Stop letting the job become your life.
Mental health and stress management resources for corrections officers and people working in high adrenaline jobs dealing with trauma, anxiety, and burnout.
Learn to flip the switch and stop being in work mode all the time.
If you could flip the switch, what would you turn off?
Your brain—it’s a shit show in there
Making your home a housing unit
Quick temper, anger, irritation
High sense of urgency, lack of patience
Seeing potential threats everywhere you look
Graphic, disturbing images and memories
Poor sleep, no sleep, nightmares, interrupted sleep
Fatigue, exhaustion even when you do get sleep
Bad diet and too much alcohol
If you could flip the switch, what could you turn on?
Your romantic partner, cuz not being an asshole is a pretty good turn on, just saying.
Energy and motivation
Empathy, caring about people and their problems
Being in control of your thoughts and emotions
Pursuing hobbies, interests, fun, passion
Separation between your job and your life
Joy, happiness, life purpose and reaching goals
Longer life expectancy than age 59
I wish it were as easy as flipping a switch.
It takes time to create healthy patterns and to change your mindset and daily habits to manage the stress of working in a high adrenaline environment.
With the resources and tools I offer, you can start with a dimmer switch and turn down the intensity of those negative side effects of the job. It is possible to work in high trauma environments without losing yourself to the uniform.
This website is a work in progress. Aren’t we all?
This site is created for:
Anyone working in high stress, high risk, high trauma jobs including corrections officers, law enforcement, first responders, and military.
Loved ones of anyone working in those high-risk jobs to understand how the job affects them and how you can support them.
Mental health professionals working with these populations.
It will continue to be updated based on your needs and feedback. I encourage you to reach out with the content and resources that are most helpful to you. I won’t waste your time with blogs, videos, downloadable worksheets, etc. if it’s not what you’re asking for.
Don’t know what you need yet? Check out the resources already available and start using some of the skills and techniques I offer and let me know what’s working and what’s not.
Ask and ye shall receive…mostly.
What do I have to offer?
Brains, looks, and a fantastic sense of humor. Honestly, it’s a pretty good package.
Vanessa Lake, LCSW—fancy letters for a clinical social worker, also known as a mental health therapist. I specialize in working with trauma and anxiety disorders. More importantly, I work with employees of high trauma, threatening jobs to manage their stress levels so they can stop bringing work home, improve their relationships, and find more enjoyment in their life outside of work. I do this with compassion, empathy, sarcasm, and a fair bit of cussing along the way.
Unfortunately, I am only one person, and the world is lesser for it. I am only licensed to provide mental health therapy in the state of Michigan so I must get creative in how I can help more officers nationwide. Hence, this website and the resources I’m offering.
To learn more about why I’m known as the Purple Couch Lady, check out my about page.
To learn more about what I offer, check out the services page or read a brief description below.
Stress Management
A rose by any other name still has thorns that make you bleed. Stress by any other name, anxiety, depression, irritability, on edge, overwhelmed, a hot mess—still makes you feel like shit. I teach you skills to manage that stress.
Trauma Processing
Often minimized as just part of the job, any incident that presents a threat to your safety is traumatic. Some incidents are harder to let go of and have long term side effects including nightmares, flashbacks, intrusive thoughts, and panic attacks. I help your brain file these experiences away as memories without the intense emotional or physical reactions to them.
Energy Healing
I don’t just mean being fatigue. You are made of energy. Your internal battery that animates your body is your energy source, also called your spirit. Spiritual work is about recharging this internal battery through connecting to a higher vibrational energy source, clearing blocks to the energy flow, and protecting your energy from outside sources, like a super negative, toxic environment that’s so low vibration it feels heavy just walking through the door.
EFT (Acupoints)
I teach you how to touch yourself to feel better. More specifically, I teach you acupoints you can touch (no needles required) to decrease emotional or physical intensity in the body. This process is quick, in as little as 90 seconds, and is great for managing racing thoughts, insomnia, physical pain, anger, anxiety, panic attacks, and processing trauma.
What People Are Saying
Of course due to confidentiality I can neither confirm or deny I know these people or that they in fact said these things so....for what it's worth.
"I appreciate all you have done for me. You keep doing what you're doing. F#!k the MDOC."
Retired CO
"Thank you so much for being there for me and supporting me through the last couple years. I know it's your job but it's nice having someone to tell the good and bad things with zero judgement. You've helped with my anxiety and making me feel so much better mentally. I really do appreciate you."
Anxious CO
"I was miserable for so long. I probably would've died in that place if it wasn't for you. You helped me get out alive. My life is completely different now. Thanks for everything doc!"
Former CO
Corrections: Life Outside the Uniform
My Private Facebook Support Group
For corrections professionals, their loved ones, and therapists to share resources, support, and advice. Bringing together the people who do the job, see the job come home, and hear about it in therapy, to engage in helpful, meaningful discussions to maintain a healthy work-life balance. This is NOT a group to just complain about the job. We’re about growth and making healthy choices.