Navigating police culture: Cultural competence in EMDR therapy with UK law enforcement. A narrative report

This article explores how an awareness of the complexity of police culture in the UK is essential for therapists to understand, and can inform relating to police officers from first contact through to the process of rehabilitation.

Article Abstract

“Increasing numbers of law enforcement officers are exposed to trauma in the United Kingdom and worldwide, resulting in PTSD, CPTSD and other complex mental health conditions. These conditions lead to difficulties for officers to carry out their daily duties and impact forces across the country. EMDR therapy over the years has proven to be a very effective approach for rehabilitation using long-term and short-term interventions with this cohort. However, there still appear to be ongoing issues with engagement in mental health services. A systematic literature search was undertaken, and five notable studies were selected and analysed using the CASP (2022) checklists. Findings on stigma, identity theory and the disparity of mental health attitudes across UK police forces indicate that an awareness of the complexity of police culture in the UK is essential for therapists to understand, as this will inform them on how to relate to police officers from first contact through to the process of rehabilitation.”

—Description from publisher

Article Access

Open Access

Langlands, C. (2025, Autumn). Navigating police culture: Cultural competence in EMDR therapy with UK law enforcement. A narrative report. EMDR Therapy Quarterly. https://etq.emdrassociation.org.uk/2025/11/10/navigating-police-culture-cultural-competence-in-emdr-therapy-with-uk-law-enforcement-a-narrative-review/