May 6–12 is the Canadian Mental Health Association’s (CMHA) Mental Health Week (also known as Well-Being Week in Law in the United States). Mental Health Week is a social change campaign to educate the public and shift beliefs and perceptions about mental health.

This year’s theme is “A Call to be Kind” and is centred on the healing power of compassion. Compassion is the practice of meeting suffering, whether our own or the suffering of others, with kindness. In a world plagued by distress and suffering, the CMHA emphasizes that kindness is intrinsic to our humanity and that being compassionate can connect us and make an enormous difference for our mental health.

The Law Society of Alberta is offering to cover the registration cost for a number of lawyers and articling students to complete the online Canadian Red Cross Psychological First Aid – Self-Care course. In this short self-directed course, you will learn about the types, causes and effects of stress and trauma, strategies to prevent, recognize and cope with stress, and how to develop and implement a personal self-care plan. This course will provide you with the knowledge and tools to prioritize your well-being and practise self-compassion amidst life’s challenges.

The registration cost will be covered for the first 50 lawyers and articling students who express interest. To access the coupon code to register for the course, please contact Education.

Read on to learn more about how you can participate in Mental Health Week and the supports available to the legal profession.

Participating in Mental Health Week

Everyone needs help at some point in their life and career. As we work towards creating a safe and supportive environment for all legal professionals, it is important for lawyers to familiarize themselves with the resources available to them.

Listed below are a few ways to take part in Mental Health Week:

• participate in online and in-person mental health programs and events;
• check out the Law Society of Alberta’s Resource Centre, including the resource package from the Well-being in Practice summit that the Law Society of Alberta co-hosted in 2022;
• access professional counselling or peer support through the Alberta Lawyers’ Assistance Society (Assist);
• view the Canadian Bar Association’s (CBA) Wellness Resources and on-demand activities; or,
• contribute towards creating a safe and supportive environment at your workplace that lets your colleagues know everyone needs help at some point in their life and career.

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Available Wellness Supports

If you or someone you know is feeling overwhelmed, or dealing with something that may be impacting the ability to capably perform a job, there are supports that can help lawyers deal with challenges in a constructive way.

We encourage you to reach out to any of the supports listed below if you need help.

• Practice Management consultations are available at no cost to help lawyers identify potential areas of risk before problems develop and client relations suffer.
• Our free, voluntary self-directed Practice Management Assessment Tool helps you rate your effectiveness in a variety of practice management areas and provides a curated list of free resources to help address gaps and manage risks.
• The Law Society of Alberta’s Trust Safety department can assist Responsible Lawyers and law firms with their trust accounting and safety questions and concerns.
• Our confidential Practice Advisor services and Equity Ombudsperson help lawyers navigate ethical and practice matters and harassment and discrimination concerns.
• Alberta Lawyers’ Assistance Society (Assist) offers professional counselling and peer support, as well as 24/7 crisis counselling via telephone at 1.877.498.6998. All services are provided on a confidential basis and no disclosure of use of these services is made to the Law Society of Alberta.
• The toll-free Hope for Wellness Help Line, at 1.855.242.3310, is available 24/7 to all Indigenous people across Canada and the online chat link can be found on their website. The toll-free 24-hour National Indian Residential School Crisis Line is 1.866.925.4419 to receive immediate emotional assistance.

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Upcoming Events

Table Talk – Real Estate Conveyancing | May 15, 2024

Webinar: Responsible Lawyer Information Session | May 30, 2024

Posted: May 2, 2024