June 2015
Emma, was incredibly polite and helpful. She helped me through a hard time but managed to put the thoughts behind me which allowed me to be my normal self and continue with normal ways of life.
May 2015
'Speaking to Emma allowed me to identify that there was a problem. Having identified the problem I was able to discuss this and formulate a plan of how to deal with the issues. I then returned to work in a better condition to work effectively. I believe that the issues identified by Emma would have gone unchecked and would have surfaced later in my service to more devastating affect'.
March 2015
January 2015
'Emma is particularly great because she understands the role of a police officer and the pressures both inside work and those outside work with friends and family around the job and general overall wellbeing'.
I have had three main roles whilst being in the police, Intervention, Firearms and now an intelligence role and came from a military back ground. One day everything just got too much. I trusted Emma, as she had a police back ground and understood what being a police officer was all about. I made an appointment with her and dealt with me very well and diagnosed PTSD and I was in target support within 24 hours. I did go off sick as I needed this due to the severity of PTSD. If Emma had not been here I would have gone off sick and waited to be treated by the NHS which would have taken months. Instead I received support I needed which enabled me to return to work in my current role. If I hadn't of received support I did I am certain I would have left the Force after a long protracted period of sickness'.
August 2014
'Amazing, has really helped me understand the issues that I have been having and how to address them. Has made coming to work more bearable and helped me through some hard times'.
November 2013
'I am a former police officer and I left my career in 2009 in order
to pursue self-employment. During the last four years of my service I
dealt with some major enquiries into organised, paedophile child abuse
and, because of the nature of the work, was compelled to examine
thousands of indecent photographs of children and to interview,
sometimes over hours and even days, men who had abused or wanted to
abuse children. As a result of this I began to experience what I now
know were the symptoms of PTSD, these being mood swings, increased
alcohol consumption, memory loss, nightmares, flashbacks, hyper
vigilance and so on. I finally sought counselling via my GP and, whilst
it was a little gentle and non-specific, it seemed to help somewhat.
In 2013 and whilst I was working in my self-employed capacity, an
entirely unexpected trigger catapulted me back five years and I
experienced a flashback in which I experienced all the horror of the
last four years of my service in what seemed like a millisecond. I felt
awful but told no-one as I wasn't sure what had happened. Then two days
afterwards, I had a complete meltdown, drank very heavily and
effectively 'disappeared', from myself and my family, only to 'come to'
several hours later sitting by our local river, a spot I've always found
very calming. Both I and my partner were very shocked and at a loss as
to what to do.
I saw my GP the same day and he suggested that I refer myself to the local NHS counselling service. Somewhat out of my depth, I wasn't sure quite how to handle this so looked online for a counselling service which was dedicated to emergency services personel. I soon located Blue Light Trauma Services and contacted Emma Liddell there for advice. She got back to me very quickly and very sensitively offered me invaluable reassurance. She then provided me with coping strategies for any future occurrences of PTSD and told me exactly what I was entitled to when I contacted the NHS and what I should request and insist upon. When I made the call, I was armed with Emma's advice and was able, in a very informed way, to request what sort of treatment and what type of counsellor would be most appropriate for me.
Shortly thereafter, I was recontacted by the NHS who told me that they had located a specialist trauma counsellor in my area who also practised the techniques which Emma had suggested that I ask for. I am currently awaiting my first appointment but I do so with a great sense of hope that I will finally be able properly to manage and deal with the symptoms of PTSD which I am clearly still experiencing.Since that time Emma has kept in regular contact with me and has
continued to provide me with advice, reassurance and support. I have
been overwhelmed with the care and dedication she brings to her role
and, quite frankly, I would not be in the positive position I am without
her invaluable assistance. I would strongly and wholeheartedly
recommend her outstanding services to any member of the emergency
services who has undergone trauma of any kind'. Andy B.'