ASSISTance for Family Lawyers: Ways We Can Cope with the

Struggles of our Practice

SHARON RAMRAJ-THOMPSON

APRIL 19, 2016

Alberta Lawyers’ Assistance Society (Assist)

• Assist’s mission is to help the legal profession and their immediate families with personal problems.

• Assist is independent of the Law Society and Canadian Bar Association with which provides confidential and free services provided at no cost.

• The vision of Assist: “To prevent stress in life and law from becoming distress; prevent distress from turning into crisis; and prevent crisis from becoming terminal or long-term debilitation.”

Services that Assist provides

• Assist provides 4 hours of professional counselling are available per member, per family member, per issue per year.

• Assist also offers a peer support program where an individual seeking help can be matched with a trained peer support volunteer, who has experienced something similar or has a particular understanding of the person or problem at hand, and is able to offer resources and support

• Assist also offers events to educate and raise awareness about mental fitness in the legal profession, such as the Annual Walk for Wellness.

• Assist has launched their new fitness program called “AssistFit”, designed to bring the legal community together around fun, physical and creative activities.

Some Alberta Stats

• 68% of the legal professionals have experienced stress / burnout: of those ½ reported experiencing anxiety, 1/2 reported emotional distress, poor physical health, and depression.

• Family lawyers comprise 5% of the bar in Alberta• 20% of lawyers who turn to Assist are family lawyers• Assist accessors: 33% are Associates, 17% are partners, 12%

are articling students, 12% are in–house counsel, and 11% are government lawyers

Assist accessors: a third are Associates, 17% partners, 12% are 12% are articling students, 12% in –house counsel, 11% are government lawyersIn other words, big firm or little firm, we all get stressed and need help one time or another

Why do we need ASSISTance?

Why do we need ASSISTance?

• “The practice of law has become an increasingly difficult occupation. . . “

• “lawyers have unusually high rates of depression, alcoholism, and a variety of mental and physical ailments. Researchers agrees that these are not statistical anomalies but a reflection on how tough it is today to be a lawyer”

Amriam Elwork - Stress Management for Lawyers - How to Increase Personal and Professional Satisfaction in the Law

Elwork: Why the profession of law is so difficult . . .

(1) Environmental stressors: • Generic: Time pressures, Work Overload, Competition, difficult people • Specific to law: Adversarial system, strict filing and submission deadlines,

mistakes can be costly—literally and figuratively, nature of work is characterized by aggression and suspicion, family law clients are often emotional

(2) Individual characteristics of lawyers • Personality: Perfectionism, desire for success, emotionally unaware, value • Demographics: Age, race, values

Symptoms of Depression / Stress / Anxiety

symptoms of depression, stress, and anxiety include• Low mood or energy or fatigue • Lower interest in previously enjoyable activities• changes in body weight• sleep disturbance (or sometime increased sleep—avoidance)• feelings of worthlessness or guilt and recurrent thoughts of death.• Changes in personality and heightened sensitivity to rejection.

Symptoms of Depression / Stress / Anxiety

Other signposts that you might be experiencing depression, stress, or anxiety include

• Disruption in the family life • Martial problems • Expression of concern from family members or friends. • Use or overuse of alcohol / drugs

 

Secondary Traumatic Stress / Compassion Fatigue / Vicarious Traumatization

• Secondary Traumatic Stress (STS): • the indirect exposure to trauma through an account of a

traumatic event. • It is also compounded by viewing images or physical

evidence

Secondary Traumatic Stress / Compassion Fatigue / Vicarious Traumatization Effects of STS• lack of sleep, poor eating habits, hypervigilance,

alcohol / drugs abuse, relationship and detachment issues.

• STS victims become increasingly argumentative with family or need time alone after coming home from work

“Secondary Traumatic Stress and Family Lawyers” by Cindi Barela Graham and Dr. Lynn Jennings

So what can we do?

We can remember we need NESTSNutrition,

Exercise,

Sleep,

Time for ourselves,

Support

NESTS” taken from “Early treatment yields good results” Jules Smith,

MA and Jasmin Abizadeh, BA

NESTS: Nutrition, Exercise, Sleep, Time for Yourself, Support

Here are some of the foods that reduce anxiety • Avocados, Berries, Cachews (zinc)• Dark chocolate (antioxidants) Garlic• Green tea, Oysters, Oat (fibre) Oranges

Avoid refined sugars Prevention Magazine

NESTS: Nutrition, Exercise, Sleep, Time for Yourself, Support

Stay Hydrated

• Studies show that not drinking enough water can raise your stress levels and increase your heart rate.

• Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day.

NESTS: Nutrition, Exercise, Sleep, Time for Yourself, Support

There is a positive association between exercise and easement of anxiety / depression symptoms

Walking for 20 to 30 minutes has the same effect as a mild tranquilizer

Go for a walk because . . . • (1) Walking releases endorphins: sitting all day is bad for you; at minimum you should take 250

steps per hour you are awake • (2) Walking clears the head: helps you think clearly as it changes the environment. On the other

hand, you can use a mantra while you walk to avoid thinking about difficult cases or clients• (3) Walking can be social: make a walking group at your firm

 

NESTS: Nutrition, Exercise, Sleep, Time for Yourself, Support

• Stretch: Slouching and hunching forward can constrict blood flow to the nervous system, digestive system, and brain. Try to keep your head up and your legs perpendicular to the floor with feet flat on the ground.

