Mental Health - Federation of Ontario Law Associations | Federation of Ontario Law Associations

Federation of Ontario Law Associations

Mental Health & Wellness Resources

MEMBER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM - FOR ONTARIO LAWYERS

Did you know? Ontario lawyers (and their families) have access to a Member Assistance Program (MAP). It is a fully confidential service provided by Homewood Health.

MAP provides secure, single sign-on access to counselling, coaching, online resources and peer volunteers. Members can get professional help with issues related to addictions, mental or physical health, work-life balance, career, family and more.

LEARN MORE

PEER VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

If you're an empathetic and caring lawyer who has struggled in the past with addiction, mental health, or other serious issues, consider helping colleagues facing similar struggles by volunteering for MAP's confidential Peer Support Program.

LEARN MORE

BELL LET'S TALK DAY

In 2020, For the 2nd year in a row, FOLA ran a #BellLetsTalk awareness campaign to engage lawyers in talking about mental health and help raise awareness about resources for lawyers.

On Bell Let’s Talk Day,, thanks to your actions, Bell raised $7,719,371.25 for Canadian mental health initiatives!

SEE OUR #BELLLETSTALK RESOURCES

LOOKING FOR SOME ONLINE RESOURCES?

TAKE ME THERE!

LOOKING FOR WORKPLACE MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES?

WE'VE GOT YOU COVERED HERE

LAWYER WELLNESS

STRESS/ANXIETY/DEPRESSION

DO YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH ALCOHOL?

STRESS/ANXIETY/DEPRESSION

Stress Strategies: A free online tool by the Psychology Foundation of Canada that gives practical ways to cope with stress.

BC Lawyer Assistance Program: Stress Management

7 science-based strategies to cope with coronavirus anxiety from Jelana Kecmanovic, Adjunct Professor of Psychology, Georgetown University

OBA WELLNESS RESOURCES

DO YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH ALCOHOL?

STRESS/ANXIETY/DEPRESSION

The Ontario Bar Association has a host of wellness resources, including a 30-day fitness challenge, quick tips, and a CPD series.

SADNESS VS. DEPRESSION - a video

ENJOY THE BENEFITS OF EXERCISE - a video

Learn how you can create your own happiness

Want more resources?

Click here

VISIT OBA LAWYER WELLNESS PAGE

DO YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH ALCOHOL?

Alcoholics Anonymous is an international fellowship of men and women who think they have a drinking problem. It is nonprofessional, self-supporting, multiracial, apolitical, and available almost everywhere. There are no age or education requirements. Membership is open to anyone who wants to do something about his or her drinking problem.

American Bar Association: Alcohol Use Disorders - signs & symptoms.

ABA Podcast: Substance Abuse and Mental Illness in the Legal Profession.

AA ONLINE MEETING DIRECTORY

MINDFULNESS

YOUR WELLBEING - CMHA

DO YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH ALCOHOL?

Mindfulness Without Borders (MWB) is a leading provider of best practices and evidenced-based programs on secular mindfulness and social-emotional intelligence to youth, educators, health and corporate professionals in communities around the world. MWB offers in-person and on-line workshops, produce a fantastic blog, and have lots of resources on their website.

MUSE, a Personal Meditation Assistant from Toronto's Interaxon, is wearable tech at its best! It's a headband that, when paired with their app, gives you feedback about your meditation in real time by translating your brain signals into the sounds of weather.

YOUR WELLBEING - CMHA

Mental health means striking a balance in all aspects of your life: social, physical, spiritual, economic and mental. Reaching a balance is a learning process. At times, you may tip the balance too much in one direction and have to find your footing again. Your personal balance will be unique, and your challenge will be to stay mentally healthy by keeping that balance.

Click here for information and suggestions from the Canadian Mental Health Association to help you keep your balance.

CLICK HERE TO FIND YOUR LOCAL CMHA

MORE MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES

PEER VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

The Peer Support Program, an integral part of the Member Assistance Program, offers peer-to-peer support to lawyers. No experience is necessary!

Homewood Health provides all volunteers with on-going training on effective ways to support others in the profession. The program is administrated by People Corporation to ensure the full confidentiality of all client information.

For more information about this volunteer opportunity, send an email to peervolunteer@peoplecorporation.com or call 1.855.403.8922.

