Nicole E Costanzo 

SundayApr 21 at 10:37am

Police Psychology: Individual therapy and counseling. Intervention. Motivational interviewing.

Individual therapy and counseling for police officers involve providing support tailored to the unique stressors and challenges they face in their occupation. The therapeutic approach of motivational interviewing aims to help those in the law enforcement occupation to strengthen their desire or motivation to change their current behavior and goals to empower positive change that aligns with their values and aspirations. I chose this topic because of its relevance and importance in addressing individuals' critical mental health needs in law enforcement roles.

The article, Motivational Interviewing: Improving the Delivery of Psychological Services to Law Enforcement, explores the challenges law enforcement faces regarding their mental and physical well-being. Even though it is assumed that police officers are a resilient group, they have been shown to have a shorter life expectancy and higher levels of psychological distress compared to the general population (Steinkopf et al., 2015). The article aims to show that motivational interviewing is a potential solution to address law enforcement challenges. It was mentioned that this therapeutic style could decrease resistance to treatment, establish a positive therapeutic alliance, and overcome barriers to mental health services for law enforcement (Steinkopf et al., 2015). By exploring the mental health needs of law enforcement professionals, motivational interviewing aims to be a collaborative approach that focuses on eliciting motivation for change by exploring indecisiveness. There are principles of motivational interviewing, expressing empathy, developing discrepancy, resistance, and supporting self-efficiency, and it was suggested that these principles have the potential to enhance the health-related behaviors of police officers (Steinkopf et al., 2015).

Forensic psychology professionals encompass several responsibilities, including therapy, counseling, and motivational interviewing. The psychology professional would have to assess, evaluate, plan treatment, consider crisis intervention, and provide individual therapy/counseling sessions to contribute to fostering a healthier and more resilient law enforcement community.

Forensic psychology professionals can catalyze positive social change in this context by addressing systemic issues and promoting approaches that provide better mental health and well-being in the law enforcement community. They can advocate for mental health awareness and provide training and education by addressing the psychological needs of officers.

Reference

Steinkopf, B. L., Hakala, K. A., & Van Hasselt, V. B. (2015). Motivational interviewing: Improving the delivery of psychological services to law