| and Stress |
If you're a person who thinks a lot about stress; you find just about every
situation stressful, and you constantly complain about stress, do yourself
and everyone else a favor and don't become a police officer.
Police officers sometimes succumb to the belief that they have the most
stressful job on the planet. There's no question that police officers
experience more serious stressful situations with more frequency than
most people; however, stress experienced in police work can be controlled
by the individual police officer. Police officers frequently blame stress on
the job when, in fact, the primary source of stress originates from other
factors within the police officer's personal life.
Without a doubt, marriage is the biggest factor any man or woman must
consider when contemplating a police career. If your spouse is adamantly
against your decision to become a police officer, you have two very simple
choices. First, join the police department and prepare for divorce, or
secondly, look for another career.
If you're a single person when you begin your police career, you may only
have parents and other family members who are not pleased with your
career path. However, their projected stress is minor compared to that of
a spouse. If you're single, and you've never been married, you can't even
begin to appreciate the level of stress you'll experience at the hands of an
anti-police career spouse.
As a single person, the beginning of your police career can be relatively
stress free. There will, with most of you, come a point when you meet the
love of your life. It's not a very good time for unclouded thinking, but you
should try to read signs which could…no, I should say definitely will cause
you stress in the future. Look for signals from your future spouse that
indicate any displeasure with your work. Some signs may be subtle and
easy for you to ignore. If you choose to ignore such signs, you do so at
your own peril. Here's a hard reality. If your future spouse has serious
doubts about your chosen career before marriage, those doubts will only
get worse after marriage.
Then…there's the no win scenario. People have this naive belief that they
can change other people. This is a belief that is unbelievably resistant to
change. People will spend their entire lives trying to change other
people…talk about stress. Many police marriages suffer stress that has
nothing, or little, to do with the job itself. But…because police work is
universally viewed as a stressful occupation, it becomes an excellent
reason cited for the cause of stress.
As a police officer, you're going to experience some wild and scary
situations, so you might think that would be the primary reason for
stress. Well…yes, it might be, but who knows. In a marriage, the
primary reason most often cited is the work schedule. Now, here's
something I've never been able to understand. When you hear police
officers and their spouses bellyache about work schedules, you'd think
police officers were the only people who work shift work; weekends;
holidays, and work overtime. Compared to other people, in other
occupations, who work similar schedules, police officers generally fare
much better when it comes to compensation and the number of days off.
If you've been comparing police entry level pay, vacation and holiday leave
to most other careers at entry level, you already know the police career
looks pretty good.
Being young and naive…it's the truth whether you like it or not...you're
going to be taken in by the police department hype about specialized
assignments and promotions. You, and particularly your spouse, may even
be under the impression that all the shift work, and working weekends,
will only be a temporary thing. If you buy into that naivety, and you
assure your spouse of your rapid advancement to greener pastures, you'll
experience stress sooner than later. While you'll quickly learn how a
police department operates, your spouse won't have that same inside view.
For some reason, a lot, maybe even most, young people contemplating a
police career think the uniform patrol portion of their careers is only a
starter course for their advancement to better assignments. The facts are
these…a police department's uniformed patrol force is the largest and
most important component of any police department…it is indispensable.
A police department is just like any other government organization when
it comes to assignments. Many fine police officers will remain in patrol for
their entire careers. Some will remain by choice while others simply don't
have the personal and political connections to obtain other assignments.
To avoid the stress of over expectations, you and your spouse, or spouse to
be, must discuss the sources of potential stress, before you start a police
career, or marry, whichever the case may be. If you're already a police
officer, and your future spouse insists you change your career path, you'll
be experiencing some of the stress to come. If you hate your job, this
won't be a problem. However, if you like what you're doing, you've got
some hard thinking to do.
You know…when we talk about stress and spouses, one usually thinks of
the female spouse. I remember when women first began entering police
work as police officers. The wives of police officers were not a happy
bunch. In a near totally male dominated profession , the only women
wives had to worry about were police groupies. When females began
entering police departments, the stress level in marriages began to rise.
The wives' fears were not totally unfounded. More than a few marriages
suffered the stress of workplace romances.
While the work schedule of the male police officer may be the primary
source of stress in a marriage, the female police officer will have that and
more. Men are less tolerant of police work than women. While at first
the man may find the idea of a police wife as interesting, that won't last
long. Depending upon where you look, only about 12 to 14 percent of
police officers are women; even though, police departments have been
open to women for three decades. A lot of experts believe the low number
is due to the hiring practices of police departments. I have a simpler
explanation…most men simply have a problem with the wife being the one
who is armed and dangerous.
situation stressful, and you constantly complain about stress, do yourself
and everyone else a favor and don't become a police officer.
