Good Grief

Tiqeece, a Black man with black hair, wears a blue shirt, plaid blue tie, and grey blazer. He is smiling and holding a book.By Tiqeece Brown

Grief is something that touches all of us. How we respond — or don’t respond — when we are grieving can be pivotal. At its core, grief is the mental and emotional process of learning how to live with loss.

That loss doesn’t always look like death.

Grief can manifest in many ways: procrastination, anger, depression, anxiety, withdrawal, isolation, and even physical symptoms such as chronic fatigue, weakened immunity and bodily pain. When left unaddressed, many people cope in unhealthy ways. This reality contributes to the often-repeated statement that lawyers experience high rates of substance abuse and mental health struggles.

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Attorney Well-Being Is Always a Priority, and BarCARES Can Help

Colleen is a white woman with brown hair. She is wearing a royal blue blouse.Bryan, a white man with red hair, wears a white shirt, blue tie and navy suit.By Colleen Byers and Bryan Norris

I vividly recall the first time I flew on an airplane as a new parent. My infant was snuggled into my chest in a secure baby wrap so my hands could still juggle the diaper bag, plus my own carry-on bag. Walking through the aisle and making eye contact with fellow passengers over the top of the baby’s head could very well have been a fascinating social experiment. There were those who smiled generously, some who softly let out a little “awww,” and others who frowned and quickly looked away as they silently hoped my seat was far from theirs.

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BarCARES Board Nominations Are Open!

Kayla, a woman with dark brown hair, wears a pale pink blouse, bright pink jacket, and gold fairy pin on the lapel.By Kayla Britt

Do you care about the mental health of lawyers, law students and paralegals? Would you like to serve on a board that works towards making a variety of mental health services readily available for colleagues? BarCARES does that and is seeking nominations for Board members.

For those who don’t know, BarCARES is designed to offer no-cost assistance in dealing with problems that might be causing distress and can be used to help with such matters as personal issues, anxiety, substance use, financial concerns, family matters, work issues, professional stressors, and to provide help with case-related stress as well as student coaching on all matters including time management.

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