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Co-regulation is a process by which your nervous system “borrows” calm from another’s. Read more.

On any given day, dealing with a pressing matter may win out over a personal wellness routine. As lawyers and judges, we are trained to think in terms of urgency, risk, and responsibility—frameworks that naturally push less urgent personal health needs to the margins. The good news is that your physical well-being can be supported through small, consistent practices that are achievable even in the...

In law, it can be tempting to say yes to every client request, colleague expectation, or organizational demand. Without limits, however, burnout is the likely price. How do you know that you are close to reaching your limit before you actually reach it? Read full article .

In search of a “no lose” solution in a “no win” situation? You may be stuck in a decision dilemma. Read full article here .

As attorneys and judges, the demands of our profession often leave little room for personal reflection or creative enjoyment. However, dedicating just 15 minutes each night to meaningful activities can have a profound impact on our mental health, resilience, and neural wiring. Small, but intentional acts help create a buffer against stress, promote emotional balance, and fosters a sense of purpose...

LAP Volunteers Scott, Andrew and David explore what recovery means in their day-to-day law practices, advice for young attorneys, and the power of friendship.

Beginning the day with an intentional routine that supports well-being is an opportunity to regulate the nervous system and to stay regulated for the rest of the day and enhances our ability to navigate the complexities and stressors of our profession. Read the full article .

Trying to be all things, to all people, at all times, this Type-A perfectionist found that the energy required to maintain that façade lead him into a deep clinical depression back in 2005. He reflects on lessons learned personally and professionally over the years. Originally published in 2014, the podcast builds upon the article. Read the original article.

This lawyer thought all the talk of “self-care” was lovely nonsense. The measure of her worth was calculated in the amount of tangible work done in a day. Unintentionally stumbling into a hobby, however, where there was no competition or expectation of success brought a sense of lightness to this lawyer’s life not felt in a very long time. Read the full article .

Does self-doubt have you hiding professionally? Self-doubt is common among most people, and even more common among high-achieving professionals like attorneys and judges.  Read full article.

Party down, rock and roll, snort some coke, lose some soul. 17, running wild, bullet proof, foolish child. Got the grades, got the girl, let's give UNC a whirl. Read the full article.

What began as a quick Practice Perspective about the perils of having an attorney as a legal client evolved into a thoughtful reflection on this lawyer’s childhood trauma and resolution. Read the full article .

"Window of tolerance (WOT)" is a concept that is extremely useful when teaching attorneys and judges stress reduction and emotional regulation tools. It helps conceptualize a zone in which we have the bandwidth to tolerate the stressors and emotions inherent in the legal field. It also helps us identify alternate zones into which we get pulled when we are outside of this bandwidth. Read the full a...

Are subconscious beliefs informing your decisions in the legal field? Read full article here .

This lawyer knew about LAP for years, but she hesitated to reach out because she thought she didn’t have “the bona fides.” She suspected her perfectionism and catastrophic thinking might be an issue, but those issues had been plaguing her since her childhood - long before she ever became a lawyer. Read the full article . Research study mentioned in this episode related to gender specific findings:...

Grabbing an anchor is a simple yet effective tool to release us from our reactive survival strategies and return us to feeling and acting like our best selves. Read the full article .

In this podcast episode, we interview Nora Rivas, co-author of the 50 Lessons book series. The lessons in the book provide a jumping off point for deeper study and each is aligned with our well-being mission at NC LAP. Ms. Rivas is a consultant in the well-being space. She offers coaching, CLE, and law firm consulting.

Have you ever caught yourself thinking something negative over and over again and thought, “Why am I saying that to myself?” What if you could take that same unconscious, unhelpful looping pattern and turn it into a conscious, positive, self-help habit? Welcome to the world of mantra! Read full article here .

Little David, with his pitiful slingshot, vs. the mighty Goliath. In a nutshell, that's how it felt to me for much of my career as a public defender. Now, with years of recovery in Al-Anon, I realize that so much of my perception of my role as a defender was tied up in my codependency, my need to rescue, and my need to prove myself worthy. Not all defenders feel as I did and not all defenders choo...

Alison practices real estate law during the day, goes to graduate school at night, and raises young twins around the clock. At times she gets so overwhelmed with the many directions in which she’s pulled that she gets stuck deciding what to do first. In those moments, she finds herself procrastinating. Instead of doing something, she ends up doing nothing of value, like scrolling on her phone or w...

This lawyer skated through life and always managed to get out of trouble. Faced with some real legal consequences, this lawyer worked with LAP to “look good” when the reckoning came but instead wound up with an amazing life. Read full article here .

Grounding is a practice that moves your attention out of your thinking mind and into the sensations in your body. Grounding interrupts rumination and is helpful because it dissipates feelings of anxiousness. Read full article here .

After his father left, this lawyer substituted Hip-Hop artists for father figures. After an arrest in his 1L year, he was referred to LAP. Through spoken word, an open letter to his pops, and a podcast interview, he opens up with profound insight and vulnerability about his inner transformation. Read the full article here .

Robynn and attorney Derek Dittmar explore the limitations of language for words like “disabled” and “impaired” and what it means to work in a profession not designed for you, as Derek shares his experiences as a blind attorney. Read full transcript here .

Where self-criticism erodes self-esteem and impairs our ability to think clearly, befriending ourselves does the opposite while also building self-confidence. Read full article here.