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Courageous Heart:

The Human Behind the Badge™

Evidence / Science-Based Resilience and Compassion Training for Law Enforcement

Courageous Heart: The Human Behind the Badge©

Courageous Heart: The Human Behind the Badge is designed specifically for Law Enforcement and First Responder personnel. The program develops the strength to be with suffering, the courage to take compassionate action, and the resilience to deal with emotional stress in the face of life’s challenges. This program can support physical health, happiness and wellbeing, including increased self-compassion and self-care, reduced stress, anxiety, and enhanced connection with others, even in the face of conflict.

It includes practical training, tools, meditation, and discussion in small and large groups.

“In 2015, I was introduced to CCT and I immediately saw the value that it could bring to our profession. From that point on, I’ve been all in! And I think that it is something that as we offer our community, our population of young men and women serving our communities it is going to help them, not only regulate their own suffering and their emotions, but it will help them be better prepared to serve the communities.”
- Robert Jonsen, Chief of Police, Palo Alto, California

This Training Can Make a Difference

Existing research shows that mindfulness and compassion trainings can meaningfully reduce the symptoms of stress, burnout, and improve health outcomes.
  • Burnout basics & how to avoid burnout

  • Increase resilience, self-care, & self-compassion skills

  • Increase self-awareness & emotion regulation skills

The Courageous Heart program has been serving law enforcement and public safety personnel since 2018, led by our Courageous Heart team:

  • Robert Jonsen

    Chief of Police, City of Palo Alto, California
  • Monica Hanson

    Founding Faculty, Compassion Institute
  • Julie Learmond-Criqui

    Program Director, Compassion Institute

Bring the Courageous Heart program to your law enforcement department

We seek to partner closely with law enforcement organizations to collaboratively tackle the drivers of stress, adverse health issues, and burnout. Within this context, this curriculum specifically targets individual capacities for resilience. Our 1-Day Introduction to Resilience and Compassion for Law Enforcement is a POST-Certified course for sworn officers (8 hours of POST training credits). Our 3-Day Immersion: Resilience, Compassion and Leadership for Law Enforcement is also a POST-Certified course for sworn officers (24 hours of POST training credits). Contact us at courageousheart - at - compassioninstitute - dot - com for the course flyers. If you are a leader within a law enforcement organization, first responder organization, or other public service with a large number of active personnel who may be interested in the training, we would love to explore the possibility of partnering with you. We look forward to connecting with you!

“After going through a difficult year professionally, the CCT class came into my life at the perfect time. I realized that I was severely lacking in self-care and compassion for myself. By bringing mindfulness techniques and cultivating compassion for myself, I have found a peace within that I’ve not experienced for many years. In turn, I’m more able to use the techniques I have learned when interacting with loved ones and also with difficult people. The tools I have learned at CCT will stay with me forever, and I can honestly say that CCT changed my life.”

Karen McAdams
Public Safety Manager