Learning to Breathe:
We offer stress management training to lawyers in the hopes of helping these professionals cope with their emotions and deal with the high stress pressures of the billable world. Mental health is an important issue, not only in the legal profession, but also with everything going on in the world right now.
AHA! The Reason for the Logo:
Marni Becker-Avin is trained in various modalities of stress reduction, including yoga, meditation, mindfulness, positive thinking, breathing techniques, positive psychology, and social emotional learning. Half Yogi, Half Legal Professional. In fact, in her “free” time, she devotes her life to teaching these tools to children (www.wufshanti.com) in the hopes that they will grow up to be less depressed, less anxious teens, and happier, content, peace loving adults. If we can reach kids when they are young, and teach them to cope with the stresses in life, then we can reduce the statistics of suicide and homicide in the world and help to stop the violence. Don’t think this applies to lawyers? Bullying? Negativity? Isolation? Think again. We’re never too old to learn something new. Marni is now expanding those trainings from the schools and to the law firms.
Why are Stress Management Programs so Critical for Law Firms to Implement:
The American Bar Association (ABA) Commission on Lawyer Assistance Program conducted a survey of approximately 13,000 attorneys, and asked them about their mental health and substance abuse. The results are concerning: 20% of the attorneys surveyed reported a problem with drinking, 28% reported depression, 19% reported high levels of anxiety, and 11.5% reported thinking about suicide. This and other studies have confirmed that attorneys struggle with mental health and addiction at levels much higher than the general population and other highly educated professionals.
The ABA is starting a program to combat these high statistics. Organized by the ABA Working Group to Advance Well-Being in the Legal Profession, the campaign aims to reduce the levels of stress, anxiety, depression, substance abuse, and suicide among lawyers. Learn more about the program and take the pledge today: https://www.americanbar.org/groups/lawyer_assistance/working-group_to_advance_well-being_in_legal_profession.html
Options Include:
Yoga
Meditation
Breathing Exercises
Positivity Training
Communication
Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction
