Self-Care Techniques and Tipsfor Dealing with Difficult Clients

• Year: 2026
• Citation: Vol. 74 No. 4 Pg. 0027
• Pages: 0027

Self-Care Techniques and Tipsfor Dealing with Difficult Clients No. Vol. 74 No. 4 Pg. 27 Rhode Island Bar Journal January 2026

Nicole Browning

Self-care is often a first step to dealing with stress. Remember, you can't pour from an empty cup. You must take care of yourself first.

The past few years have been challenging, to say the least. Life has changed for most of us, and lawyers and clients struggle to maintain resilience. On top of the everyday stress associated with legal research, court deadlines, marketing, establishing a niche, and the other myriad tasks lawyers perform, dealing with difficult clients—clients facing increased stress themselves—can add significantly to the strain on a lawyer's emotional well-being. Now is a great time for lawyers to think about stress, self-care, and how to survive and thrive in stressful situations like dealing with difficult clients.

Stress Identification and Self-Care Techniques

Stress is a state of mental or emotional strain resulting from adverse circumstances. How do you know when you are stressed? Stress is different for everyone, but common symptoms include loss of interest and connection, difficulty concentrating, anger and irritability, hyper-vigilance, feeling helpless or hopeless, change in appetite, or substance use. Taking a minute to step back and identify when you are stressed is key to implementing self-care.

Self-care is often a first step to dealing with stress. Remember, you can't pour from an empty cup. You must take care of yourself first. Self-care techniques can include any or all the following steps:

Do What Makes You Happy

Like stress, self-care varies from person to person. Self-care could include exercise, time in nature, time alone, going out to dinner, journaling, reading, watching TV, learning new things, or engaging in crafts, among other joyful activities.

Ground Yourself

Plant your feet on the ground and take a minute to focus on the present.

Take a Few Deep Breaths

When I'm stressed, I get tight, maybe my heart races, and I get hot and worked up. Deep breathing can help you calm down, forcing your central nervous system to slow down. Breathe in through your nose for a count of four, hold for a count of seven, and blow out through your mouth for a count of eight. Deep breathing slows your heart rate and relaxes you.

Ask for Help

This is a big one! In law practice, everyone is busy, and you do not want to burden...