Corrections_Today_Spring_2026_Vol.88_No.1

W hen life becomes heavy or overwhelming, step back. Clock out. Take care of yourself. Ask for help. Those three simple actions can mean the difference between losing everything — including yourself — and emerging stronger on the other side of the storm. There is nothing wrong with setting high standards. When you love what you do, it often does not feel like work. However, for those who don’t understand what drives overachievers, it’s easy to misinterpret their motivations. Tanya Peterson (2018) described the “su perman/superwoman complex” as the pressure to do it all, be everything to everyone, and live in a superhuman way. This article focuses instead on the men and women who hold themselves to near impossible expectations — so impossible that they become physically, spiritu ally and emotionally unwell. As Stapylton-Smith notes, “Your inner peace is yours … you can’t save everyone if you lose yourself” (2025). Across corrections, law enforcement, and all facets of public safety, there are hundreds of strong leaders who show up early, stay late and arrive looking sharp. They exude confidence. Even when unsure of the next step, they figure it out. They appear irreplaceable — almost in fallible. Yet that image rarely reflects the man or woman who actually shows up every day. This article explores three important considerations: – The weight of secrets – The factors that drive us to hide parts of ourselves – The importance of caring for both our internal and external selves The weight of secrets In Northern California, a shift lieutenant shared that her 20-year marriage had ended because her spouse felt she spent more time at work than at home. He was granted primary custody of their children. Another leader described sleeping in a Walmart parking lot after losing a home in a prestigious neighborhood. Another lived with an abuser, carrying the shame silently — work was her only safe space. Someone else recounted losing a brother, sister, mother and father in just two years. These individuals managed to function, but not to live happy, healthy lives. As one put it, “I tend to be afraid to put myself out there, so the only relationships

I have been in were driven by others” (Stapylton Smith, 2025). Despite their differing circumstances, these stories share one truth: no one knew. These leaders still arrived early, stayed late, looked confident and carried on as if untouched by life. But life had hit them hard — and they never took time to heal. Only later in their careers did some realize that the façade of invincibility was never sustainable. “Work is taking over the lives of many of us in today’s fast-paced, global environment … most adults suffer adverse health effects from stress, and 75–90% of all physician office visits are for stress-related ailments” (In dia & Rao, 2010). Illness, divorce, strained relationships, loss and deep family wounds affect everyone — line staff and leaders alike. Some take time off. Some seek profes sional help. Others never miss a day, never ask for support and never share how deeply they’ve been hurt.

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Spring 2026 | Corrections Today

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