COLUMBIA, S.C. (May 22, 2022) – Post Trauma Resources, LLC, is proud to announce that Amy Lutz, program director for the Family Life and Officer Wellness (FLOW) program for first responders, was named one of The State Newspaper’s 20 Under 40 honorees.
“We are delighted that Amy has received this recognition for her work with the FLOW program. It’s exciting to have a program aimed at promoting resilience and emotional health for both personnel and departments,” states Dr. Nicholas Lind, psychologist and co-owner of Post Trauma Resources. “Amy’s comfort with the language and culture of the public safety community removes the obstacles that prevent many officers from seeking help.”
Amy served from 2007 until 2019 in some of the most challenging roles in public safety. She served undercover in Narcotics, as an investigator in the Special Victims Unit (SVU), and as a Team Leader on both the Special Response Team (SRT/SWAT) and Negotiators Team. She was awarded the Medal of Valor in 2011, and she attained the rank of Staff Sergeant in 2014, subsequently serving in Internal Affairs and as a supervisor in Uniformed Patrol.
Her service in public safety brought an acute awareness of the unique challenges facing her public safety colleagues and their families. She believed that gaps in existing services kept many first responders from feeling empowered to reach out, created unnecessary shame and blame, and caused many to suffer in a culture of silence.
Drawing from the latest trauma research and from first responder programs used successfully in other major metropolitan areas, Amy began building a more comprehensive approach that would utilize education, outreach, and effective therapeutic interventions to target each of the three most critical areas of support in a first responder’s life—individually, within their families, and among their peers. In collaboration with local trauma specialists, this model became the FLOW program.
When it became evident that she would not be able to implement her ideas within her own department, she made the difficult decision to leave her career in law enforcement so that the FLOW program could be offered privately to a broader range of first responder agencies. This leap of faith brought her to Post Trauma Resources, where the FLOW program was implemented in early 2020. In its first two years, FLOW has served hundreds of first responders from 18 public safety agencies, most of whom would not have received these services through traditional first responder programs.
“Within a few months after the FLOW program began, the pandemic and widespread social unrest were contributing to unprecedented levels of stress in the first responder community,” said Jamine Leslie, therapist and co-owner of Post Trauma Resources. “Amy’s vision for a more comprehensive model of support and intervention could not have come on the scene at a better time. The foresight and dedication that Amy demonstrated in creating this innovative program allowed her to provide essential services to first responders and their families at a time when they needed it most.”
For a complete list of this year’s 20 under 40 class, visit The State Newspaper.
About Post Trauma Resources, LLC: Since 1982, Post Trauma Resources, LLC, has been the trusted provider of psychological and counseling services for many of the Midlands’ medical, legal, and public safety organizations. Our licensed psychologist and clinicians provide an array of services, including therapy, psychological assessment, occupational health, crisis preparation and crisis response, and professional training. Learn more at www.posttrauma.com.