the Presenter:
Hesusa M. Kroll “Susie” MA, MHP, LMHC earned her Masters of Arts in Counseling Psychology from City University of Seattle. She is an alum of the University of Washington having earned Bachelors degrees in Speech Communication and Zoology with a Marine Emphasis in 2001. Susie started as a Clinician with a local community behavioral health agency upon earning her Masters. While employed with that agency, she promoted to Clinic Manager, Regional Operations Director, and Division Director overseeing the day-to-day operations of six outpatient behavioral health clinics in King County.
Susie was the founding Mental Health Professional for the Law Enforcement and Mental Health Professional Co-Response Programs in Shoreline, Kenmore, Kirkland, Lake Forest Park, Bothell, Redmond, and Duvall PDs. She is a national educator and speaker on Crisis & De-Escalation, Mental Health, and Crisis Negotiation. She instructs at the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission and is the Mental Health Advisor for Crisis Systems Management. She volunteers yearly at the Seattle King County Clinic as the Crisis Response Director. More importantly, she is the fur-mom to two rescued kittens and a very clownish Umbrella Cockatoo.
WMHCA Cancellation Policy: To receive a refund, less a $15 cancellation fee, cancellations must be made by contacting sara@wmhca.org at least 48 hours prior to workshop date. There will be no refunds within 48 hours of the workshop date.
This course is approved for 15 CE hours for LMHCs, LMFTs, LCSWs, and all associate-level licensees in Washington State.
Washington Mental Health Association (WMHCA) has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 2079. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. WMHCA is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.
15 NBCC clock hours will be awarded at the conclusion of the course.