Police officers sometimes succumb to the belief that they have the most
stressful job on the planet. There's no question that police officers
experience more serious stressful situations with more frequency than
most people; however, stress experienced in police work can be controlled
by the individual police officer. Police officers frequently blame stress on
the job when, in fact, the primary source of stress originates from other
factors within the police officer's personal life.
Without a doubt, marriage is the biggest factor any man or woman must
consider when contemplating a police career. If your spouse is adamantly
against your decision to become a police officer, you have two very simple
choices. First, join the police department and prepare for divorce, or
secondly, look for another career.
If you're a single person when you begin your police career, you may only
have parents and other family members who are not pleased with your
career path. However, their projected stress is minor compared to that of
a spouse. If you're single, and you've never been married, you can't even
begin to appreciate the level of stress you'll experience at the hands of an
anti-police career spouse.
As a single person, the beginning of your police career can be relatively
stress free. There will, with most of you, come a point when you meet the
love of your life. It's not a very good time for unclouded thinking, but you
should try to read signs which could…no, I should say definitely will cause
you stress in the future. Look for signals from your future spouse that
indicate any displeasure with your work. Some signs may be subtle and
easy for you to ignore. If you choose to ignore such signs, you do so at
your own peril. Here's a hard reality. If your future spouse has serious
doubts about your chosen career before marriage, those doubts will only
get worse after marriage.
Then…there's the no win scenario. People have this naive belief that they
can change other people. This is a belief that is unbelievably resistant to
change. People will spend their entire lives trying to change other
people…talk about stress. Many police marriages suffer stress that has
nothing, or little, to do with the job itself. But…because police work is
universally viewed as a stressful occupation, it becomes an excellent
reason cited for the cause of stress.
As a police officer, you're going to experience some wild and scary
situations, so you might think that would be the primary reason for
stress. Well…yes, it might be, but who knows. In a marriage, the
primary reason most often cited is the work schedule. Now, here's
something I've never been able to understand. When you hear police
officers and their spouses bellyache about work schedules, you'd think
police officers were the only people who work shift work; weekends;
holidays, and work overtime. Compared to other people, in other
occupations, who work similar schedules, police officers generally fare
much better when it comes to compensation and the number of days off.
If you've been comparing police entry level pay, vacation and holiday leave
to most other careers at entry level, you already know the police career
looks pretty good.
Being young and naive…it's the truth whether you like it or not...you're
going to be taken in by the police department hype about specialized
assignments and promotions. You, and particularly your spouse, may even
be under the impression that all the shift work, and working weekends,
will only be a temporary thing. If you buy into that naivety, and you
assure your spouse of your rapid advancement to greener pastures, you'll
experience stress sooner than later. While you'll quickly learn how a
police department operates, your spouse won't have that same inside view.
For some reason, a lot, maybe even most, young people contemplating a
police career think the uniform patrol portion of their careers is only a
starter course for their advancement to better assignments. The facts are
these…a police department's uniformed patrol force is the largest and
most important component of any police department…it is indispensable.
A police department is just like any other government organization when
it comes to assignments. Many fine police officers will remain in patrol for
their entire careers. Some will remain by choice while others simply don't
have the personal and political connections to obtain other assignments.
To avoid the stress of over expectations, you and your spouse, or spouse to
be, must discuss the sources of potential stress, before you start a police
career, or marry, whichever the case may be. If you're already a police
officer, and your future spouse insists you change your career path, you'll
be experiencing some of the stress to come. If you hate your job, this
won't be a problem. However, if you like what you're doing, you've got
some hard thinking to do.
You know…when we talk about stress and spouses, one usually thinks of
the female spouse. I remember when women first began entering police
work as police officers. The wives of police officers were not a happy
bunch. In a near totally male dominated profession , the only women
wives had to worry about were police groupies. When females began
entering police departments, the stress level in marriages began to rise.
The wives' fears were not totally unfounded. More than a few marriages
suffered the stress of workplace romances.
While the work schedule of the male police officer may be the primary
source of stress in a marriage, the female police officer will have that and
more. Men are less tolerant of police work than women. While at first
the man may find the idea of a police wife as interesting, that won't last
long. Depending upon where you look, only about 12 to 14 percent of
police officers are women; even though, police departments have been
open to women for three decades. A lot of experts believe the low number
is due to the hiring practices of police departments. I have a simpler
explanation…most men simply have a problem with the wife being the one
who is armed and dangerous.
