Be Well, 0419 WYBJ, Vol. 42 No. 3. 48
| Author | Maryt L. Fredrickson Ninth Judicial District Court & 307 Yoga LLC Jackson, Wyoming |
| Position | Vol. 42 3 Pg. 48 |
Attorney
Resilience: A Spiral Up or a Spiral Down
Maryt
L. Fredrickson Ninth Judicial District Court & 307 Yoga
LLC Jackson, Wyoming
Resilience
is the capacity for stress-related growth and positive
responses. One of the primary characteristics of the practice
of law is stress. Consistent with that premise, attorneys
face a universe of stress-related physical and mental health
challenges widely publicized by the ABA’s Task Force on
Attorney Well Being and wellness initiatives by bar
associations.
The
legal profession would do well to focus on resilience as one
component to combat the stress-related ailments affecting the
profession. The corporate world has been focusing on building
resilience as part of employee wellness programs for years.
The military has as well. The ABA Task Force on Lawyer
Well-Being recommended that lawyers look to those models to
build resilience in its August 2017 comprehensive report,
The Path to Lawyer Well-Being: Practical Recommendations
for Positive Change.
A
Spiral Down to Un-Wellness
People
with low resilience tend to fixate on negative outcomes and
also tend to abandon self-care. Abandoning self-care may mean
making poor dietary choices, avoiding exercise, and
increasing the consumption of alcohol or other mood-altering
substances. These choices then spiral a person down to a host
of physical and mental health issues. The legal profession is
already plagued by high rates of depression, suicide,
anxiety-related disorders, and substance abuse. Building
resilience may be a step to reverse those trends.
People
with low resilience also tend to have less creativity for
solving problems. This is a significant detriment when our
profession depends on our abilities to solve problems for our
clients. People with low resilience also tend to take
criticism personally, resist feedback, and are overly
defensive. This type of downward spiral can lead to burnout
and higher rates of attrition.
Spiraling
Up to Resilience
Resilience
can be learned and can always be improved. Some attorneys
might be naturally resilient, others less so, and many may be
anywhere in between. Resilience may vary from scenario to
scenario, with some individuals being particularly resilient
in professional contexts but less so in personal matters, and
vice versa.
Building
resilience will vary from person to person. Two major areas
that resilience trainings focus on...
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