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May 17, 2023 / Articles

Charlotte police officer breaks the silence and stigma around mental health

It’s not always easy to ask for help — especially when it comes to mental health. Finding the right counselor, getting an appointment, paying for care and added stigma can all be overwhelming.

And for people with jobs like firefighters, EMTs, or police officers, that stigma can be even more debilitating.

“There’s a lot of concern, I think, among folks in law enforcement that if they say, ‘Hey, I’m struggling, I’m dealing with some issues,’ that that could really negatively impact their career,” said Katie Boone, a counselor at Presbyterian Psychological Services, a nonprofit mental health counseling center in Charlotte. “They’re supposed to be, kind of, the superheroes and invincible. And it doesn’t feel OK for them to ask for help.”

Presbyterian Psychological Services provides free and reduced-cost services to first responders, health care workers and teachers.

One Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officer who benefited from these services is the keynote speaker at the Embrace Mental Health breakfast hosted by Presby Psych on Thursday.

See full story here.