03/06/2026
“How could you work in a prison?”
It’s a question I’ve been asked many times.
Early in my career, supervision helped me understand that psychological work in custodial settings is not separate from public safety. It is part of it.
A small part, yes — but an important one.
Most people in custody will eventually return to the community. The work done during their sentence can support insight, accountability, emotional regulation, behaviour change, and safer reintegration.
It is never just about the individual in front of you.
It is also about the families, workplaces, neighbourhoods and communities they return to.
That perspective helped me hold the complexity of the work: compassion without naïvety, accountability without dehumanisation, and care with a clear understanding of risk.
Despite all of the challenges, the clinical work, relationships with colleagues, and the supervision I received, shaped my professional self.
