Are our first responders heroes in your view, or are they villains? It seems like these two camps are often feuding back and forth on mainstream and social medias. In this episode of Therapists’ Take, we hope to offer up a different perspective. We aim to take a look at our first responders in such a way that reminds us that they are human. They are flesh and blood like you and me. And not unlike many groups or professions, they are faced with a unique set of mental, emotional, and relational challenges, which happens to be part of the sacrifice each and every one of them make for their communities. In no way are we making excuses for bad policing or even suggesting bad policing doesn’t exist, but our hope is put compassion back into the equation as we take a deeper dive at the human being behind the badge.

In this episode of Therapists’ Take, we are excited to have a couple very special guests join us. Derek Thomason is a licensed professional counselor who serves as a mental health therapist for the Oklahoma City Police Department Wellness Unit. Additionally, our colleague and business partner, Rebel Buersmeyer returns to Therapists’ Take. She is a licensed marital and family therapist with training and experience working with families of fallen first responders. Our guests are in the mental, emotional, and relational trenches with first responders on a regular basis. We are honored to have them join us.

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00:00 - Hi, Carrie (banter)

02:56 - Guest Introductions

07:00 - About Rebel Buersmeyer, LMFT

08:35 - About Derek Thomason, LPC

10:26 - Episode Breakdown

12:10 - Unique Mental Health Challenges

20:14 - Rebel Explains the Vagel Nerve

25:33 - Unique Relational Challenges

31:24 - Partners of First Responders

42:08 - Remembering Their Humanity

52:00 - Books & Other Resources

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Please be sure to check out the resources below:

Books

- The Body Keeps the Score - https://amzn.to/44tr4h0

- Emotional Survival for Law Enforcement - https://amzn.to/3WrtVVz

- I Love a Cop - https://amzn.to/4dme1C3

- A CHiP on My Shoulder - https://amzn.to/4boxK22

- A Marriage in Progress - https://amzn.to/3Wsttqm

Resources

- The Warriors Rest Foundation - https://www.warriorsrestfoundation.org

- C.O.P.S. - https://www.concernsofpolicesurvivors.org

- How to Love Our Cops - https://www.how2loveourcops.org/

- EMDR Therapist Directory - https://www.emdria.org/find-an-emdr-therapist/

Videos

- EMDR w/ Rebel Buersmeyer - https://youtu.be/G692ymBkg-4?si=Z_fcfKFCLqQSuBGp

- EMDR w/ Derek Thomason - https://youtu.be/_7oBFC11Do0?si=blFTgFEgQCgvR_I7

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Please follow us on all our social medias and check out our podcasts by clicking our LinkTree - https://linktr.ee/familysolutionsok

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About the Hosts

Carrie and Josh are both licensed marital and family therapists (LMFT) that specialize in betrayal trauma recovery. You can read more about them and the work they do on their practice website -https://www.familysolutionsok.com.
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Additionally, check out Mary & Josie’s new podcast by Family Solutions Media called, “Are You in session?” In this podcast, Mary & Josie welcome you into their minds, friendship, and their ever “shrinking” world. You can find it on YouTube (@RecoveryTV4u), Apple Podcast, Spotify, and a variety of other podcast platforms.

And, stay tuned for the newest Family Solutions Media podcast to enter the podcasting universe - Poetry in Layers. In this podcast, therapist, author, and spoken word artist, Carl Patterson, will perform a series of poems with a unique mental health flavor. You don’t want to miss it. So stay tuned.

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