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| Copyright © 2006 - 2012 - Barry M. Baker - CareerPoliceOfficer.com |
| Disclaimer |
| CareerPoliceOfficer.com is not responsible for the contents of any linked site or any link contained in a linked site, or any changes or updates to such sites. Links are provided only as a convenience, and the inclusion of any link does not imply endorsement by this site. |
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Articles...
SelfGrowth.com is the most
complete guide to information
about Self -Improvement,
Personal Growth and Self Help
on the Internet. It is designed
to be an organized directory,
with articles and references to
thousands of other Web Sites
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complete guide to information
about Self -Improvement,
Personal Growth and Self Help
on the Internet. It is designed
to be an organized directory,
with articles and references to
thousands of other Web Sites
on the World Wide Web.
| Chapter One The Dynamics of Police Stress |
-What is Stress? A Working Definition
-Signs and Symptoms of Stress
-Historical Roots of the Coping Process
-Stress is Psychological
-Occupational Factors Often Perceived as Causes of
Police Stress
-Signs and Symptoms of Stress
-Historical Roots of the Coping Process
-Stress is Psychological
-Occupational Factors Often Perceived as Causes of
Police Stress
| Chapter Two Dealing Effectively With Police Stress |
-Police Stress and the Therapeutic Environment
-Individual Level Interventions for the Resolution of
Police Stress
-External Level Interventions for the Resolution of
Police Stress
-Individual Level Interventions for the Resolution of
Police Stress
-External Level Interventions for the Resolution of
Police Stress
| Chapter Three Anxiety |
-An Overview
-Symptoms of Anxiety
-Anxiety - Normal Versus Excessive
-Anxiety and the Compulsive Disorders
-How to Deal Effectively with Anxiety
-Tension Reduction Techniques as a Supplement to
Verbal Therapy
-Symptoms of Anxiety
-Anxiety - Normal Versus Excessive
-Anxiety and the Compulsive Disorders
-How to Deal Effectively with Anxiety
-Tension Reduction Techniques as a Supplement to
Verbal Therapy
| Chapter Four Depression |
-The Symptoms of Depression
-Themes and Issues Common Among Depressed
Police Personnel
-The Course of Depression
-The Treatment of Depression
-Themes and Issues Common Among Depressed
Police Personnel
-The Course of Depression
-The Treatment of Depression
| Chapter Five Crisis - The Sequence and Response |
-Crisis Defined
-Treating a Crisis
-Treating a Crisis
| Chapter Six Police Burnout - An Operational Definition |
-Why Burnout?
-Burnout as a Variant of Depression
-Primary Signs of Burnout
-Psychological and Emotional Signs of Police
Burnout
-Physical Signs of Police Burnout
-Occupational/Vocational Signs of Police Burnout
-Family Related Signs of Police Burnout
-The Treatment of Burnout
-Psychological-Emotional Aspects of Dealing with
Burnout
-Occupational/Vocational Aspects of Dealing with
Burnout
-Comments on Burnout
-Burnout as a Variant of Depression
-Primary Signs of Burnout
-Psychological and Emotional Signs of Police
Burnout
-Physical Signs of Police Burnout
-Occupational/Vocational Signs of Police Burnout
-Family Related Signs of Police Burnout
-The Treatment of Burnout
-Psychological-Emotional Aspects of Dealing with
Burnout
-Occupational/Vocational Aspects of Dealing with
Burnout
-Comments on Burnout
| Chapter Seven Alcoholism and the Police Officer |
-Psychological, Emotional, and Physical Signs of
-Alcoholism
-Early Signs of Alcoholism
-Signs and Symptoms of Alcohol Abuse in Law
Enforcement
-Portrait of a Working Alcoholic
-The Personality of the Alcoholic Officer
-Alcoholism and Personality Changes
-Additional Features of Alcoholism
-How Alcoholic Relationships Break up
-Treating the Alcoholic Officer
-Overcoming Denial
-Alcohol Treatment Approaches
-Department Interventions for the Identification and
Treatment of Alcoholism
-Program Objectives
-Methods to Accomplish Objectives
-Expected Occupational Outcomes of an Alcoholism
Intervention Program
-Alcoholism
-Early Signs of Alcoholism
-Signs and Symptoms of Alcohol Abuse in Law
Enforcement
-Portrait of a Working Alcoholic
-The Personality of the Alcoholic Officer
-Alcoholism and Personality Changes
-Additional Features of Alcoholism
-How Alcoholic Relationships Break up
-Treating the Alcoholic Officer
-Overcoming Denial
-Alcohol Treatment Approaches
-Department Interventions for the Identification and
Treatment of Alcoholism
-Program Objectives
-Methods to Accomplish Objectives
-Expected Occupational Outcomes of an Alcoholism
Intervention Program
| Chapter Eight Post - Shooting Trauma |
-The Most Common Factors Related to
Post-Shooting Trauma
-How to Deal Effectively with Post-Shooting Trauma
Post-Shooting Trauma
-How to Deal Effectively with Post-Shooting Trauma
| Chapter Nine How the Organization Contributes to Police Stress and Burnout |
-Collective Bargaining and Employee Stress
-Organizational Stress Factors.
-Organizational Stress Factors.
| Police Burnout Signs, Symptoms and Solutions |
| for all law enforcement and public safety personnel |
| Gerald Loren Fishkin, Ph.D. |
| Recommended Item for Your Duty Briefcase |
When you become a police officer, you’ll probably be issued a briefcase as part of
your original equipment issue. In that briefcase, you’re going to carry things like
reports, forms, a digest of your state’s criminal statutes, a manual containing
your state’s traffic articles…you get the idea.
I would strongly recommend that your briefcase should also contain a copy of
Police Burnout – Signs, Symptoms and Solutions by Gerald Loren Fishkin, Ph.D.
Police Burnout was published in 1988; however, everything in this book is just as
relevant today as it was in 1988. Aside from finding nothing in Police Burnout
with which I disagree, I feel a bond toward this author, because he began his
teaching career in 1971; that was the same year I began my police career.
When I read the introduction in Police Burnout, I had to smile as the author
described his first classroom setting with a bunch of cops to teach a police
psychology course:
your original equipment issue. In that briefcase, you’re going to carry things like
reports, forms, a digest of your state’s criminal statutes, a manual containing
your state’s traffic articles…you get the idea.
I would strongly recommend that your briefcase should also contain a copy of
Police Burnout – Signs, Symptoms and Solutions by Gerald Loren Fishkin, Ph.D.
Police Burnout was published in 1988; however, everything in this book is just as
relevant today as it was in 1988. Aside from finding nothing in Police Burnout
with which I disagree, I feel a bond toward this author, because he began his
teaching career in 1971; that was the same year I began my police career.
When I read the introduction in Police Burnout, I had to smile as the author
described his first classroom setting with a bunch of cops to teach a police
psychology course:
“More frustrating for me, as I prepared to teach the
police psychology course was the lack of information
on the personality characteristics of people motivated
toward law enforcement as a career. There wasn’t
anything that could prepare me to deal with these
individuals about whom I knew absolutely nothing!
Less than one hour into my lecture I realized that I
could not generalize the basic principles of
psychology to these men and women.
They just simply did not apply, and were of no use to
a police officer on the street. What these recruits
needed were techniques for dealing effectively with
stress and crisis, with their own frustrations and
boredom on the job, and with differences between
themselves and the citizens with whom they were
going to interact on a daily basis. It also became
readily apparent to me that these recruits needed
assistance in understanding who they were as
individuals, including their own needs, fears, biases,
resistances, and psychological defenses. It was of
paramount importance to help them recognize the
limitations of their own coping mechanisms in order
for them to sustain a career in law enforcement.”
Some things never change. During my recruit
training and throughout my career at in-service
training courses, I always felt sympathy toward
those mental heath professionals task with
spending fifty minutes discussing psychological
issues with police officers while outnumbered
thirty or more to one. Some of those sessions
were really brutal for those new to the
environment. I often wondered if the mental
health bosses responsible for sending the new
psycho-pros to us perhaps envisioned some rite of
passage. Here’s the odd part. The job experience
level of police officers isn’t relevant. As I quoted
Dr. Fishkin earlier, what’s relevant are, “the
personality characteristics of people motivated
toward law enforcement as a career.”
I very quickly realized this author knew what he
was talking about when early on page 26 he made
this observation:
“More often than not I have found that the
symptoms of stress are a direct result of
dysfunctional patterns of living which the individual
brought to the occupation, and not a direct result of
the perceived demands of the job itself.”
This statement is absolutely true. Sure, there are
going to be instances in police work where the
primary cause of stress will be related to the job.
However, in most instances, elements of police
work may be a contributing factor to stress rather
than the primary one.
As I read through Police Burnout, I soon realized
the value of Police Burnout as a preventative
guide for dealing with stress. At 248 pages, it’s
actually a quick read, because the author explains
complicated issues in a clear and concise manner.
You’re going to see the word “balance” often,
because balance is what it’s all about. Stress is a
human condition that will never be eradicated, and
Police Burnout succeeds in giving you the
knowledge to recognize the onset of burnout and
how to avoid burnout.
The author makes another and very accurate
observation:
“Often, individuals gravitate toward law enforcement
to satisfy their dependency needs, especially when
they initially perceive a strong and supportive police
organization. The officer in burnout must
eventually realize that no one will take care of him
except himself; no organization, government agency,
or person will provide for him, particularly at the
level he expects. Much of the cynicism that grows
within the officer results from his disillusionment
with the police organization itself, more so than
from the citizens in the community which he serves.”
police psychology course was the lack of information
on the personality characteristics of people motivated
toward law enforcement as a career. There wasn’t
anything that could prepare me to deal with these
individuals about whom I knew absolutely nothing!
Less than one hour into my lecture I realized that I
could not generalize the basic principles of
psychology to these men and women.
They just simply did not apply, and were of no use to
a police officer on the street. What these recruits
needed were techniques for dealing effectively with
stress and crisis, with their own frustrations and
boredom on the job, and with differences between
themselves and the citizens with whom they were
going to interact on a daily basis. It also became
readily apparent to me that these recruits needed
assistance in understanding who they were as
individuals, including their own needs, fears, biases,
resistances, and psychological defenses. It was of
paramount importance to help them recognize the
limitations of their own coping mechanisms in order
for them to sustain a career in law enforcement.”
Some things never change. During my recruit
training and throughout my career at in-service
training courses, I always felt sympathy toward
those mental heath professionals task with
spending fifty minutes discussing psychological
issues with police officers while outnumbered
thirty or more to one. Some of those sessions
were really brutal for those new to the
environment. I often wondered if the mental
health bosses responsible for sending the new
psycho-pros to us perhaps envisioned some rite of
passage. Here’s the odd part. The job experience
level of police officers isn’t relevant. As I quoted
Dr. Fishkin earlier, what’s relevant are, “the
personality characteristics of people motivated
toward law enforcement as a career.”
I very quickly realized this author knew what he
was talking about when early on page 26 he made
this observation:
“More often than not I have found that the
symptoms of stress are a direct result of
dysfunctional patterns of living which the individual
brought to the occupation, and not a direct result of
the perceived demands of the job itself.”
This statement is absolutely true. Sure, there are
going to be instances in police work where the
primary cause of stress will be related to the job.
However, in most instances, elements of police
work may be a contributing factor to stress rather
than the primary one.
As I read through Police Burnout, I soon realized
the value of Police Burnout as a preventative
guide for dealing with stress. At 248 pages, it’s
actually a quick read, because the author explains
complicated issues in a clear and concise manner.
You’re going to see the word “balance” often,
because balance is what it’s all about. Stress is a
human condition that will never be eradicated, and
Police Burnout succeeds in giving you the
knowledge to recognize the onset of burnout and
how to avoid burnout.
The author makes another and very accurate
observation:
“Often, individuals gravitate toward law enforcement
to satisfy their dependency needs, especially when
they initially perceive a strong and supportive police
organization. The officer in burnout must
eventually realize that no one will take care of him
except himself; no organization, government agency,
or person will provide for him, particularly at the
level he expects. Much of the cynicism that grows
within the officer results from his disillusionment
with the police organization itself, more so than
from the citizens in the community which he serves.”
| GERALD LOREN FISHKIN, Ph.D. |
Dr. Gerald Loren Fishkin
earned his M.S. and Ph.D.
degree in clinical psychology,
and has been in private
practice since 1970. He did his
post-doctorate in London,
England, in 1978 under the
supervision of Dr. Harold
earned his M.S. and Ph.D.
degree in clinical psychology,
and has been in private
practice since 1970. He did his
post-doctorate in London,
England, in 1978 under the
supervision of Dr. Harold
Greenwald, founder of Direct-Decision Therapy.
While completing his doctorate, Dr. Fishkin had
the honor of serving as graduate assistant to
Viktor Frankl, M.D., founder of Logo Therapy and
author of Man’s Search for Meaning.
