The Wellness Esquire Podcast

In this episode, I chatted with Courtney Schulnick, a former defense litigator who spent 20 years in the "grind" before finding a path to wholeness through mindfulness. We talked about our bumpy journeys and how the pressure to be perfect led us to suppress our struggles until we hit a wall. Courtney shared her personal story of balancing a high-stakes legal career with motherhood and lo...

In this episode, I sit down with Amy Guldner, a former big-law litigator turned wellness coach. We dive into the silent struggle many high-achieving professionals face: using alcohol as "medicine" for stress.  Amy shares her journey from being a "successful" attorney and mother to realizing that her nightly bottle of wine was actually fuel for a growing darkness and suicidal id...

In this episode, I sit down with Gwen Griggs and Whitney Harper , the powerhouse behind Advos Legal . We dive deep into the "brokenness" of the traditional legal system and how they’ve engineered a new path.  We explore the transition from the grueling billable hour to a value-based "point" system adapted from software development's Agile methodology. Gwen & Whitney sh...

Immigration attorney Elizabeth Garvish joins The Wellness Esquire Podcast to discuss lawyer burnout, emotional resilience, and the concept of the stress “refractory period” — how long it takes to recover after pressure or overwhelm. In conversation with Ariella Cohen Coleman, Elizabeth shares how lawyers get stuck in cycles of people-pleasing and constant output, and why reconnecting to your inner...

In this episode of The Wellness Esquire , Ariella Cohen Coleman speaks with Jennifer Kupferman about a question many lawyers avoid: Do you believe you deserve help — not because you’re struggling, but to perform better? They explore why high-achieving attorneys normalize stress, resist support, and operate in survival mode. Jennifer introduces somatic therapy and explains how stress lives in the b...

In this episode of The Wellness Esquire Podcast , Ariella Cohen Coleman speaks with William Jordan about anxiety, depression, and the hidden mental health challenges in the legal profession. Will shares his journey from early-career overwhelm to seeking help, starting treatment, and now speaking openly about lawyer mental health. They explore the “mask” many attorneys wear, how negative self-talk...

In this episode of The Wellness Esquire Podcast , Ariella Cohen Coleman speaks with a former BigLaw attorney who walked away from a toxic, fear-driven firm culture to build something different. They discuss the mental health toll of law, abusive leadership, and the pressure to simply “toughen up.” He shares what pushed him to leave — and how he created a firm rooted in respect, mentorship, and sus...

What if burnout wasn’t the price of success in law? In this episode of The Wellness Esquire Podcast , Ariella Coleman and Rich Bracken explore what the legal profession could look like if emotional intelligence mattered as much as technical skill. They discuss building psychologically safe, high-performing environments rooted in self-awareness—not silent stress. Rich shares how storytelling, empat...

Vulnerability isn’t weakness in law. It’s survival. In this episode of The Wellness Esquire Podcast , Ariella Coleman is joined by Rich Bracken to explore emotional intelligence, mental health, and the cost of silence in the legal profession. Rich shares personal experiences—from losing a colleague to suicide to his own severe anxiety attack—highlighting how invisible these struggles can be. Ariel...

What if becoming a good lawyer has less to do with perfection — and more to do with being human? In this candid and deeply grounded conversation, Ariella Coleman sits down with Damon Hudson to unpack what it really means to become — and be — a lawyer while navigating real personal challenges alongside professional demands. Damon shares his journey through law school and into legal practice while f...

In this episode of The Wellness Esquire podcast, Ariella Coleman is joined by guest Emily Logan Stedman for an honest conversation about what it’s really like to practice law in high-pressure environments—and how mental health and well-being fit into that reality. Emily shares her journey from law school to her current role in BigLaw, reflecting on the expectations lawyers internalize early on and...

In this episode of The Wellness Esquire , Ariella Coleman is joined by Jennifer Marino Thibodaux for an honest conversation about what it really means to live and work with authenticity in the legal profession. Rather than framing well-being as a question of “balance,” Ariella and Jennifer explore the idea of integration — how professional identity, health, values, and lived experience inevitably...

In this episode of The Wellness Esquire , host Ariella Coleman speaks with Cody Hand about rethinking how lawyers practice—and how they value themselves in the process. The conversation explores the growing disconnect between traditional legal structures and what lawyers actually need to build sustainable, fulfilling careers. Ariella and Cody take a close look at the limits of the billable hour an...

In this episode, host Ariella Coleman sits down with Jordana for an honest conversation about navigating life and work in the legal world.  Jordana Confino is a lawyer, writer, and speaker who focuses on well-being and sustainability in the legal profession. Through her work, she explores perfectionism, burnout, and the pressure to perform, advocating for self-compassion, boundaries, and healthier...

In this conversation, Ariella Coleman sits down with attorney and entrepreneur Dave Strousberg for an honest, thoughtful discussion about fear, failure, and what it really means to build a sustainable career in law. Dave shares his journey through law school, the bar exam, and the financial and emotional pressure that followed. He talks openly about the moments when fear might lead to inaction, an...