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Most people who don’t use our resources
are drawn to a career …herein lies the problem: in times of adversity. We
in corrections enter only get through it with
it with a certain pure determination and
amount of resilience. an adherence to our
Some of it is innate defined role.
because we are all born with a What is our issue?
certain level of resilience. But a lot We don’t ask for We are human. We
of our resilience is earned through have needs, wants,
a tough childhood, traumatic and those pesky
events, or watching others emotions that insist
experience events that we on being felt. Problems at home,
felt helpless to prevent help and we don’t a bad fight in the facility, an
or fix. ailing parent or child, a new
We find a career in policy requiring extra work,
corrections appealing constantly feeling
because it allows us to “fix things” overwhelmed, and
for others. To protect, serve, and use our resources in on and on.
prevent bad things from happening. In his book,
It happened to us, and we are called The Body Keeps the
to this public service Score, Dr. Bessel
profession so that it van der Kolk writes that we are
doesn’t happen to others. times of adversity. traumatized when our resources
Through those life (resiliency tools) are inadequate to
lessons, we learned how deal with an external threat.
to survive. We learned What does this mean? Unless
how to get through tough we actually use our internal and
parts, sometimes with little to no you had, which ones you need to external resources in times of
support. Survival is important, but strengthen, and those still needing adversity and trauma, they don’t
it is no way to live on a consistent to development. Then I asked you help us through the event. Picture a
basis. In fact, it is unhealthy. We can to take steps toward those goals. car mechanic who sits in a broken-
do more. In this article, I discuss how to down car. He turns the key (or
In the past two articles that use those resources to become more pushes the start button) every three
appeared in American Jails, I defined resilient during a moment of trauma seconds, hoping the engine starts
resilience as the ability to prepare or adversity. instead of using his knowledge and
for, cope with, and grow through tools to fix the problem.
adversity. Survivors and Fixers
First, I discussed the importance We often don’t utilize the Trauma Recovery Plan
of preparing for adversity and resources we have at our disposal When we’re experiencing trauma
developing the resources we need because—remember—we are and adversity, we must use our
to be more resilient. There are both survivors and fixers. Our thoughts resources in order for us to truly be
internal and external resources in tell us that we’ve “been there done resilient and healthy. That is why it
four different categories: that” in regards to adversity, thus is important for everyone to have a
• mental, we can deal with this situation by trauma recovery plan.
ourselves.
• physical, We have also taken on the role This is a plan you can turn to
• spiritual, and of “fixer” for friends and family. when you are in trauma, adversity,
or simply feeling a little off. It’s
• social. We became the ones to whom developed when you are in a
I asked you to create a list of people turn in times of trouble, and good, healthy place, and involves
what makes you more resilient; we can’t look weak because there answering the following questions:
for example, your family, friends, is an expectation that we are the • Who can I call?
faith, money, good eating habits, “strong ones.” And, quite frankly, • What can I do?
a therapist or hobbies—just to we often are.
name a few. I challenged you to But herein lies the problem: • Where do I go?
think about how many resources We don’t ask for help and we

16 | JANUARY | FEBRUARY 2022 AMERICANJails