Wellness Toolkit: Barriers to Seeking Help
CLIA recognizes the importance of promoting wellness for the profession. To help, we have compiled a repository of wellness resources based on the findings of the National Study on the Health and Wellness Determinants of Legal Professionals in Canada prepared by the Federation of Law Societies of Canada, the Canadian Bar Association and the Université de Sherbrooke.
Our online Wellness Toolkit houses resources to assist you in detecting warning signs in yourself and others, provide more information for those in higher-risk groups, and tools to deal with risks specific to the legal profession.
One category of the Wellness Toolkit is ‘Barriers to Seeking Help’. As noted by Bena Stock in one of the resources shared:
In a profession where confidence and competence are paramount, the fear of asking for help can be a crippling secret shame for many lawyers. The relentless pressure to perform, coupled with a culture that often equates seeking assistance with weakness, creates a silent struggle that can negatively impact your practice and well-being.
See the Wellness Toolkit for resources to assist with reducing stigma and asking for help, including:
Reducing Stigma: Building Resilient Lawyers and Fostering Mental Health in a Stressful Profession and World – The CBA Well-Being Hour. Note you will need to scroll down or search on the page for the specific resource you are looking for.
Why Lawyers Fear Asking for Help – Bena Stock, Founder and Counsellor at The Lawyer Mindset.
See the categories in the Wellness Toolkit including:
Detecting Warning Signs/Self-Assessment
Developing Skills To Preserve Health
Resources to Assist with Specific Wellness Issues
Resources for Specific Groups
Resources for Dealing with Specific Risks
Resources for Employers
Help By Jurisdiction