DELRAY BEACH, Fla. — Blue Repose Foundation is launching a pilot program designed to help law enforcement officers and other public safety professionals recover from occupational stress through weekly float sessions, peer support and coping techniques.
The startup nonprofit introduced the program at Float8 in Delray Beach, where Blue Repose Founder and President Bridget Coghlan discussed the pressures public safety professionals can encounter and the stigma that may prevent some from seeking support.
“With our field, of course, we're exposed to traumas, long shift hours, and things of that nature,” Coghlan said. “We don't like to say mental health, so we just want to take care of the person and give them resources to do so within their professional life and their personal life at home.”
Five participants will enter a monthlong pilot
Coghlan said the pilot will include five participants during its initial monthlong run at Transitions Wellness and Performance Center in Juno Beach.
“They'll get a float session, one per week, followed by peer support and other coping decompression techniques to follow and hopefully it'll help them out,” Coghlan said.
The program is part of Blue Repose Foundation’s developing mission to provide private, nonclinical restorative opportunities to law enforcement officers, corrections professionals and others working in public safety.
Blue Repose says the foundation is being established in Martin County, with an initial focus on serving the Treasure Coast and Palm Beach County.
Blue Repose seeks community support
Kristen Neves, the foundation’s director of community engagement and partnerships, said Blue Repose is seeking financial support to launch the pilot.
“We're really looking for the community support right now to fund this program and get this pilot program up and going,” Neves said. “We just really want to get this out there and get those law enforcement supported.”
Information about contributing to the program is available on the Blue Repose Foundation website.
How the Float8 Delray cabins work
Float8 owner Matt Beck said the Delray Beach studio uses float cabins rather than pods.
Float cabins contain shallow water with a high concentration of Epsom salt, allowing a person to remain buoyant. The private environment also reduces outside light, sound and other stimulation.
“By reducing the effects of gravity and external stimulation on the body, it helps induce a meditative state, downregulate your nervous system, and help you recover from those stressful situations that our law enforcement officers face so often,” Beck said.
Blue Repose describes the float experience as one component of a broader program that will include peer support and additional coping and decompression techniques.
Supporting the people behind the uniform
Public safety professionals can encounter trauma, long shifts, and sustained stress while serving their communities. Blue Repose’s pilot reflects an effort to give participants structured time to decompress while connecting them with support beyond the float cabin.
The initial program will allow Blue Repose to begin evaluating its approach with a small group of participants as the nonprofit works to secure community funding.
The foundation’s broader goal is to help professionals take care of themselves in both their working and personal lives while making recovery a more accepted part of public service.
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