Which practice is NOT aligned with building personal resilience for correctional officers?

• A. Prioritizing mental health.
• B. Scheduling regular mental health checkups.
• C. Seeking help before crises occur.
• D. Avoiding seeking help when in distress.

Answer: (D)

Building personal resilience means actively strengthening coping resources and seeking support before problems escalate. Prioritizing mental health, scheduling regular mental health checkups, and seeking help before crises occur are all proactive steps that support resilience in demanding roles like corrections. They normalize mental health care, enable early intervention, and help maintain focus, judgment, and safety on the job.

Choosing to avoid seeking help when distress arises runs counter to that approach. When help is avoided, distress can accumulate, coping becomes strained, and performance and safety can degrade. In a correctional environment, where stress can be high and decisions are critical, delaying support undermines the very resilience you’re aiming to build.

So, the practice that does not align with building personal resilience is avoiding seeking help when in distress.