[FL] Miami Police Chief Manny Morales on his own mental health maintenance

Miami Police Chief Manuel Morales opens up about how he has been seeing a psychologist every month for years and he hopes other officers will continue doing the same.

Miami Police Chief Manny Morales on [his own] mental health, on Facing South Florida with Jim DeFede

CBS Miami (Click for video)

Morales: Jim, I don't have enough facts or feel comfortable about talking about the incident surrounding Director Ramirez other than the fact that my thoughts and prayers go out to him and his family. I can tell you from beginning my 30th year in law enforcement that this profession can be unforgiving, both on family, on your mental health, and your personal well-being.

So, as a preventive measure, for many years now, I have subscribed to doing psychological therapy. I mean all police departments, whether it be Miami-Dade or the City of Miami, we have an incredibly robust employee assistance program. We recognize the stressors that are on our brave men and women each and every day. So, I personally have a monthly checkup with my psychologist, just to kind of sit down, do a little bio-feedback, and get some insight into how i'm feeling and my mental well-being as a whole.

Reporter: When did you start doing that and was there something that prompted you to start doing that?

Morales: So, many of us experience personal problems. For me, it started with having marriage problems and relationship problems, and that kind of let into couple's counseling and I absolutely initially saw the benefit of it. We did family counseling together, and that was almost 20 years ago.

And then as it evolved and I started to professionally develop and ascend through the ranks, that stress becomes a lot heavier and it weighs in on you. As a preventive measure, like I said before, I subscribe to monthly sessions. 

Reporter: Whether you're feeling anxiety or not, right? Just a matter of, you just sort of like, you just do a little tuneup every month? 

Morales: Yes, I personally feel that if you wait till the stressors are on you and you are getting to the feeling where you are aleady beginning to feel uncomfortable with yourself, it might be past the point of prevention, right? Now, it might be the point of taking care of it instead of preventing to get to that. So for me, as an outlet, I get there and I talk. Sometimes I sit down and feel perfectly fine, and once we start talking, issues will come up. 

Voiceover: you can see the rest of Jim's interview with Miami Police Chief Manny Morales this Sunday (tomorrow) on Facing South Florida. Its at a new time. 8:30 right after CBS News Miami Morning Addition.