Counseling
Not every kind of counseling is right for every person, nor are all therapists equal in what they provide. Officers or family members should question therapists about the therapists’ experience with traumatized people. Many counselors can help, but those who know little about psychological trauma may cause additional damage.
For a candid description of “How to Choose a Therapist,” check out Dr. John Grohol’s Mental Health Page called Psych Central: http://grohol.com and http://psychcentral.com. Also offering advice are the American Psychiatric Association at http://www.psych.org/ (go to site map and click on “Psychiatry FAQ”) and the American Psychological Association at http://apa.org (enter “How to choose a therapist” on the website’s search engine).
At Health
At Health provides information about psychological disorders and referral to qualified therapists. Online, it defines PTSD, answers frequently asked questions and provides resources and a list of treatment centers. If hesitant about contacting mental health professionals in its database, call toll-free: 888-284-3258.
Go to: http://www.athealth.com. (Click on “Disorders and Conditions.” Write: At Health, Inc., 14241 NE Woodinville-Duvall Road, #104, Woodinville, WA 98072-8564. Phone: 360-668-3808.
Concerned Counseling (CC)/HealthyPlace.com
HealthyPlace.com (also known as Concerned Counseling) is the largest consumer mental health site, providing comprehensive information on psychological disorders and psychiatric medications from both a consumer and expert point of view. The website provides active chatrooms, hosted support groups, people who keep online journals/diaries, psychological tests, breaking mental health news, mental health videos, online documentary films, a mental health radio show and more.
The website also provides a “PTSD Self-Test” that you can access by typing “PTSD” in the site’s search engine. Or have a look at the self-test for PTSD provided in Appendix 5 of this book.
Go to: http://www.HealthyPlace.com.
NetWellness
NetWellness offers the world’s largest base of medical experts who provide online consumer health information. The “Ask An Expert” section features pharmacists, nurses, physicians and other health professionals who provide answers to health questions.
Go to: http://www.netwellness.org/. Write: NetWellness, 231 Albert Sabin Way, PO Box 670574, University of Cincinnati Cincinnati, OH 45267-0574. Phone: 513-558-8766.
Stressline
A resident of Middleboro, MA, Hal Brown wore a badge as a reserve officer for twenty years. Now as a clinical social worker, he examines an array of subjects on his Stressline website including causes of police officer stress, critical incidents, and conflicts between police officers and therapists.
Go to: http://stressline.com. At bottom of opening page, click on “police stressline.” Phone: 508-947-5601.