Increasing Resilience in Police and Emergency Personnel

by Stephanie M. Conn

Increasing Resilience in Police and Emergency Personnel illuminates the psychological, emotional, behavioral, and spiritual impact of police work on police officers, administrators, emergency communicators, and their families. Author Stephanie Conn, a clinician and researcher as well as a former police officer and dispatcher, debunks myths about weakness and offers practical strategies in plain language for police employees and their families struggling with traumatic stress and burnout. Sections of each chapter also offer guidance for frequently overlooked roles such as police administrators and civilian police employees. Using real-world anecdotes and exercises, this book provides strengths-based guidance to help navigate the many complex and sometimes difficult effects of police and emergency work.

216 pages, Paperback

Published April 10, 2018

About the author

Stephanie M. Conn, PhD, is a former police officer, as well as the daughter and wife of police officers, and currently works as a therapist in private practice, specializing in police stress, trauma, work-life balance, coping, and resilience. She began as a dispatcher/call-taker before becoming an officer with the Fort Worth Police Department and then earning her doctorate in counseling psychology. She has presented widely to emergency responders, sharing wisdom gained from her police experience, research, and therapy practice.

Reviews

[Fred Fontz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stephanie Conn brings a unique and much-needed voice to the field of wellness in emergency services. As both a former police officer and a practicing clinician, she writes from experience on both sides of the badge. Her no-nonsense, straightforward style makes this book accessible and relatable—she speaks to first responders in their own language, avoiding the overly clinical tone some books in this space fall into. I appreciated how the book was structured into sections that speak to general readers, administrators, and family members. The research Conn includes is extensive and clearly supports her insights.
She does a great job outlining the core challenges (like PTSD, depression, and substance abuse), while also explaining why we struggle—digging into deeper layers like alexithymia and non-operational stressors that often go unaddressed. I found her breakdown of coping factors especially useful, and the practical applications throughout the book make it more than just theory. The book is a little long, but it's worth the time. Conn’s combination of lived experience, clinical expertise, and dedication to officer wellness makes this a valuable read for anyone in or around the world of emergency services.

[Faith Gerber · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a valuable resource for law enforcement, and all first responders. It should be required reading for especially for peer support teams, chaplains, and anyone else who works or lives alongside them.