Every day, all around the nation, first responders bear witness to some of the most heinous crimes and greatest tragedies. Police officers, firefighters, and paramedics have dedicated themselves to a life of public service, but this often comes at a detrimental cost to their mental health. Lisa Houlé, the founder of Houlé Law, takes a holistic approach to first responder criminal defense. After 15 years working in the Los Angeles District Attorney’s office, prosecuting sex crimes, domestic violence and child abuse cases, Lisa has shifted her focus and now represents first responders in criminal cases. “My years spent working as a prosecutor in the special victim’s unit has aided me tremendously in my current position,” says Lisa. Though she received some criticism for her decision to leave her career as a prosecutor in favor of defending the very types of individuals she’d spent so long convicting, Lisa responds with a healthy dose of grace and dignity; it’s easy to cast judgment until you find yourself in need of a defense attorney. “Everyone, regardless of guilt or innocence, has the right to a vigorous defense.” Additionally, things aren’t always as they seem. There are oftentimes undiagnosed and untreated mental health issues that contributed to the commission of the crime and for which that police officer might need an alternative resolution to a criminal conviction.
Lisa has created a very unique practice specializing in two areas; defense of first responders and sex crimes/domestic violence defense. Within this practice area, she works closely with many police officers, firefighters, and EMT/paramedics who have landed on the wrong side of the law. “First responders are human, just like you and me. They aren’t perfect, nobody is,” says Lisa, “These folks lead incredibly stressful lives and often lack the mental health resources to combat their stress and trauma.” Should a first responder find themselves facing a criminal charge, Lisa will work tirelessly to give them a proper defense, but her primary objective is to avoid the criminal act or accusation occurring in the first place. With proper mental health care, first responders can be much better equipped to handle their career stressors.
1. Strive for balance. A lack of balance can be one of the biggest contributors to a first responders’ mental health decline. Lisa urges first responders to re-evaluate how they spend their time when their shift ends. She recommends that they make time to exercise, prioritize whole, healthy meals, get adequate sleep, and spend time with people who bring peace and tranquility to their life. It’s easy to go down the rabbit hole of coping with work stress in unhealthy ways such as use of alcohol and other coping mechanisms.
2. Debrief and talk about the serious calls. Responding to a critical or traumatic incident is likely to bring up a host of emotions and disturbing memories. The more first responders can talk about these experiences and their feelings in a safe place with people who care about them and understand the shared trauma, the less emotional and psychological damage those calls will have on first responders in the future. Even more importantly, proactive education and awareness about work trauma should be paramount at any police station or firehouse. First responders need to be prepared for the reality that they will see horrible things in their careers. Knowing and being prepared for that reality up front will prevent the need for reactive treatment if and when a first responder has to go off duty for a mental health injury.
3. Don’t be afraid or embarrassed to ask for help. There is a network of culturally competent therapists who are well versed in the career, culture, and lifestyle of first responders who can help these men and women deal with the trauma they witness and experience from the job. This is not a burden that anyone should bear alone, and the consequences of doing so can be incredibly dangerous. As Lisa says, “it’s okay not to be okay, and more importantly, asking for help should be seen as a sign of strength and not of weakness. “ Don’t be afraid to reach out to someone you trust and ask for help before it is too late.
4. Change the stigma. Over the last few years, there has been a growing trend toward mental health awareness for first responders. The only way to normalize mental health and break the stigmas is to bring these issues out into the open. Be the first responder who has the courage to talk about your experience so that others will see it as normal. This will have a domino effect on the others in your community and will be an important step towards a better world for all. Once police officers and firefighters recognize that their mental health is as important to their operational fitness as their physical health, our first responders will be better equipped to handle the stress of the job.
Lisa Houlé has travelled around Southern California speaking to first responder departments and educating them about the importance of mental health and balance for years. “First responders are not immune to making mistakes,” says Lisa, “We have to start with addressing our mental health. Our brains are just as delicate as any other part of our bodies.” To learn more about Houlé Law or to schedule a free consultation call, visit www.houle-law.com.