"But I don't have a critical incident..." What Can You Do For Me?

Last week, I was meeting with a local Sheriff I collaborate with discussing developing a preventative mental health framework for his department. As we were talking, he brought up Deputies who can identify they feel "off" but do not have an identifiable incident that is bothering them that they need to reprocess- could EMDR help them? And if so, how? It is the same line of thinking I hear often from Veterans- "I didn't have a buddy blow up and die in my arms, I can't have PTSD." And while I know not every Veteran has PTSD and do not believe every Law Enforcement officer does either, I would say it is rare that the job does not leave an impact. I liken it to attempting to picking up a 100lb kettle bell. I would struggle to do that today, but if I attempted to pick it up every day before I walked out the door, eventually one day I would be able to pick it up. Being exposed to the trauma that is the evil of the world, eventually it will leave some type of mark on a person- and more often it is cumulative and not a one-time event.

Now that we have established that you can feel the impact of being exposed to traumatic events with no identifiable incident being the culprit, how does therapy work to help?

Therapists are trained to help clients identify challenges and work through them. Essentially, just like you know what questions to ask to find the drugs, I know what questions to ask to help you identify why you feel off then work through it.

In my practice, I utilize Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR) and integrate other evidence-based treatments as needed. Many of Kentucky's Law Enforcement are aware of EMDR thanks to the Post Critical Incident Seminar (PCIS) which I have begun attending as a Mental Health Provider (MHP). At PCIS or following a critical incident, we are doing a version of EMDR similar to what I like to call circle cleaning at home- you know, that cleaning you do the 15 minutes before someone drops by, trying to put everything in its place. In the office we do square cleaning, we get down and clean the baseboards. This approach allows us to identify what we may consider small, inconsequential incidents that have left a big impact. Both approaches have their time and place- you do not have to bring an identified situation to therapy in order for EMDR or talk therapy to be beneficial.

But if the cause is something minor, will that make a big difference?

It absolutely can. Your brain creates neural networks and memories are stored with thoughts, emotions and bodily sensations (like tightness in your chest) organizing those networks. You need one event to lay the foundation of that network. That first event may have been not getting invited to a party as a kid, a comment comparing your grades to your siblings, or even the first call you went on where you realized how evil someone could be. The cool part? From my experience, the processing some of the seemingly small things can be more life altering than the big events. Processing the big events can give you relief, processing the small ones can give you a new pair of glasses to view the world through. So, if you are feeling "off" and want to figure it out, reaching out to a mental health professional can help you recalibrate again.

Thinking about seeking care?

If you are looking to seek care, keep a few things in mind. Look for someone culturally competent, appropriately licensed, and using evidence-based practices. If you need help finding that, don't hesitate to reach out, I am happy to utilize my network to assist you getting the care you deserve.

Working with Lainey

Lainey is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor specializing in trauma and marriage therapy in the SOF/First Responder/Military community. Lainey is currently licensed in Kentucky and has availability for telehealth appointments if the client is located in Kentucky during the session or in person in Paducah, KY (2 hours north of Nashville and a direct flight from Charlotte, NC). Intensives- aka 3-day marathon therapy sessions- are available upon request for those traveling outside the area.