Oak Smith Pt 2 | How to Manage a Stressful Workplace

About this episode

Chad Heiser continues his discussion with Oak Smith about the challenges faced by correctional officers, including high suicide rates and the importance of support systems.

Chad continues his conversation with Oak Smith. This time focusing on prison staff instead of inmates. Oak shares the hard truth about correctional officer suicide rates - seven times higher than the general population - and why that number is so high. He talks about spending years "checking his humanity at the gate" every morning and struggling to turn it back on at night, how trauma from the job destroys marriages and families, and why staff are terrified to ask for help because they might lose their jobs. Oak also shares practical ways to support struggling coworkers, the importance of peer support programs, and why everyone needs mind, body, and soul balance - not just people working in prisons.

People in this episode

Guest: Oak Smith

Topics covered

• stressful workplace
• correctional officers
• mental health
• peer support
• work-life balance

Keywords

• correctional officer suicide
• trauma
• supporting coworkers
• mind body soul balance

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