3. A Quote About Stress
Stress: “The confusion created when one's
mind overrides the body's basic desire to choke
the living daylights out of some jerk who
desperately deserves it.” -Unknown
4. • Why Stress Management
is Important1
• Understanding Stress2
• Building Resilience3
Overview
6. Lawyers & Stress
Research studies show that a high percentage of lawyers
are dissatisfied with their work.1 Reasons for work
dissatisfaction are stress related and include long hours,
conflicting demands on time and energy, and the
exacting and confrontational nature of the work. Many
lawyers are leaving the profession, and it appears that
job burnout is implicated in the exodus.2 Lawyers have
an unusually high rate of suicide and drug and alcohol
problems, compared to other professions.3 This
underscores the importance of understanding and
dealing effectively with stress in the work environment.
7. Research Says
• Over 1/3 of attorneys say they are dissatisfied and would choose another
profession if they could.1
• According to an often cited Johns Hopkins University study of more than
100 occupations, researchers found that lawyers lead the nation with the
highest incidence of depression.2
• In 1996, lawyers overtook dentists as the profession with the highest rate
of suicide.2
• 15-18% of attorneys will have substance abuse problem vs. 10% of
general population.1
• The ABA estimates that 15-20 percent of all U.S. lawyers suffer from
alcoholism or substance abuse.3
8. Lawyers Are Different:
Is there a “Legal Personality?”
• Need for achievement
• Extroverted and sociable
• Competitive, aggressive, dominant
• Less interest in people, emotional concerns and
interpersonal matters
• Disproportionate preference for(Myers-Briggs) thinking vs.
feeling
• Focus on economic bottom-line and material concerns
• A markedly higher incidence of psychological distress and
substance abuse
9. Chronic, Unmanaged Stress is (a
Killer) Implicated in:
• 75-90% of doctor’s visits
• 50% of all illnesses
• Atherosclerosis
• Hypertension
• Increased cortisol & weight gain
• Memory impairment*
• Decreased immune system functioning
• Increased blood glucose levels
• Mental health problems
• Substance misuse problems
13. Common Stressors
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Money Work Economy Family Health
BASE: ALL QUALFIED RESPONDENTS 2014 (n=3068)
Stress in America: Paying With Our Health, by the American Psychological Association,
Released February 4, 2015.
14. What is Stress?
• The term was coined by Hans Selye in 1936,
who defined it as “the non-specific response
of the body to any demand for change.”
– A challenge or demand
– A cause and effect
– A stimulus and response
15. It’s a highly subjective phenomenon!
The Bad News: Any type of stress can have
negative effects depending on the strength of
the stressor and how the individual deals with
it.
Most stress is psychological
"We don't see things as they are, we see them as
we are.”- Anais Nin
16. A Quote About Stress
Stress: “The confusion created when one's
mind overrides the body's basic desire to choke
the living daylights out of some jerk who
desperately deserves it.” -Unknown
17. Another Quote About Stress
“Stress is like spice - in the right proportion it
enhances the flavor of a dish. Too little
produces a bland, dull meal; too much may
choke you.” - Donald Tubesing
18. The Good News: Any type of stress can have
positive effects depending on the strength of the
stressor and how the individual deals with it!
19. Eustress
• “Good” stress
• The positive cognitive response to a challenge that is
healthy, or gives one a feeling of fulfillment or other
positive feelings.
Effects
• Encourages creative thought
• Enhances performance
• Energizes
• Improves mood
• Facilitates memory
20. Distress
• “Bad” Stress
• Stress perceived of as an unfavorable or oppressive
demand, it involves a negative cognitive response.
Effects
• Nervousness, anxiety
• Lack of interest, motivation
• Fatigue
• Feeling overwhelmed
• Depression
21. Job Stress
As defined by OSHA: “Job stress results when
the requirements of the job do not match the
capabilities, resources, or needs of the worker.”