HELPGUIDE.ORG

PEER VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

HelpGuide is a nonprofit mental health and wellness website. Their mission is to provide empowering, evidence-based information that you can use to help yourself and your loved ones.

It's 100% ad-free and not for profit.

Want some US and UK mental health stats and resources?

CLICK HERE

VISIT HELPGUIDE.ORG

WORKPLACE MENTAL HEALTH

HOW TO REDUCE COVID-19 ANXIETY IN THE WORKPLACE

Governments are beginning to loosen restrictions and some businesses are firing up their engines again. If you are leading one of these operations, you will be required to implement many new protocols to protect the physical and psychological safety of staff, both as a group and as individuals.

The work 2.0 reboot will become the new normal for workplaces, and while it may spur many good things - renewed energy for employees who have felt drained by isolation, innovation, enhanced processes and procedures - it will also require you to be acutely aware of employees’ needs and the way you can support, and ideally, positively impact their mental health as they move through this new phase of the crisis.

To do this successfully, it is important to have plans in place that reduce mental harm and promote mental health and wellness.

WORK 2.0 REBOOT: SUPPORTING EMPLOYEES’ MENTAL HEALTH

Coronavirus has many people anxious about their personal safety and a number of people are worried about their safety at work as well as the possibility of having to miss work due to sickness. Education is a big part of managing people’s anxiety. Blog post and video by My Workplace Health.

Clear, caring messages from all levels of leadership is helpful in reducing fear and uncertainty in the workplace in the face of public health concerns. Learn the best ways to effectively communicate about coronavirus in the workplace by clicking here.

Workplace Strategies for Mental Health: Dealing with Fear and Anxiety: Daily video tips on taking care of your mental health during the pandemic

MANAGING TEAMS FROM A DISTANCE

HOW TO REDUCE COVID-19 ANXIETY IN THE WORKPLACE

Below are some quick tips on leading through today's changing environment:

Leading from a distance: Video

Protecting your team's wellbeing: Video

Leading Through Change: Lessons in Inclusion: Article

Workplace Strategies for Mental Health: Plan for Resilience: PDF

5 Tips for Remote Working (from the OBA): Article

ARTICLES & REPORTS OF INTEREST

Warning signs: Why it’s important for lawyers and firms to be proactive about mental health - PracticePRO

Understanding mental health in the legal profession - PracticePRO

The Employer’s COVID-19 Return to the Workplace Playbook in Canada - Osler

Understanding mental health and mental illness and their impacts in the workplace - Morneau Shepell

WORKPLACE MENTAL HEALTH

ARTICLES & REPORTS OF INTEREST

Medcan offers employee health solutions bridge the gap between your benefits plan and the health needs of your employees. Plus, they have some amazing resources for you and your family.

The Great-West Life Centre for Mental Health in the Workplace is a leading source of free, practical tools and resources designed to help Canadian employers with the prevention, intervention and management of workplace mental health issues. All tools and resources are available in English and French to anyone, anywhere, at no cost.

#BELLLETSTALK 2020

RAISING $$ FOR MENTAL HEALTH

On Bell Let’s Talk Day 2020, Bell raised

$7,719,371.25 towards mental health initiatives across Canada!

Once again, FOLA ran a month long #BellLetsTalk awareness campaign designed to get lawyers talking about mental health and to direct them to helpful resources.

Thanks to YOU, FOLA increased our Twitter mentions by 631.8%! That's HUGE!

THIS IS WHY!

FOLA knows our community could use some help: too many lawyers are struggling - a high rate of lawyers experience some level of problem drinking, depression, and anxiety (according to a study of nearly 13,000 practicing lawyers commissioned by the American Bar Association and the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation found).

READ A 2019 REPORT CALLED "CREATING A WELL-BEING MOVEMENT IN THE UTAH LEGAL COMMUNITY" BY THE UTAH TASK FORCE ON LAWYER AND JUDGE WELL-BEING.

If you are a lawyer and need help, please contact the Law Society's Member Assistance Program.

LAWYER WELL-BEING: AN UNCHARTED PATH TO INCREASING DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

How can we address the corrosive culture that promulgates incivility, overwork, and alcohol consumption as a badge of honor at the root of the profession’s diversity problem?

