La Mesa police Captain Dan Willis has seen a lot in his 25 years as a homicide detective and SWAT Captain. It was in the middle of a 5-year murder investigation during which Willis immersed himself in a world of drug dealers, pimps and prostitutes that he realized the job was talking a toll on him.
Willis said he realized he had no feelings or connections to anyone. He felt numb.
"I realized that if I didn't do something about it I would end up killing myself," Willis said.
He said he discovered through trial and error what would help him keep his personal life separate from his work life while he wasn't there, and what would nurture his spirit.
Willis wrote "Bulletproof Spirit: The First Responder's Essential Resource for Protecting and Healing Mind and Heart," as a guide for first responders dealing with the emotional consequences of their high-stress jobs.