Law School and Mental Health
In acknowledgment of the National Law School Mental Health and Wellness Day, on October 10, 2018, ARC Director Jeffrey Minneti presented "What Makes Lawyers Happy." His presentation focused on the state of lawyer and law student well being and steps that students can take to care for their mental health. Professor Minneti emphasized the importance of practicing Mindfulness and led the attendees through several Mindfulness exercises. The slides from his presentation are below. In addition below you can find the articles supporting his presentation.
Wellness Week Presentation Display version.pptx Download Wellness Week Presentation Display version.pptx
Krieger What makes lawyers happy.pdf Download Krieger What makes lawyers happy.pdf
On November 6, 2017, the Access to Justice Institute hosted a great presentation on maintaining your mental health during law school and your legal career. The presenter, Frances Schopick, is both a lawyer and a social worker. At least part of her practice involves representing attorneys facing bar complaints that arise out of mental health and addiction issues. It is important for you to consider how you will protect and maintain your mental health during law school - as you'll see from the materials that follow, mental health issues and addiction are common concerns for law students and lawyers alike.
She kindly provided the following resources after her presentation. Below you will find her PowerPoint presentation, a substance abuse and mental health toolkit for law students produced by the ABA, and a bibliography (with relevant links) for resources on maintaining your mental health hygiene during law school. Below you will also find a link to SU's Counseling and Psychological Services center (CAPS). It is available to all students at Seattle University, including law students.
PowerPoint presentation by Frances Schopick: Maintaining Your Mental Health Hygiene Download PowerPoint presentation by Frances Schopick: Maintaining Your Mental Health Hygiene
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Toolkit for Law Students and Those Who Care About Them Download Substance Abuse and Mental Health Toolkit for Law Students and Those Who Care About Them (from the ABA)
Annotated Bibliography: Maintaining Your Mental Health Hygiene Download Annotated Bibliography: Maintaining Your Mental Health Hygiene
Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) Links to an external site.