22. General Job Stressors
• Lack of control over input or pace of work
• Poor work conditions and environments
• Lack of effective communication in workplace
• Excessive demands
• Conflicting and unrealistic work expectations
• Lack of appreciation/recognition
• Lack of promotion or career growth opportunities
• Lots of responsibility and little authority
• Job insecurity
• Workaholic work ethic
23. Top Job Stressors for Lawyers
• Billable hour pressures
• Long hours
• Lack of vacations
• Deadlines
• Interpersonal difficulties with colleagues and clients
• Adversarial nature of the work
• Perfectionist tendencies and expectations
• Pressures to make partner
• Public image
• Student loan debt
24. General Job Stressors/Top Stressors for Lawyers
• Job insecurity
• Inadequate salary, finances
• Lack of promotion or career
growth opportunities
• Lack of
appreciation/recognition
• Poor work conditions and
environments
• Lots of responsibility and
little authority
• Conflicting and unrealistic
work expectations
• Excessive demands/lack of
control over input or pace
• Lack of effective
communication in the
workplace
• Student loan debt
• Inadequate salary, finances
• Pressures to make partner
• Oppressive work ethic &
professional identity
• Long hours, lack of time off
• Multiple deadlines
• Billable hour pressures
• Interpersonal difficulties with
colleagues and clients
• Adversarial nature of the
work
• Perfectionist tendencies and
expectations
• Long hours, lack of time off
• Public image
30. Find the most advanced stage in which you identify
with 2 or more of the characteristics
Stage 1: Arousal
Doing more with less, juggling difficult deadlines and
job pressures, not getting or taking enough breaks,
taking on more work
Responses: Persistent irritability, persistent anxiety,
periods of high blood pressure, insomnia,
forgetfulness, periods of bruxism (nocturnal teeth
grinding)
31. Extreme Responses to Stage 1 Burnout:
Heart palpitations and arrhythmias, concentration
and memory difficulties, headaches,
gastrointestinal symptoms, stomachaches
32. Stage 2: Energy Conservation
You attempt to compensate by conserving energy.
You may feel like you aren’t accomplishing enough
or anything at all. Cutting corners becomes a high
priority. Avoidance, as a coping style, may be
overused at this stage. Shame, doubt, guilt over
not performing to personal expectations may
arise.
Responses: Excessive lateness, procrastination,
excessive time off, increased cynicism, resentments,
prolonged apathy
33. Extreme Responses to Stage 2 Burnout:
Increased drug and alcohol use, increased cigarette
smoking, heightened cardiovascular risk, isolation
and withdrawal, decreased libido, depression
34. Stage 3: Physical, Mental & Emotional
Exhaustion
You feel like something is significantly wrong. You are
worn out. There can be a profound sense of failure,
helplessness, hopelessness.
Responses: Cynicism and callous behavior towards the
job and others in your life increases. Ongoing mental
and physical fatigue.
35. Extreme Responses to Stage 3 Burnout:
Persistent and disruptive symptoms of depression
and/or anxiety, energy depletion, suicidal ideation,
ongoing drug & alcohol misuse or other compulsive
behaviors such as overeating, shopping/spending
money, gambling, working too much
39. Let’s Build on That
Challenge or
Demand
ME
Physiological
Response
Cognitive
Response
Outcome
40. Q: Can a Stressor in the Environment
Cause Stress?
A: We choose our stress response
41. Choosing Our Stress Response
a.k.a. “The Modifier in the Middle is ME”
• Genetics
• Cognitive style
• Family style
• Mood state
• Relaxed or tense? Tired or energized?
• Behavior & lifestyle
• Medications
• Ingested toxins
• My relationships, social supports
42. Cognitive Response
• Cognitive pattern: Contingency planner? Able
to visualize positive outcomes? Catastrophic
thinking (worst case scenario-ing)?
• Perception of event: What am I telling myself
about what happened? Is it realistic? Is it
helping me? Do I need to think about it
differently?
44. Tips for Managing Legal Job Stress
• Align your abilities and interests with your type of
practice
• If you can, leave a toxic or hostile work environment
• Develop, redesign career goals. Need to hire help?
