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The literature shows that individuals with mental health problems are subjected to discrimination, prejudice, and ignorance and are significantly stigmatized Stigma occurs when elements of labelling, stereotyping, cognitive separation into categories of 'us' and 'them,' status loss, and discrimination co-occur This article considers how stigma affects those with mental health problems and describes the experience of an individual police officer seeking and engaging with psychological support services following a traumatic event. The impact of issues of stigma on the therapy is described. The article further considers what may help to combat stigma and discrimination within the police culture and therefore ease the path to support for police officers.

Traumatic events can occur and adversely affect people during their lifetime. Natural disasters such as the earthquake in Pakistan in 2005 or the Tsunami in Asia in 2004, terrorist atrocities around the world, or personal events such as physical or sexual assault, can result in psychological difficulties for those people directly affected by these events. The diagnostic term Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD; Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition, DSM IV 1994) is generally used to explain the often-severe psychological sequalae (van der Kolk, 1996; Servan-Schreiber 2004; Shapiro, 1995) that people may exhibit when directly affected by trauma. However, what of those people not directly involved in the trauma, but those who have borne witness to it, either by listening to the stories of survivors, or in the case of the helping professionals (such as police officers, nurses, doctors, psychotherapists, fire-fighters), actively working with survivors in psychological distress? This paper examines the potential psychological consequences for those in helping professions who are working with traumatized clients. This paper then focuses on a specific treatment intervention, EMDR, utilizing a case study by way of explanation.