CopShock: Second Edition
Surviving Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
by Allen R. Kates, MFAW, BCECR
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.