Coaching for Lawyers?
They do not tell you this in law school, but for many of us, practicing law is a miserable way to make a living, and it is not getting any better.
According to a recent post on American Lawyer, “Lawyers are feeling more isolated, burnt out, and depressed than ever, even as law firms rolled out new programs and made efforts to over-communicate throughout the year.”
According to the article, lawyers are losing ground to substance abuse issues and “a greater proportion of them reported instances of mental health problems across the board,” when compared to a similar study from 2019.
70% of respondents reported that the pandemic exacerbated their problems.
“Isolation emerged as the single-greatest negative influence on mental health.”
The pandemic may have been a factor, but traditional complaints with our profession persist. “Pressure from clients still came up as a frequent gripe.”
With innovations like e-filing, smart phones, and email, lawyers now feel as though they are expected to be available 24/7.
As a lawyer for over forty years who has suffered from anxiety and depression, I can empathize only as a brother lawyer can.
I have studied positive psychology and become a Certified Happiness Coach to address these issues.
Therapy and medication can be effective for treating depression and other mental health problems, but many times the client does not suffer from a mental illness; s/he may just need a coach to help with: better life planning, reframing, goal setting, problem solving, developing coping skills, relationship issues, stress management, or improving work/life balance.
Therapy is for people who suffer from a mental illness, often rooted in their past, and want to get better; coaching is for people who are not sick (but may be stuck) and want to improve their life experience with the assistance of a trained professional.
If you are a lawyer in distress, please call me for a free consultation.
Tom Noble
214-663-0488