• Use good posture• Change your office environment – get ergonomically friendly

desks and chairs

NESTS: Nutrition, Exercise, Sleep, Time for Yourself, Support

Get the Sleep You Need

Sleep deprivation has many negative effects that hinder our ability to deal with stressful events

• Chronic Lack of sleep is the same as being intoxicated • Sleep restores • Be consistent in your sleep and wake times• Turn off your devices before bed – it disrupts circadian rhythms • New studies have shown you cannot make-up sleep

NESTS: Nutrition, Exercise, Sleep, Time for Yourself, Support

Trouble falling asleep? Try Dr. Weil’s “4-7-8” exercise • Exhale completely through your mouth.• Close your mouth and inhale through your nose for 4

seconds.• Hold your breath for a count of 7.• Exhale completely through your mouth, to a count of 8.• repeat the cycle 3 more times for a total of 4 breaths.

NESTS: Nutrition, Exercise, Sleep, Time for Yourself, Support

Time for Yourself - Self-care• Meditate • Breathe / use your senses (what are three things I hear?

See? Focus on the present)• Do yoga • Have a bath

NESTS: Nutrition, Exercise, Sleep, Time for Yourself, Support

• Self-compassion: are you kinder to others than you are to yourself? http://self-compassion.org/test-how-self-compassionate-you-are/

• Watch your thoughts: check out Dr. Burns’ Checklist of 10 Cognitive distortions http://www.apsu.edu/sites/apsu.edu/files/counseling/COGNITIVE_0.pdf

NESTS: Nutrition, Exercise, Sleep, Time for Yourself, Support

Support of any kind helps us gain control.

We can also take little steps to gain control and manage what we can do reduce steps • Delegate / say “no” if you can (know your limits)• Develop a plan of action • Make check-lists • E-mail management: don’t check your email each time you receive or

notice an in-coming message. Set a dedicated time to check messages.

NESTS: Nutrition, Exercise, Sleep, Time for Yourself, Support

Create a community of support - it takes a village • Social support has even been demonstrated to reduce the

body’s physiological response to stressful events.

• Friends, family, colleagues, associations, therapists, practice advisor, Assist . . .

Concluding thoughts

The Dalai Lama says:

“Happiness and suffering can be divided into two main categories: mental and physical. Of the two it’s the mind that exerts the greatest influence over us . . . Therefore we should focus our efforts on bringing about mental peace.”

Resources: Compassion Fatigue / Secondary Traumatic Stress

ARTICLES • Signs and Symptoms of Compassion fatigue – checklist http://

45.55.244.73/app/uploads/2013/08/Signs-and-Symptoms-Hand-Out.pdf

• Compassion Fatigue self test (Through Assist site) http://45.55.244.73/app/uploads/2013/09/Compassion_Fatigue_Self_Test.pdf

• “Secondary Traumatic Stress and Family Lawyers” by Cindi Barela Graham Dr. Lynn Jennings Family Lawyer Magazine http://familylawyermagazine.com/articles/secondary-traumatic-stress-and-family-lawyers

Resources: Nutrition, Exercise

Nutrition

• “13 Foods That Fight Stress: Rethink Your Comfort Foods” http://www.prevention.com/mind-body/emotional-health/13-healthy-foods-that-reduce-stress-and-depression

Exercise • “The Slow Death of Purposeless Walking” by Finlo RobrerBBC News Magazine http://

www.bbc.com/news/magazine-27186709

• “Study: Sitting too much can lead to anxiety - The Boston Globe” https://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/2015/08/07/deepbreath/jQZKiZgg3syi0wm1TcKIhK/story.html

Resources: Sleep, Time for Yourself

Sleep

• Dr. Weil’s “4-7-8 breathing to get to sleep” http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/ART00521/three-breathing-exercises.html

Time for Yourself • Self Compassion quiz http://self-compassion.org/test-how-self-compassionate-you-are/

• Dr. Burns’ 10 Cognitive Distortions (and How to Address Them) http://www.apsu.edu/sites/apsu.edu/files/counseling/COGNITIVE_0.pdf

Recourses: Support / Mental Health

• Assist http://albertalawyersassist.ca/

• “What Keeps Family Lawyers Up at Night: Ontario Lawyers Answer our Questions” http://practicepro.ca/LawPROmag/What_Keeps_Family_Lawyers_Up.pdf

• “Effectively Managing Your Stress in the Workplace” Family Lawyer Magazine by Elodie Mertz http://familylawyermagazine.com/articles/effectively-managing-your-stress-in-the-workplace

• “The Depressed Lawyer” Psychology Today https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/therapy-matters/201105/the-depressed-lawyer

•  “Coping with Stress and Avoiding Burnout: Techniques for Lawyers” Owen Kelly http://www.cba.org/Publications-Resources/CBA-Practice-Link/Work-Life-Balance/Health-Wellness/Coping-with-Stress-and-Avoiding-Burnout-Techniques

Resources: Books

• Cho, Jenna and Karen Gifford The Anxious Lawyer: An 8 Week Guide to a Happier, Saner Law Practice Using Meditation (2015)

• Elwork, Amriam Stress Management for Lawyers - How to Increase Personal and Professional Satisfaction in the Law (2007)

• “Workplace Stress: An Epidemic” (Slide 6)image taken from https://bulletinbee.com/2014/11/16/stress-in-the-workplace-no-thanks/