In 1980, Dr. Fishkin delivered the keynote
address on the growing incidence of police stress
and burnout at the annual conference of the
California Organization of Police and Sheriffs in
Sacramento. As an innovative mental health
practitioner, Dr. Fishkin was recognized for his
work in police stress management by the Long
Beach, California, Police Officers Association,
becoming the recipient of their Outstanding
Achievement Award in 1982.
While completing his doctorate, Dr. Fishkin had
the honor of serving as graduate assistant to
Viktor Frankl, M.D., founder of Logo Therapy and
author of Man’s Search for Meaning.
In 1980, Dr. Fishkin delivered the keynote
address on the growing incidence of police stress
and burnout at the annual conference of the
California Organization of Police and Sheriffs in
Sacramento. As an innovative mental health
practitioner, Dr. Fishkin was recognized for his
work in police stress management by the Long
Beach, California, Police Officers Association,
becoming the recipient of their Outstanding
Achievement Award in 1982.
Dr. Fishkin holds full clinical membership in the California Association of Marriage and Family
Therapists, The British Psychological Society, and many other professional associations and affiliations. He
has been Adjunct Professor of Police Science and Administration of Justice at Long Beach City College
and at California State University at Long Beach since 1971, where he developed and taught basic police
recruit and advanced officer's training programs in applied psychology. He has taught Police Officer
Standards and Training workshops on such topics as the sexually deviant, mentally ill, and aggressive
offender. Dr. Fishkin has served as Expert Witness in several high profile police and fire related cases. His
biography has appeared in each edition of Who's Who In The West since 1978.
His first book, Police Burnout – Signs, Symptoms and Solutions, was published by Harcourt Brace
Jovanovich, Legal and Professional Publications, Inc., in February 1988. In this book, Dr. Fishkin has
isolated the specific factors that lead to burnout and realistic solutions that work. His second book,
Firefighter ad Paramedic Burnout – The Guide For Survival, was published in December, 1989. Dr. Fishkin’
s third book, AMERICAN DREAM, AMERICAN BURNOUT - HOW TO COPE WHEN IT ALL GETS TO BE
TOO MUCH identifies specific signs and solutions to this pressing and alarming reality in today's fast-
paced society. Dr. Fishkin has authored over 60 newspaper and magazine articles on various topics related
to human behavior. An expert in clinical and forensic hypnosis, Dr. Fishkin has worked with witnesses of
violent crimes in scene reconstruction as well as aid in suspect identification.
Dr. Fishkin has appeared on over 200 nationally syndicated radio and television shows including Michael
Jackson and Ray Briem, KABC Talk Radio, and featured on Geraldo, CBS television. Dr. Fishkin's
biography has appeared in Who's Who in the West since 1978. He has also served as Behavioral Science
Editor for the American Fire Journal. Currently, Dr. Fishkin is in private practice in Long Beach,
California.
Therapists, The British Psychological Society, and many other professional associations and affiliations. He
has been Adjunct Professor of Police Science and Administration of Justice at Long Beach City College
and at California State University at Long Beach since 1971, where he developed and taught basic police
recruit and advanced officer's training programs in applied psychology. He has taught Police Officer
Standards and Training workshops on such topics as the sexually deviant, mentally ill, and aggressive
offender. Dr. Fishkin has served as Expert Witness in several high profile police and fire related cases. His
biography has appeared in each edition of Who's Who In The West since 1978.
His first book, Police Burnout – Signs, Symptoms and Solutions, was published by Harcourt Brace
Jovanovich, Legal and Professional Publications, Inc., in February 1988. In this book, Dr. Fishkin has
isolated the specific factors that lead to burnout and realistic solutions that work. His second book,
Firefighter ad Paramedic Burnout – The Guide For Survival, was published in December, 1989. Dr. Fishkin’
s third book, AMERICAN DREAM, AMERICAN BURNOUT - HOW TO COPE WHEN IT ALL GETS TO BE
TOO MUCH identifies specific signs and solutions to this pressing and alarming reality in today's fast-
paced society. Dr. Fishkin has authored over 60 newspaper and magazine articles on various topics related
to human behavior. An expert in clinical and forensic hypnosis, Dr. Fishkin has worked with witnesses of
violent crimes in scene reconstruction as well as aid in suspect identification.
Dr. Fishkin has appeared on over 200 nationally syndicated radio and television shows including Michael
Jackson and Ray Briem, KABC Talk Radio, and featured on Geraldo, CBS television. Dr. Fishkin's
biography has appeared in Who's Who in the West since 1978. He has also served as Behavioral Science
Editor for the American Fire Journal. Currently, Dr. Fishkin is in private practice in Long Beach,
California.
