Walking into a prison is like walking into another world!
The sights, sounds, and lights can be overwhelming. Gleaming razor wire. Thick, steel gates. Long corridors. Fenced-in spaces. Banging doors. Loud announcements. Frequent lockdowns. Shouting. It’s a sensory overload!
I have always had an interest in complex, high-stress workplaces. So, working in a prison environment was a great fit for me. But this type of work is confronting. It requires emotional resilience. Prisons are volatile and harsh places. The constant threat of violence and repeated exposure to high levels of stress and trauma can take its toll. And there was a lot of trauma in prison. The prison environment itself is traumatising. Not only for the incarcerated but also for the staff who work there.
But good things happen in prison too!
Prison can be a place of positive change and transformation. As a prison counsellor, I learned firsthand about the realities of life behind the high walls and barbed wires. Despite the sadness, pain, and suffering, it was extremely rewarding. I felt I could make a difference. I often reflect on my work behind bars. Prison work taught me a lot. More than any formal education can teach me. The lessons I learned from working in prison continue to shape my life today. One of the lessons I learned was the importance of self-control.
I learned to manage my emotions and stay calm and composed in difficult situations.
Often, as I walked around the prison complex completing my daily tasks or responding to challenging situations, I paused. I stopped briefly to consider my options, regroup, and clear my mind. These purposeful “me-moments” provided mental clarity and a sense of calm, even within the confines of a noisy and chaotic prison environment. I became more intentional and thoughtful in my actions. Self-control helped me to respond, rather than react to situations calmly.
The ability to stay calm is a powerful tool. It plays a crucial role in our personal and professional lives. You too can learn to stay calm and composed in stressful situations. You too can develop self-control and respond to events in a thoughtful and rational way. But this requires willingness, intentionality, and practice.
It is possible to find calm and stay centered in a busy and chaotic world… even in prison!
Eila Mikkonen
Counsellor, Clinical Supervisor & Mental Fitness Facilitator