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Solo / Small Firm Section Chairs : MandiClay – ThreeThirteenLaw , PLLC ; CharlotteKelly – FerneeKellyLaw & ChelsieLamie – LawOfficeofChelsieM . Lamie , P . A .
attorneysareknown tosacrificetheirown well-beingfortheir careers . Barassociations andlawschoolsacross thecountryarefinally recognizingtheseissuesandtakingsomeaction .
As a group , attorneys suffer from substance abuse , depression , and anxiety at higher levels than the population in general . 1 Anecdotally , it seems the stress lawyers experience comes from a variety of sources , including unreasonable expectations by courts and clients ; secondary trauma from helping clients through difficult times in their lives ; and a pressure to perform perfectly or risk detrimental consequences . Attorneys are known to sacrifice their own well-being for their careers . Bar associations and law schools across the country are finally recognizing these issues and taking some action .
Here in Florida , The Florida Bar has established the Florida Standing Committee on the Mental Health and Wellness of Florida Lawyers which , among other things , hosts the Mental Health and Wellness Center on the Bar ’ s website . 2 The Center offers a variety of benefits for Bar members that can help attorneys improve and maintain a healthier life style . We encourage you to explore these benefits and take advantage of them .
• the Florida Lawyers Helpline : This is a free resource that not only provides immediate access to professional counselors for lawyers in crisis , but also provides five free
therapy sessions per year to each bar member . Similar to an Employee Assistance Program , the helpline is managed by a third party and all information is HIPAA protected , so the Bar has no access to information regarding who uses the resource . The helpline also provides a free , 30-minute financial consultation , and referrals for work-life specialists and services . It is available 24 / 7 all year round at 833-351-9355 .
• Mental Wellness Benefits : As Florida Bar members , we also receive discounts to services outside of the helpline . For example , the Bar provides members and their families 20 % off sessions through eVideo Counselor , an online face-to-face video counseling service with licensed mental health therapists . There are also significant discounts for both the Calm app and Waking Up with Sam Harris — apps that assist with meditation and mindfulness .
• Physical Wellness Benefits : Taking care of ourselves is not just about our minds , but also our bodies . That is why the Committee has also secured benefits for Bar members related to physical health . First , there is a 15 % discount on Fresh Meal
Plan , a service that delivers healthy , fresh meals right to your home . Second , Florida Bar members are eligible for YMCA Corporate Membership at no cost to join and 10 % off the monthly membership at 124 participating YMCA locations in 37 countries . The YMCA offers access to a wide variety of exercise programs and resources . All of these benefits are available through the Wellness Center website , along with additional resources to educate you on wellness amongst lawyers . These resources include CLE programs , a fantastic podcast run by Christine Bilbrey , and toolkits to assist lawyers and law firms in improving lawyer well-being . We hope you will take advantage of these resources and take care of yourselves ! n
1
P . R . Krill , R . Johnson , & L . Albert , The Prevalence of Substance Use and Other Mental Health Concerns Among American Attorneys , 10 J . ADDICTION MED . 46 ( 2016 ).
2 https :// www . floridabar . org / member / healthandwellnesscenter / # 1581949692560-b497ea13-dbd2 .
Author : Mandi Clay – Three Thirteen Law , PLLC
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