• Decide to get organized: Plan your schedule, make
lists, file, prioritize tasks
• Control as much of your scheduling as you can
• It doesn’t have to be perfect: You can’t read every
law journal article
45. More Tips!
• Accept that you might not finish everything every
day
• Get away from your desk, out of the office at least
once a day
• Take frequent short breaks if possible
• Remind yourself that you can’t solve all of your
clients problems
• Educate your clients about the process
• Avoid unpleasant colleagues as much as possible
• Keep a positive attitude and generate goodwill
• Avoid workaholism: Set limits & don’t put all of your
well-being eggs in your work basket
• Make time for yourself & your relationships every
day
46. General Stress Management Tips
• Cultivate a positive attitude
• Find meaning & humor in life and personal
struggles*
• Make time for rest and leisure
• Spend time with friends and family*
• Avoid caffeine, nicotine, drugs, and alcohol
• Have a friend you can vent with and one you can’t
• Practice good nutrition, sleep, & exercise habits
47. More Tips!
• Engage in distractions moderately*
• Cultivate hobbies and interests
• Get outside, reconnect with nature
• Use mindfulness techniques*
• Set aside, and limit, times to problem solve
“worry”
• Set small achievable goals & rewards
48. Small Changes Ripple
Making one small change creates
momentum and leads to other
changes
Consider Taking the “30 Day
Challenge” maybe to try a new
stress management strategy?
50. The American Bar Association:
Defending Liberty & Pursuing Justice
(Excerpted from ABA Mission & Goals)
• Promote competence, ethical conduct and
professionalism.
• Promote pro bono and public service by the
legal profession.
• Promote full and equal participation in the
association, our profession, and the justice
system by all persons.
• Eliminate bias in the legal profession and the
justice system.
51. The Legal Profession as a Helping Profession
with a Commitment to Social Justice
Public Service
(From the ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct)
Rule 6.1
Voluntary Pro Bono Publico Service
This rule expresses the commitment by the
legal profession to helping financially needy
people access legal aid. It also encourages
activities which will improve the law, the legal
system, or the legal profession in general.
52. Five Core Notions of Human Rights
• Human Dignity (Article I)
• Non-Discrimination (Article 2)
• Civil and Political Rights – (Articles 3-21)
• Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights –
(Articles 22-27)
• Solidarity Rights - (getting their sustenance
from articles 28-30)
54. The Comprehensive Law Movement
• Creative problem solving
• Therapeutic jurisprudence
• Preventive law
• Restorative justice
• Collaborative law
• Transformative mediation
• Holistic justice
55. Interconnected Levels of Response
• Structural, systemic (Macro)
• Working with groups and institutions (Mezzo)
• Working with individuals (Micro)
56. When You Need Help:
Counseling for Stress
– Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
– Narrative Therapy
– Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)
– Mindfulness Based Therapy
– Motivational Interviewing (MI)
– Psychodynamic Therapy
– Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing
(EMDR)
– Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART)
58. Quick Tip: Substance Misuse Peer
Support
• AA
• NA
• Refuge Recovery
• Smart Recovery
• Celebrate Recovery
• Dual Recovery Anonymous (DRA)
59. Quick Tip: Substance Misuse Treatment
• Detoxes
• Intensive outpatient groups (IOP)
• Recovery support groups
• Individual counseling
• Medication assisted treatment
– Office Based
– Clinic Based
60. Quick Tip: Mental Health Treatment
• Crisis lines
• Inpatient psychiatric services
• Outpatient (partial) hospital programs
• Depression & anxiety support groups
• Area counseling agencies
• Private practice psychotherapists &
medication prescribers
61. When You Need Help:
Lawyer Specific Resources
Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers
31 Milk Street – Suite 810
Boston, MA 02109
(617) 482-9600
(800) 525-0210
Fax (617) 482-9909
Helpline: 1-800-525-0210
email@lclma.org
63. LINDA BENOIT, LICSW, ICADC, CADC
241 KING STREET SUITE 218
NORTHAMPTON, MA 01060
413-552-7065
LINDAMBENOIT@YAHOO.COM
WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/LINDA.BENOIT.LICSW
