It is as hard as it has ever been to be a lawyer. The hours, the clients, other lawyers, AI, inter alia, all can contribute to enormous distress.

In this 60-minute virtual workshop, you’ll learn about three “lawyer habits” that contribute to that distress:

• Trying to control things outside our control
• Engaging in chronic self-criticism
• Isolating when we feel distressed

Together, these habits can create feelings of shame, which lead to further withdrawal and set off a negative cycle that leaves us feeling alone while carrying more and more distress.

You’ll learn how these habits become ingrained through legal education and training and how to recognize when they show up for you. Most importantly, you’ll develop and practice real-world strategies to support yourself when you find yourself in their grip.

By the end of the workshop, you’ll have a better sense of who you are, what you’re good at, and how to care for yourself going forward.

Key Takeaways
By translating these everyday challenges into evidence-based psychological frameworks, participants will learn how to:

• Interrupt Maladaptive Self-Criticism: Recognize the shift from productive self-correction to punitive internal dialogue and use cognitive restructuring techniques to interrupt cycles of self-punishment and professional shame.
• Deconstruct the Illusion of Control: Reestablish a healthy internal locus of control by separating professional inputs—such as preparation, ethics, and execution—from unpredictable external factors, including judicial rulings, opposing counsel behavior, and economic shifts.
• Override Experiential Avoidance: Counteract the urge to withdraw socially when distressed and build low-friction peer connections that help regulate nervous system distress.
• If time allows, cultivate self-compassion as a competence tool: Practice mindful self-compassion to strengthen psychological flexibility and support a more realistic, positive self-appraisal.