Although I am not an attorney, I would say practicing law might be one of the most interesting and rewarding careers, but it can also be challenging and emotionally demanding. Therefore, now that we are close to the end of the year, I wanted to remind everyone about selfcare and how important it is to prioritize your mental health as an attorney to continue to be your best self for your clients, family, and, most importantly, for yourself.
We are close to the year of 2024. It is a great time to reflect on all the good things we did but it is also the perfect time to review our year and determine if there are changes to make in our personal life that will lead us to become better professionals and better human beings. Professions are often aligned with important relationships and thinking about maintaining a friendly and empathic relationship with the people you work with is sometimes stressful, especially considering we all have different work styles, experiences, and opinions.
As humans, we often prioritize so many things and, in the process, we usually tend to forget a very important one - our own well-being with a regular self-check-in. Yes, like a regular executive meeting but with yourself. This is your time to exclusively hear yourself. It doesn’t need to be anything extraordinary, for example, listening to your body when it is asking you to rest, asking yourself some questions when looking at the mirror, or reminding yourself to do things that bring you joy.
It is normal to feel gratification from doing exceptional work. It is an amazing feeling to know you are going above and beyond for your clients and to be part of the change. My point is, your work is needed but you, as a person, are needed as well!
If needed, there are resources for you! Check them out below:
OJD’S Mental Health Virtual CLEs: In January 12, 2024 from 1:00pm – 2:15pm OJD will be hosting a virtual mental health CLE titled “Mental Health: Taking care of Young Clients and Ourselves” presented by Therapist and Medical Social Worker Ashley Williams. Don’t forget The North Carolina State Bar requires attendance at a CLE course discussing substance abuse and mental health at least once every three calendar years. Registrations for our trainings will open soon!
NC Employee Assistance Program: NC EAP provides a wide scope of resources available to permanent state employees, including a series of on-demand webinars on timely topics. Simply call 888-298-3907 or 704-717-5295 to access NC EAP. An employee assistance professional may assess your situation prior to scheduling an appointment to ensure that you are receiving the most appropriate care. Additional information is also available on the McLaughlin Young website.
North Carolina Lawyer Assistance Program: The NCLAP provides free and confidential assistance in treating depression and preventing suicide for all members of the legal profession.
The NC Bar Association’s BarCARES program: Confidential, short-term intervention program provided cost-free to members of participating judicial district bars, voluntary bar associations and law schools. If you would like additional information about the program and/or its availability in your area, please contact the BarCARES coordinator at 919.929.1227 or 1.800.640.0735 or visit www.barcares.org.
NAMI NC: For over 30 years, NAMI North Carolina has worked with dedicated community volunteer leaders to raise awareness and provide essential education, advocacy, and support so people affected by mental illness can build better lives. The NAMI NC Helpline is available Monday – Friday from 8:30 am – 5:00 pm. 1-800-451-9682 (NC Only), by email: helpline@naminc.org, or text to 919-999-6527.
Dial 988: Anyone who dials that number will be directed to a local suicide prevention hotline to receive immediate assistance. Click here for more info.
And if you ever need professional guidance in the legal field, OJD is here to help! We provide services and support to juvenile defenders and work with other juvenile justice advocates to promote positive change in the juvenile justice system in North Carolina. You can contact us at 919-890-1650 or ncojd-info@nccourts.org. If you want to reach to a specific person of our team, click here.
⬇ 2024 Upcoming Trainings ⬇
Registration Opening Soon!