About Dr. Artwohl

ALEXIS ARTWOHL, Ph.D.

Dr. Alexis Artwohl is a retired clinical and police psychologist who provided traumatic incident debriefings to numerous public safety personnel and citizens in the Pacific Northwest. She co-authored two books with Loren Christensen, published research in the FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin and the Law Enforcement Executive Forum, contributed chapters to books, and authored magazine articles. She has provided training to law enforcement since 1990 and applies the lessons learned from police combat to CCW training as well.

Dr. Artwohl does not provide expert witness testimony. She can provide referrals to other experts upon request.

I never set out to work with police officers or write any books. Early in my career, fate led me to connect with veterans and police officers. Inspired by their courage and resiliency, I knew I had found my calling as a clinical psychologist specializing in recovery from trauma. The officers themselves were the impetus for the book. I viewed my task as a traumatic incident debriefer as primarily that of a trainer: to educate officers about human performance research, especially performance under stress. They are the ones who asked me to start training their colleagues in the classroom. They also encouraged me to put the information into a book.

At the same time, my co-author Loren Christensen asked if he could interview me for a book he wanted to write about officer-involved shootings. I told him I was also considering writing a book to so we teamed up, and the first edition of Deadly Force Encounters was born.

The human performance factors we discuss in both editions of Deadly Force Encounters are timeless. They apply to people from all walks of life as they negotiate the perils of life on Earth. We hope you find insights that will help you with your journey. First responders, veterans, and citizens honored us by sharing their stories with us. There was room for only a few in the books, but everyone’s voices echo throughout nevertheless. We thank everyone who steps up to the plate to make their community a better and safer place.