Dr. Carrie Steiner, Psy.D., is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist in Illinois and the Founder and Owner of the First Responders Wellness Center, a specialized practice in the Chicagoland area dedicated to providing trauma-informed mental health services, evaluations, and wellness support to police officers, firefighters, veterans, and public safety personnel. Bringing a rare dual perspective to her clinical and forensic practice, Dr. Steiner served for 13 years as a Chicago Police Officer before transitioning into full-time clinical psychology. Her unique synthesis of frontline operational experience, advanced trauma training, and extensive forensic expertise makes her a sought-after clinical consultant, expert witness, national speaker, and instructor across municipal, state, and federal law enforcement agencies.

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At the First Responders Wellness Center, Dr. Steiner leads a multidisciplinary clinical team offering comprehensive psychological services tailored specifically to high-stress, high-risk occupations. Her clinical practice encompasses conducting specialized public safety assessments, including pre-employment candidate screenings, fitness-for-duty evaluations, promotional assessments, wellness visits, and Independent Medical Evaluations (IMEs) for police, fire, and emergency personnel. She specializes in advanced trauma recovery utilizing evidence-based modalities such as Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Exposure & Response Prevention (ERP), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Cognitive Processing Therapy, Brainspotting, biofeedback, and neurofeedback. Additionally, she provides specialized clinical interventions, critical incident stress debriefings, and long-term therapy for first responders navigating complex PTSD, vicarious traumatic stress, anxiety, and operational fatigue.

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During her 13-year tenure with the Chicago Police Department, Dr. Steiner served across numerous frontline and specialized assignments, including public housing, community policing, preventive programs, the police academy, and the Superintendent's Office. As Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) Coordinator and Team Leader, she personally directed and trained over 1,200 officers in mental health response and crisis de-escalation. Her background includes completing FBI Hostage Negotiation training, serving as a Peer Support Member, and instructing at the Chicago Police Academy. She pioneered department-wide initiatives including Veteran CIT training and specialized law enforcement training on Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), co-developing three educational streaming videos utilized to guide officers in successfully identifying and resolving encounters with individuals on the autism spectrum and with other special needs. She has also collaborated on high-risk cases and tactical initiatives alongside the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), United States Marshals Service, and Federal Protective Services.

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In addition to her clinical and public safety work, Dr. Steiner maintains an extensive forensic assessment and consulting profile. She regularly provides expert witness testimony in civil and criminal trials regarding use of force, human performance factors, physiology under stress, and crisis dynamics. As a presenter for the Force Science Institute, she analyzes human factors, reaction times, and physiological responses during high-stress critical incidents. Her forensic background includes serving as a psychologist for the Cook County and Kane County Jails, where she performed psychological testing and therapy for adult and juvenile mentally ill detainees, and she continues to provide specialized forensic testing for individuals detained at the Kane County and Kendall County Jails. She also conducts organizational threat assessments and critical incident debriefings for municipal, state, and federal entities.

Dr. Steiner earned her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (Psy.D.) with an emphasis in Forensic Psychology from the Illinois School of Professional Psychology at Argosy University, having initiated her doctoral studies at the Adler School of Professional Psychology. She is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist in the State of Illinois and holds advanced certifications including the Traumatic Stress Studies Certificate from the Trauma Research Foundation, Certified Complex Trauma Treatment Professional (CCTP), Certified Trauma Professional, Anxiety Certification in CBT and ERP, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Certificate, and FBI Hostage Negotiation Certification.

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Actively engaged in professional and clinical organizations, Dr. Steiner maintains affiliations with the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police (ILACP), Society for Police and Public Safety, American Psychological Association (APA - Division 18: Psychologists in Police and Public Safety), and the Illinois Psychological Association (IPA). She serves as a clinical partner with The Headstrong Project ("Healing the Hidden Wounds of War") and Bank the Blue, and previously served as the Clinical Director for the Hero 2 Hero Military Veteran Program at Volunteers of America Illinois.

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A prominent national speaker, lecturer, and trainer, Dr. Steiner presents on essential topics such as officer resiliency, de-escalation, peer support, cumulative and secondary trauma, PTSD, suicide prevention, human performance, and the DSM-5. She has provided training to numerous organizations, including the Chicago Fire Department, OEMC Dispatchers & Call Takers, United States Marshals Service, Chicago Public Library Leadership & Staff, Chicago Organization of Bar Investigators, Kane County Bar Association, as well as regional law enforcement academies and municipal departments. Her clinical insights and advocacy on first responder wellness and trauma recovery are frequently featured across major media outlets, including CBS, NBC, FOX News, WGN Radio, NPR, and the Chicago Tribune.

 

Throughout her distinguished career, Dr. Steiner has received extensive recognition for her contributions to public safety and mental health services. Her honors include being named NAMI CIT Officer of the Year (Silver Ribbon Award) in 2006, CIT International Officer of the Year in 2007, and receiving the City of Chicago Human Relations Award in 2008 for her autism spectrum training development. She has also been honored with the Fraternal Order of Police Distinguished Service Award, a Mayoral Resolution from the City Council of the City of Chicago, and the National CIT Officer of the Year Award from National CIT Organizations.

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