Counseling Program
Counseling Program
The SAMHSA grant funding was also used to establish TEEX’s Public Safety Wellness and Counseling program in College Station. The program provides first responders with professional mental health counseling services using evidence-based practices to improve overall mental health and well-being. Through the program, licensed counselors also train other mental health professionals in providing trauma-informed care to first responders. A graduate internship program is available for master’s and doctoral students in the mental health professions.
Clients of the program complete an initial PTSD Checklist, a self-reporting tool to assess their PTSD symptoms, when beginning their counseling sessions. Of the 60 individuals counseled thus far, their scores have dropped from an average high initial score of 37 to an average score of 14 midway through their counseling, indicating a substantial drop in their PTSD symptoms.
“Repeated exposure to traumatic events, unresolved stress and depression, and the stigma surrounding treatment for mental health concerns has plagued the public safety community for years. At TEEX, we want to be at the forefront of providing vital mental health services tailored specifically for law enforcement officers, firefighters, paramedics, 911 telecommunicators, and others in public safety roles.”
–Alisa McDonald, Program Director and a Licensed Professional Counselor Specializing in First Responder Mental Health
Contact Us
If you or someone you know in public safety is struggling mentally, please reach out to McDonald and her team.