Therapy isn’t just for the broken
The pit in his stomach was growing, and he genuinely thought he was going to puke. He wasn’t at work on the scene of a TC. He wasn’t looking at […] Read More
Dr. Cherylynn Lee
When knowing isn’t enough
A peer supporter dies by suicide, and the helpers become the hurting
October 9, 2024, was arguably one of the worst nights of my life. It started right after I fell asleep. The kids had been tucked in and the house picked […] Read More
When empathy backfires
Your humanity can be a superpower — but only if you maintain healthy boundaries
After washing his hands, he splashed cool water on his face and raised his head, meeting his own gaze in the bathroom mirror. He was scruffy. He always felt more […] Read More
“Why are you mad at me?”
Having the hard conversations to help your spouse help you
It was his 14th rotation working weekend nights. This had always been his favorite shift. The officers were hungry and proactive, the calls were righteous (not a whole lot of […] Read More
Retirement … Now what?
Don’t go in without an ops plan
As the critical incident stress debriefing (CISD) ended, the officers got up from their seats, said their thank-yous and meandered over to the spread of cold cut meats, cheese, coffee […] Read More
The part of the job that changes you
How moral injury affects police officers
In this profession, there are inevitable atrocities. Everything from the break room sink full of dishes (no, your mom does not work here) to calls for service where the victim’s […] Read More
