Rising up from the depths

As police clinical psychologists we are often impressed by our clients and the courage they demonstrate when facing personal problems, despite the continual battle against the pain, suffering and other difficulties in their lives before seeking professional help.

We are frequently asked: "How can you remain in your profession after hearing so many sad stories and being constantly exposed to all the negative aspects in life?" Our response is that it is the improvement in our clients lives, both mentally and physically, that boosts up our enthusiasm for what we do and reinforces our commitment to our chosen profession.

Although there are always people who unfortunately choose to give up the fight, the majority battle on, often against great odds, until their last breath, despite often never overcoming their problems.

Facing problems and trying to handle them as positively as possible does not guarantee that things will always turn out the way one would hope, however, our clients' experiences keep demonstrating that there is always hope in life, and hopefully a 'light at the end of the tunnel' as long as you do not give up.

Our clients stories also demonstrate that seeking help does not mean that you are weak or that your career has reached the end of the road. Instead, when people open themselves up to the support of others they can often see things from a better perspective and can usually find positive ways to overcoming seemingly insurmountable problems. Many of our clients show encouraging positive changes, not only in overcoming existing difficulties, but also in other related areas including their family and work.

In this new series, officers experiencing various 'real-life' problems will share their experiences with OffBeat readers. We sincerely hope that these testimonies will serve to encourage our Force members to face their own problems with a positive attitude and to seek help from their colleagues, superiors, families and professionals when in need. A range of problems will be covered over the coming weeks including: