Flipping the Script: From Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder to Post-Traumatic Growth

Monday, October 20, 2025

12:30 PM - 1:30 PM MT

Location: Mile High Ballroom 2B/3B, Colorado Convention Center

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a widely recognized term among first responders. For decades, we have learned about its impact on our colleagues and the potential for exposure that comes with our career choice. But what if there is another side to the story? What about those who experience trauma and emerge with positive psychological changes? This session will introduce attendees to the science of post-traumatic growth (PTG), featuring insights from experts in the field. Participants will explore how PTG is being integrated into wellness programming and how it is reshaping our understanding of trauma exposure. This shift in perspective may have far-reaching implications for police performance and resilience.

Submitter and Speaker(s)

Sherri A. Martin, MA, LPCA

National Director of Wellness Services
Fraternal Order of Police
Meriden, Connecticut, United States

Speaker(s)

Josh Goldberg

Chief Executive Officer
Boulder Crest Institute for Posttraumatic Growth
Bluemont, Virginia, United States
Chad Kasmar

Chief of Police
Tucson Police Department
Tucson, Arizona, United States
Richard Tedeschi

Executive Director
Boulder Crest Institute for Posttraumatic Growth
Charlotte, North Carolina, United States
Judah Viola, PhD

Professor
National Louis University
Chicago, Illinois, United States