Course Description

There is currently an urgent situation within our nation’s police force: police officers are suffering increased psychological symptoms and sometimes suicidal risk. At the same time, there is a rising public outcry against police ‘excessive use of force’, or ‘police brutality‘. Recent groundbreaking research in neurobiology illuminates the root cause of this crisis. This innovative pilot program leverages these neurological findings to offer a treatment specifically designed to respond to the unique characteristics of this population. This pilot program is designed to provide unprecedented widespread access to treatment within the police department that is actually in accordance with police culture. Learn more in this presentation by Christie Sprowls, Psy.D.; Carol Logan, Ph.D.; Genaro Sandoval, LCDC; and Peggy Brewer-Dowling, Ph.D.

Learning Objectives

1. Participants will be able to describe 3 general areas in which there are problems currently within the profession of policing.
2. Participants will be able to list 3 conclusions from the new neurobiological research that is highly relevant to the field of policing.
3. Participants will be able to list 3 police officer characteristics that can be used to leverage this treatment successfully.
4. Participants will be able to describe 4 concrete structural features of a pilot program that can implement these factors.
5. Participants will be able to discuss 4 of the major observed responses from officers and from EMDR therapists involved in the project as an indicator of qualitative feedback on the impact of central features of the pilot project.

Presenter(s)

Christie Sprowls, Psy.D.

Christy Sprowls, Psy.D., is a board-licensed Psychologist in the state of Texas and has practiced as a psychologist and therapist in Austin, Texas since 1987. During this time she has served as the Clinical Director for St. David’s Medical Centers Adult and Adolescent Psychiatric Services, and has been an Adjunct Professor, International Trainer and Executive, Personal and Work-Life balance Coach. Dr. Sprowls is also a trainer for the EMDR Institute Humanitarian Assistance Program and has conducted trainings since 1994. Most often, she is called to disaster sites for this work.

Carol Logan, Ph.D.

Carol Logan, Ph.D., has been a Police Psychologist for 30 years at both the Colorado Springs and the Austin Police Departments, using EMDR since 1995. In addition to her clinical work she has conducted 2 major research studies examining the use of EMDR with a police population. She has secondary employment as an executive coach for 20 years working with executives from numerous Fortune 500 companies. Her teaching experience has included her position as a tenure-track faculty member in Counseling Psychology at the University of Iowa and she is certified as a Sports Psychologist by the National Institute of Sports.

Genaro Sandoval, LCDC

Genaro Sandoval, LCDC, is a Bilingual (Spanish and English) Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor trained in a range of modalities including EMDR, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Positive Psychology, and Gottman Therapy method. His educational background includes an M.A. in Counseling from St. Edwards University, a B.A. in Sociology and minor in psychology from United States International University. Genaro is currently a Research Project Manager with the Austin Police Department where he co-facilitates a controlled field research study with staff psychologist, Dr. Carol Logan, Vanderbilt University, and University of Texas LBJ school of social policy.

Peggy Brewer-Dowling, Ph.D.

Peggy Brewer-Dowling, Ph.D., is a Psychologist with significant training and expertise in the fields of trauma and eating disorders. She is extremely passionate about providing hope and recovery to people who struggle with eating disorders and trauma. Dr. Brewer-Dowling completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Colorado-Boulder ‘87, earned her Master’s Degree from Boston University’ 90, and completed her Doctorate Degree in Clinical Psychology from the University of the Rockies ‘09 with an emphasis in Eating Disorders and Group Psychotherapy.