Taking the First Step: When Is It Time for a Lawyer to Get Therapy?
It's time to seek therapy when things are not really getting any better.
Because personal challenges rarely vanish. They tend to show up when least expected. If something has gone unaddressed for some time, it can create a sense of malaise, patterns of control, rumination, possible substance use, or another mental health challenge. A growing sense of disillusionment becomes more present, while the tension inside doesn't stop.
When it's difficult to take the first step
Despite these challenges, it can still be difficult to take that first step. There can be a tendency to think that once the work product is complete, things will settle down. Unfortunately, it doesn’t happen that way. Rather, based on my experience, I can say that if the past is any indicator of the present, a new case is often assigned in a short period of time. People who already struggle with time management or anticipatory anxiety find this sequence of one matter closing and another one starting to be highly stressful. The question remains: how long can this pace go on without some substantive support?
Taking the First Step
The first step is simple. I believe it is vital to one's wellbeing to schedule a consultation with a therapist who works with lawyers. Find someone who understands the unique challenges, a therapist who also relates to being a woman or mother in a demanding workplace.
The Consultation Call
A consultation allows both client and clinician to not only explore their fit, but also to get a sense of the therapist's ease at working with lawyers. You can evaluate this by how naturally concerns are explored or how questions are asked or answered. Your instinct can provide as much information as your intellect during the call.
In this practice, a consultation is considered the first step, and while it provides information, nothing replaces a complete consultation before a decision is made about working together.
Consultation Process
I see the consultation process as a structured meeting intended to do two things: help the client feel comfortable and help the clinician gain clarity. As a therapist, I ask a potential client to "paint me a picture" of what might be occurring in their life.
Starting with an open-ended question allows a client to speak for as long as they need without interruption, unless they seem uncomfortably overwhelmed.
At the conclusion of the consultation, clinical impressions are provided, and together, a decision is made about working together.
Taking the first step does not mean anything other than just that, and at the same time, it's a powerful signal to oneself: "I'm not going to be settling."
If you or someone you know could benefit from this therapy, schedule a consultation call.