Selfcareforlawyers-mentalhealthmatters

ElizabethRimmerCEOLawCareMarch32018

WhatisMentalHealth?

WHOdefinesmentalhealthas:‘astateofwellbeinginwhicheveryindividualrealiseshisorherownpotential,cancopewiththenormalstressesoflife,canworkproductivelyandfruitfullyandcanmakeacontributiontohisorhercommunity’

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AngusLyon:lawyer&publishedauthor

•  Lawyersusetheirmindscontinually,exercisingtheirbrainstofindinnovativesolutionstoclientproblems,anticipatingpotentialpitfallsanddevelopmentsincourseofamatterandinmanaging/prioritisingcaseloads.Theneedtothinkaboutandcareforourmindsandbemoreawareofthemindsofothersmustbeofprimeconcern.

ALawyers’GuidetoWellbeingandManagingStress

•  Individual•  Employer

•  WiderLegalCommunity

WhydoMentalHealthandWellbeinginthelegalcommunitymatter?

TheLegalWorkplace

•  Competitive•  Pressured•  Longhoursculture•  Managingexpectations

CultureandPractice•  Negativeemotions

•  Prudence

•  Reactive

•  Replaying

•  Perfectionistapproach

•  Selfsufficient

•  Noemotionalvocabulary

•  TypeApersonality

Studentsandyounglawyers•  Intensivestudy

•  Findingatrainingposition

•  Transitionintopractice

FiveStepstoImproveWellbeing

WhatisLawCare?•  Thecharitythatpromotesandsupportsgoodmentalhealthandwellbeinginthelegalprofession

•  Establishedin1997•  Fundedby,butindependentof,professionalbodies

•  CoverstheUKandIreland•  Allbranchesofthelegalprofession

OurVisionandGoalsVisionAlegalcommunitythatvalues,promotesandsupportsgoodmentalhealthandwellbeingFourgoals– Support–  Information– RaisingAwareness– TacklingStigma

Support

•  Oursupportspansthewholeoflegallife,fromstudenttotrainingthroughtopracticeandretirement

•  Wecanhelpthoseconcernedaboutthemselves,acolleague,friend,orfamilymember

•  Weunderstandlifeinthelaw

Support–Helpline•  Free,independent,confidential•  Discussconcerns•  Listenwithoutjudgment,withempathy•  Trainedstaff/volunteershaveworkedinthelaw•  Signposting•  Peersupport•  365daysayear

LawCarevolunteersandstaff

WhoCallsUs?

ReasonforCall

RaisingAwareness–let’sgetthelegalcommunitytalking•  Howtolookafteryourself•  Recognisingthesigns•  Asking‘areyouok?’•  Wheretofindhelp•  Acrossthecommunity

Information

•  Websitewww.lawcare.org.uk•  Factsheets•  Toptentipsforwellbeing•  Tipsforlookingafterothers•  LawCareNews•  Resources•  Casestudies/blogs

Tacklingstigma

•  It’soktoaskforhelp•  Sharinglivedexperiences•  Cultureshift•  Wellbeingontheagenda

Tipsforstudentsandyounglawyers

•  Talktosomeone–friends,family,tutor,manager,LawCare

•  Youarenotalone•  Networks–JLD,YBC,YLAL,studentlawsocieties

www.lawcare.org.uk

JointheConversation