Police Psychological Services Section

Stories Save Lives: How Promoting Storytelling Can Reduce Stigma and Improve Wellness

Location: C144, KBHCC

Nils Rosenbaum, MD

Medical Director, Behavioral Health Division
Albuquerque Police Department
Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States
Jeffrey Bludworth

Sergeant
Albuquerque Police Department
Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States
Melissa Schultz

Peer Support Program Coordinator
Albuquerque Police Department
Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States

Have you ever felt depressed, anxious, or sad? Have you ever been angry or overwhelmed by your administration? During this presentation you will hear officer stories about depression, health issues, and administrative pain. These stories come from the Self Care Interactive Online Network (SCION), a peer support-based model created by the Albuquerque, New Mexico, Police Department (APD) in 2019 that uses storytelling to increase resiliency in officers. Storytelling is powerful and improves resiliency, reduces isolation and stigma, and saves lives. This presentation will demonstrate how officers have benefited from this approach. You will not only hear stories but also learn how to promote storytelling in your agency and see evaluation data on the effectiveness of this model.