Melanie shares stories about how she got into law enforcement, the importance of making mental health a priority for officers, the impact of her Field Training Officers on her career and perspective, being trained on controlling situations and leadership (3:08), making stops for stats and how those “performance quotas” help your chances of being promoted, mentally checking out b/c of the mental stress of the job, the institutional stigma behind expressing your trauma, being fired for her mental trauma and fighting to get her job back, nearly committing suicide because of the mental stress and lack of support from her department, her PTSD affecting her home life with her family (47:05), finally finding a support group by going to West Coast Post Trauma Retreat and getting to a better mental place, thinking of her mental health as an injury not a disability, systematic change to police training, why she became a cop (1:47:46),  “Best 1st for Last” 1st time playing in the police softball olympics and medaling, “ENCORE Appearance” more details about her dealing with her PTSD and trying to understand what the right kind of help was for her  (2:31:40), what would make a good counselor for cops, possibly getting in police counseling herself, coming home on Thanksgiving day and breaking down about her shame of being scared during a call  (3:38:37)

To Get 2 Know more about Melanie... check out her instagram @mikeska56 or Twitter @melaniemikeska She can also be contacted through email deputyjo @ msn . com

WCPR West Coast Post Trauma Retreat is the retreat she credits for saving her life https://www.frsn.org/west-coast-post-trauma-retreat.html

Fire Fighter Deconstructed is another great resource for those who have and are serving that are dealing with mental health

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-firefighter-deconstructed/id1500483348

Melanie wanted to make sure listeners know she's always here to lift you up and lend an ear, just reach out to her.

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