In 2017, the American Bar Association's the National Task Force on Lawyer Well-Being issued a comprehensive report titled The Path to Lawyer Well-Being: Practical Recommendations for Positive Change in that urged all stakeholders to develop initiatives to change the unhealthy state of affairs.

DOWNLOAD REPORT

ON BELL LET'S TALK DAY, MAKE MENTAL HEALTH A PRIORITY!

WHY TALK ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH?

KEEP THE CONVERSATION GOING!

Many people living with a mental illness (including lawyers and/or their clients) report that negative stereotypes about mental illness, and the resulting potential for discrimination, cause them more suffering - and more often in silence - than the illness itself.

As a result, two thirds of those suffering from mental illness are too afraid to seek the help that they need.

But there is help. Talk to your doctor and seek professional help. With medication, and/or and proper self care, most people with mental illnesses are fully treatable. But no one gets better in isolation. Shame and silence makes it worse.

Please join FOLA as we as we work together to break the silence around mental illness.

READ THE 2019 REPORT "CREATING A WELL-BEING MOVEMENT IN THE UTAH LEGAL COMMUNITY" BY THE UTAH TASK FORCE ON LAWYER AND JUDGE WELL-BEING.

If you are a lawyer and need help, please contact:

LSO MAP

KEEP THE CONVERSATION GOING!

WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH ALL YEAR LONG!

While #BellLetsTalk day lasts for only 24hrs, mental health is an ongoing issue.

Let's keep talking!

Don't have time to create your own tweets? Don't know what to Tweet? Want images to go with those tweets FOLA has you covered!

FOLA has created and curated tweets that you copy and paste, We have #mentalwellness tips, #mentalhealth and #mentalillness facts and myths, images, and more. All geared to lawyers.

Because we think Lawyers need to talk about #mentalhealth too.

*****HAVE IMAGES AND/OR CONTECT TO SHARE? WE MIGHT FEATURE IT HERE. SEND CONTENT SUGGESTIONS TO KATIE AT:

katie.robinette@fola.ca and but BLT in the subject line.*****

CHECK OUT OUR IMAGES!

TWITTER-FRIENDLY MENTAL HEALTH FACTS (& FICTION)

Fast Fact about #MentalIllness #1: Mental illness indirectly affects all Canadians at some time through a family member, friend or colleague #BellLetsTalk @Ont_Law_Assoc

Fast Fact about #MentalIllness #2: In any given year, 1 in 5 people in Canada will personally experience a #mentalhealth problem or illness #BellLetsTalk @Ont_Law_Assoc

Fast Fact about #MentalIllness #3: Mental illness does not discriminate: It affects people of all ages, education, income levels, and cultures #BellLetsTalk @Ont_Law_Assoc

#MentalHealth Myth #1: #MentalHealth doesn’t affect me. FACT: We all need to take care of our mental health #HealthyMind, #HealthyBody #BellLetsTalk @Ont_Law_Assoc

#MentalHealth Myth #2: People w/ a #mentalillness never get better. FACT: Treatments are avail & full #recovery is attainable. It may involve more than just drugs; it also may include being socially & physically active #BellLetsTalk @Ont_Law_Assoc

#MentalHealth Myth #3: #Psychiatric disorders are not true illnesses. FACTS: Unlike a broken leg, #mentalillness can been invisible. They exist in our #brain chemistry and can be diagnosed #BellLetsTalk @Ont_Law_Assoc

#MentalHealth Myth #4: People w/ a mental illness lack intelligence. FACT: The level of intelligence among people w/ #mentalillness parallels healthy populations #BellLetsTalk @Ont_Law_Assoc

#MentalHealth Myth #5: People w/ a #mentalillness shouldn’t have jobs. FACT: People w/ mental illness can & do function well in the workplace. With a proper treatment plan, they can thrive as well as anyone else #BellLetsTalk @Ont_Law_Assoc

#MentalHealth Myth #6. People w/ mental illnesses just can’t handle stress. Fact: #Stress impacts well-being, but this is true for everyone. Taking care of yourself & asking for help are signs of #strength not weakness #BellLetsTalk @Ont_Law_Assoc

Looking for an image to add to your tweet? Check out our photo gallery below and then right click on any pic & save for easy sharing!

