The Legal Profession’s 12-Step Problem
When I began my drug and alcohol recovery in 2007, my therapist provided two options, 12-step or residential treatment. I chose the former and along with therapy have come to lead a self-directed life in recovery achieving what I could not envision on day one. There is no question that the connections in the 12-step […]
The Sober Curious Lawyer
The sober curious movement is taking off. When I first heard the term, my baby-boomer, twelve-step mentality was to immediately associate it with “alcoholics” who wondered what it is like to be sober. I was way off target. It is a lifestyle movement being embraced by millennials at an ever-increasing rate. “Sober curious” bars that […]
How Diverse Law Students View Mental Health
When discussing law student mental health, an understanding of how stigma impacts diverse/marginalized demographics is important. There can be a tendency to view stigma as a equals impact, cookie-cutter conversation. The reality is that it can have a radically different meaning and impact, depending on the unique aspects of a particular student. All law schools […]
Why I Didn’t Ask My Law School For Mental Health Support
An important and courageous guest post from Angela Han that touches on eating disorders, sexual trauma and cultural diversity issues with regards to shame and stigma. In a 2014 study at the Yale Law School, approximately 70% of all respondents who were Yale Law students reported experiencing mental health challenges during law school. Of that […]
The Lawyer’s Depression Project
I recently became aware of an incredible mental health resource that has been flying under the radar. It is the Lawyers Depression Project (LDP). It is a grassroots effort to address depression and other mental health issues in the legal profession. The project is the brainchild of Joseph Milowic III, a partner at the law […]
Unresolved Trauma : A Hidden Gatekeeper To Wellness
If I asked one hundred people how they define “trauma,” I might get eighty different answers. One person might talk about their broken leg. Another would talk about physical or sexual abused. A veteran may talk about a war experience. A bitter divorce. The loss of a parent, sibling or child. A beloved pet. It […]
You’re In Recovery And Starting Law School-Now What?
When I walked through the doors of Pitt Law as a 1-L in 1983, I was deep into alcohol use disorder, also known as an “alcoholic.” I was also dealing with traditional and exercise bulimia. Throw in clinical depression as well. I felt completely alone in my struggle. I would tell no one. Not my […]
Think Adderall Will Make You Smarter? Think Again.
A new study, pours some cold coffee on the assumption within student communities that ingesting the drug, “Adderall” will make them smarter and provide a competitive advantage. The article states: “People who take these medications can certainly feel more alert and on top of their game, but there is some doubt about whether or not […]
What Law Students Want From Law Schools On Wellness
Getting a law student to speak openly about mental health is difficult. There is, however, a forum in which they tend to be very candid and blunt on a variety of topics. It is the Reddit Law School Forum. I spend a lot of time there because I can see what law students are really […]
You Failed The Bar Exam. Now What?
There are several certainties in life. Death, taxes, and people failing the bar exam. No one knows the third certainly better than I, having taken the Texas exam three times. I know the disappointment, depression, and feelings of shame and failure that can accompany not seeing your name on that list. The stress may be […]
