For the Good of the Order
We are excited to announce a collaboration with Washington Lawyers Assisting Lawyers (WaLaL), to provide a monthly column in our newsletter promoting mental health, wellness, recovery, and the resources available to legal professionals. WaLaL's services are free, confidential, and independent.
February is National Self-Check Month, an annual health observance urging individuals to take charge of their well-being through proactive self-exams and health screenings. This includes monitoring for symptoms of mental health issues and promoting early detection and preventive care. WaLaL has links to free self-tests on a variety of health issues. These tests can help identify patterns of feelings, thoughts, or behaviors that can lead to negative consequences in your relationships and decision making.
This month’s column by WaLaL President Leslie Hagin, highlights an often-overlooked but increasingly urgent issue in the legal profession: secondary trauma and PTSD among lawyers and judges. Drawing on personal experience and current research, Leslie sheds light on how repeated exposure to clients’ traumatic stories and high-stress legal environments can affect mental health and where members of the legal community can turn for confidential support. Click the link below to read the article.
Secondary Trauma PTSD Among Lawyers and Judges is Real, Frequent, and Increasing. Help Exists.
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