SIDEBAR SPRING 2021 - 22

MONTGOMERYBAR.ORG

The
I

Well-Being
Issue

t is no secret that the profession of law is
synonymous with stress. Our practice is one
based on strict deadlines, client appeasement,
and billable hour requirements. Add in the
pressures of family and parenting duties, efforts
to maintain somewhat of a social life, and
obligations to external organizations. That
is to say nothing of dealing with the ongoing
COVID-19 pandemic, which has upended
the very way we practice law. Very low on the
totem pole of obligations is self-care. That lack
of self-care can lead one down a dangerous path
- one imbued with psychological disorders and
chemical dependency.

According to a 2017 report published by
the National Task Force on Lawyer Well-Being,
between 21% and 36% of surveyed attorneys qualify as problem
drinkers, 28% suffer depression and 19% suffer from anxiety.1
That same report issued recommendations on how to allay those
reactions before they become problematic. One of the foremost
conclusions of the report is for organizations to focus on wellbeing programs.

Monday " leader, Tracey di Paolo. Tracey will be
providing inspiring sessions like this one on the
first Monday of each month as a free member
benefit, courtesy of our series sponsor and
longtime affinity partners, USI Affinity and My
Benefit Advisor.
The goal for Mindfulness Mondays and
Wellness Wednesdays is to make health, wellness
and mindfulness techniques more available and
accessible to everyone. In our first Mindfulness
Monday session, Meditation leader Tracey di
Paolo explained how having a meditation practice
can be an incredibly helpful tool for maintaining
health, productivity, peace of mind and organized
thinking, citing scientific evidence for these and
other benefits. Before convincing yourself you
don't have time for another " to do " in your routine, you may
want to consider Tracey's journey to becoming a Reiki Master and
teaching yoga and guided meditation classes to small groups and
individuals. She took an interest in yoga and meditation a little
more than 20 years ago for all the commonly cited health benefits.
As " Mom " to four young children, a busy photography business,

As MBA President Jacqueline M. Reynolds
mentioned in her inaugural address in January,
" Oftentimes, health and wellness are last in the
laundry list of items accomplished by attorneys
every day. " In accordance with President
Reynolds' focus on lawyer wellbeing, the MBA
will be conducting a number of different events
throughout the year to provide members with the
tools to focus and maintain their mental, physical,
and spiritual wellbeing.
On Monday, March 1, the MBA launched
the first program in its new " Life Balance Series. "
The series premier (hosted via Zoom) included
a brief introduction to guided meditation, along
with an experiential " Vipassana " or " clear light "
meditation session, led by our new " Mindfulness
P. R. Krill, R. Johnson, & L. Albert, The Prevalence of Substance Use and Other Mental Health Concerns Among American Attorneys, 10 J. ADDICTION MED. 46 (2016) via
The Path to Lawyer Well-Being: Practical Recommendations for Positive Change [The Report of the National Task Force on Lawyer Well-Being], 7 (August 2017).

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SIDEBAR SPRING 2021

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