“Using Brainspotting with First Responders” with Stephanie Neuman, LCSW
Working with first responders or military personnel is a daunting task for many mental health therapists. Unfortunately, the opportunity to work with this class of professional is limited as their decision to seek mental health treatment does not come lightly. There is a large amount of stigma imposed on these professionals and many are still stuck in the “pull yourself up by your bootstrap” mindset. Breaking through this stigma may mean the therapist sitting with the professional has one shot to sell themselves and to sell their technique. They must be committed to their own journey and be able to articulate their passion to the first responder sitting across from them. As hard as this sale may be it isn’t impossible. In my presentation I will show the typical therapist how to successfully change the life of their next first responder or military client. I will discuss my own experience as a police officer and how I was able to trust the therapist that changed my live. This presentation will give not only tips and tricks of the profession but also the confidence needed to sit with a daunting client and see magic happen.
Before becoming a therapist, Stephanie was an officer for over 10 years. During that time in law enforcement, she experienced many critical and volatile events giving Stephanie first hand exposure to the traumas of law enforcement. At only eight weeks on the job as a patrol officer she was involved in an officer involved shooting. This critical event ultimately led her to a culturally competent therapist that helped navigate Stephanie’s traumas. This ultimately led Stephanie to pursue a Master’s in Social Work and focus on healing trauma with other first responders. Stephanie is now an LCSW and has been a primary therapist for the past 10 years. Her primary clientele are people with severe trauma, first responders, & military personnel.