Want to learn what you can do? Here are some tips.

TWEETABLE WELLNESS TIPS FOR LAWYERS

TWITTER-FRIENDLY MENTAL HEALTH FACTS (& FICTION)

#MentalWellness Tip: Find Healthy Outlets: In this #video http://bit.ly/2V8I4oP by @OBAlawyers, Dr. Douglas & Dr. Horner by discuss healthy outlets to help you cope #BellLetsTalk @Ont_Law_Assoc

#MentalWellness Tip: Dealing w/ Chronic Stress: In this #video http://bit.ly/2SeAw1D by @OBAlawyers, Counsellor Rosana Zammit helps you understand what chronic #stress is, why u should care, & what u can do about it #BellLetsTalk @Ont_Law_Assoc

#MentalWellness Tip: Ask for Help: Talk 2 those close to u about what 2 look 4 at the beginning of a downward depression spiral. Watch this @OBAlawyers #Video: http://bit.ly/2ENDNSH #BellLetsTalk @Ont_Law_Assoc

#MentalWellness Tip: Managing expectations: Ideas 2 help u w/ #timemanagement, relationships, demands, expectations & your own emotional needs by @OBAlawyers http://bit.ly/2AgOl91

#BellLetsTalk @Ont_Law_Assoc

#MentalWellness Tip: #Depression: Modes of Coping “Different Modes of Coping Can Help Different People Manage Adversity” #Video by @OBAlawyers http://bit.ly/2BHFCwj#BellLetsTalk @Ont_Law_Assoc

#MentalWellness Tip: The Perfectionism Trap: Counsellor Rosana Zammit discusses the pros & cons of perfectionism: #Video by @OBAlawyers http://bit.ly/2Ag7cBc#BellLetsTalk @Ont_Law_Assoc

#MentalWellness Tip: Managing Demands: #Legal work requires exactitude & critical attention to detail. Self-care can help lawyers do an even better job at work. http://bit.ly/2EL5A5x @OBAlawyers

#BellLetsTalk @Ont_Law_Assoc

#MentalWellness Tip: Enjoy the Benefits of Exercise. Just five minutes of activity can boost your mood. #Video by @OBAlawyers http://bit.ly/2LyGWGx#BellLetsTalk @Ont_Law_Assoc

#MentalWellness Tip: #MentalHealth Strategies 4 #Lawyers: Dealing w/ personality factors in the #workplace – the sooner, the better! http://bit.ly/2SdAAPk@OBAlawyers

#BellLetsTalk @Ont_Law_Assoc

#MentalWellness Tip: At-Your-Desk Breathing Exercise: Counsellor Rosana Zammit demos a technique 2 help lower #stress levels. #Video by @OBAlawyers http://bit.ly/2SkfhvA

#BellLetsTalk @Ont_Law_Assoc

WHAT YOU CAN DO!

If you are a lawyer and need help, please contact the Law Society's Member Assistance Program.

Language matters

The words you use can make all the difference. Words can help, but they can also hurt.

Educate yourself

Stigma has been around for a long time. knowing the facts and myths about mental illness can be a great way to help end the stigma. Become a stigma buster!

Be Kind

Simple kindness can make a world of difference. Whether it be a smile, being a good listener or an invitation for coffee and a chat, these simple acts of kindness can help open up the conversation and let someone know you are there for them.

Expressions like “You’ll get over it” and “Just relax” can minimize how a person is feeling. Instead offer your support and say “I’m sorry you aren’t feeling well.” Ask what you can do to help.

Listen

Mental illness is a very common form of human pain and suffering. Being a good listener and asking how you can help, sometimes just even being there for people you care about, can be the first step in recovery.

Talk about it

Break the silence. Mental illness touches us all in some way directly or through a friend, family member or colleague. Stories of people who have experienced mental health issues and who are doing well can really challenge stereotypes. Most people with mental health issues can and do recover, some just by talking about it.

Other helpful tips

To help you be part of the conversation, the Bell Let’s Talk Conversation Guide was created. It provides information and resources on how you can facilitate a conversation in your community, as well as guidelines on how to have conversations with people you care about and may be concerned about.

Download Bell’s Conversation guide

SOME US & UK STATS