Susan Lewis Simons, Founder and President of Under the Shield, Inc., recently discussed her organization's mission to provide mental wellness services to first responders and their families. The nonprofit, established in 1992, offers proactive and anonymous support to law enforcement officers, firefighters, military members, and their loved ones through individualized stress coaching and resilience training programs.
Central to Under the Shield's approach is The Simons Theory of the Psychological Garbage Can, developed by Simons herself. This innovative model challenges conventional understanding by reframing Post-Traumatic Stress not as a disorder but as an injury resulting from the unique lifestyle demands of first responders. This perspective shift aims to reduce the stigma associated with seeking mental health support and emphasizes that healing and recovery are achievable outcomes.
The organization's services include comprehensive training programs designed to strengthen resilience for both first responders and their spouses or significant others. By addressing mental wellness proactively rather than reactively, Under the Shield works to prevent the accumulation of psychological stress that can lead to more severe mental health challenges. The interview segment featuring Simons can be viewed here.
This approach represents a significant shift in how mental health support is conceptualized and delivered to those in high-stress professions. By normalizing the psychological impacts of first responder work and providing anonymous access to services, the organization aims to create a more supportive environment for mental wellness. The Psychological Garbage Can theory provides a framework for understanding how repeated exposure to traumatic events affects mental health over time, offering a new paradigm for treatment and support.
The implications of this announcement extend beyond individual treatment approaches to potentially influence institutional policies and cultural attitudes toward mental health in first responder communities. By framing trauma as an occupational injury rather than a personal failing, Under the Shield's model could encourage more organizations to implement preventative mental wellness programs and reduce barriers to seeking help. The anonymous nature of the services addresses concerns about confidentiality and career implications that often prevent first responders from accessing traditional mental health resources.
This development matters because first responders face disproportionately high rates of mental health challenges, including depression, anxiety, and substance abuse, often stemming from repeated exposure to traumatic situations. Traditional approaches to mental health support have frequently failed this population due to stigma, concerns about confidentiality, and misunderstanding of the unique psychological demands of their work. Under the Shield's model offers a culturally competent alternative that acknowledges the specific challenges of first responder professions while providing practical tools for resilience building.
The organization's focus on both first responders and their families recognizes that mental wellness extends beyond the individual to affect entire support systems. By including spouses and significant others in resilience training, the approach addresses the secondary trauma often experienced by family members and strengthens the overall support network available to those in high-stress professions. This comprehensive model could serve as a template for other organizations seeking to improve mental health outcomes for populations facing similar occupational stressors.
