Officer Needs Assistance: A Different View on Backup | Dr. Kareem Puranda | TEDxMallard Creek

NOTE FROM TED: This talk only represents the speaker’s personal views and experiences in law enforcement. TEDx events are independently organized by volunteers. The guidelines we give TEDx organizers are described in more detail here: http://storage.ted.com/tedx/manuals/t...

In this TEDx Talk, Dr. Kareem Puranda reframes what “backup” truly means in law enforcement. While officers are trained to respond to external threats with physical reinforcement, they are rarely equipped to confront the internal dangers—unhealed trauma, emotional wounds, and silent suffering—that take far more lives than the line of duty ever will.
As a former police officer whose career was cut short by unmanaged stress and undiagnosed mental health challenges, he shares a deeply personal account of the invisible battles faced by those who serve. He reveals how the law enforcement culture normalizes emotional suppression while training officers to handle everyone else’s crisis but their own.
Through his healing journey and transformative experience with counseling, he demonstrates that seeking help is not a sign of weakness—it is an act of strength, resilience, and self-preservation.
Dr. Kareem Puranda is a former law enforcement officer turned Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor Supervisor and Certified Clinical Addiction Specialist. His career was shaped by the emotional toll of policing, burnout, trauma, and shame, which he now helps others overcome.

After leaving the force, he founded Self-Talk Counseling & Consulting, PLLC and the nonprofit Achieving Success On Purpose, Inc. He provides therapy, emotional intelligence training, and resilience coaching to underserved youth, first responders, and trauma-impacted professionals. His mission is to break the stigma, integrate emotional wellness into law enforcement, and ensure those who protect others are also equipped to protect themselves. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx