With the advent of social media and online communication, libraries have lost some of their status as a community hub. Whereas the Great Library used to be a place to bump into colleagues while looking up a case or brushing up on an obscure point of law, it has now transitioned to a virtual setting with one-on-one interaction with a librarian.
While the venue may have changed, libraries are still an important hub of information and connection. They’re also one of the few remaining places where a physical space to work is free and welcoming. Use our location to work undisturbed, plan before your trial starts, or even relax and practice some mindfulness.
We’ve curated some articles from our online sources to provide more information and guidance on well-being in all stages of your career.
Available behind the Member Portal or click for a pdf copy.
This month LexisNexis is hosting two free webinars on mental health and law. Check the descriptions below for more information and registration.
Each Webinar Includes:
CPD Credits: 1 hour (Substantive)
For Ontario, 1 hour can be applied towards the 9 Substantive Hours of Continuing Professional Development as required by the Law Society of Ontario
For other provinces, consider including this 1 hour course as a CPD learning activity in your mandatory annual Continuing Professional Development Plan as required by the Law Society
A chance to interact through online question and answer periods
A recording of the live event
Mental Health and the Crossroads of Indigenous Persons, Bail & Sentencing January 17, 2023 12:00 PM
Contributing authors of “Law and Mental Health in Canada: Cases and Materials” discuss the intersection of mental health and Indigenous persons who become charged with a criminal charge or come before the Consent and Capacity Board. They also explore the ways mental health can impact decisions at the bail and sentencing stages in criminal proceedings.
Key Learning Objectives • To identify and address issues specific to Indigenous persons living with mental health disorders in both the criminal and civil mental health fields. • To identify and address issues specific to bail and sentencing for accused persons presenting with mental health disorders. • To participate in a Question & Answer period with the opportunity to ask live questions.
Administrative Tribunal Litigation and Mental Health January 25, 2023 12:00 PM
The co-authors and General Editors of “Law and Mental Health in Canada: Cases and Materials” discuss the pros and cons of mental health law litigation before civil mental health review panels and Criminal Code Review Boards across Canada, including particular challenges for both litigants and tribunals during the COVID-19 pandemic. Topics covered include the nature of these hearings, the expertise of panels, rules of evidence and the tribunals, best practices in appearing as counsel for parties in such proceedings, cultural competency and tips for avoiding the appearance of institutional bias and providing full and fair hearings.
Key Learning Objectives • To identify and address issues specific to administrative law litigation where mental health is an issue as distinct from traditionally adversarial trial proceedings in Court and how to ensure full and fair, bias-free hearings both from the perspective of litigants and the tribunal. • To participate in a Question & Answer period with the opportunity to ask live questions
We recently wrote about the declaration of the Canadian Mental Health Association’s Mental Health Week. Lawyers as a group are notorious for ignoring mental wellness and self care. I came across this opinion piece titled “A more inclusive discussion on the impact of trauma on lawyers’ mental health is needed“, published in Canadian Lawyer Magazine, and thought it was a good way to continue the conversation. It was writtenby Crystal Tomasiuk, Crown counsel with B.C. Prosecution Services, and discusses the vicarious trauma lawyers deal with in their practice. Having sat in on a couple of criminal trials, I have wondered how lawyers deal with the sometimes horrific facts and scenes they are exposed to.
Vicarious trauma can affect those of any background. As important as it is to recognize our collective vulnerability in this way, more is needed for a truly inclusive and trauma-informed approach. In particular, we need to face the prevalence of trauma in our society and explicitly address the fact that many of us come to the practice of law having already experienced significant trauma that may shape how our mental health is impacted by the pressures of the profession.
If you feel you’re suffering from vicarious trauma, or just the stress of the profession, the Law Society of Manitoba’s Health and Wellness program offers a free and confidential service for you and your family.
The Canadian Mental Health Associations Mental Health Week is May 6 – 12, 2019.
Mental health is a state of well-being, and we all have it. We might have a mental illness, and we might not. Either way, we can all feel well. We can all have good mental health. It is about having a sense of purpose, strong relationships, feeling connected to our communities, knowing who we are, coping with stress and enjoying life. And it’s never too early or too late to get there. But it’s not just about what you do for yourself, by yourself—everyone needs healthy and supportive places to work, live and learn.
– Canadian Mental Health Association
Mental health affects all of us in one way or another, whether it’s ourselves, friends and family or a client. We have put together a few resources to help you navigate mental health for yourself, a loved one or a client.
Featured in the Display
In the Library:
You are not Alone : The Lawyer’s Guide to Anxiety / The Law Society of Manitoba Education and Competence Department
Slaying the Demons of Anxiety and Stress for Improved Health and Wealth / The Law Society of Manitoba Education and Competence Department
desLibris (Behind the Law Society of Manitoba Member’s Portal):
The Lawyers Health and Wellness Program (LHWP) is a free and confidential service for practising lawyers in Manitoba and their families. It offers help with:
Stress
Addictions
Psychological Disorders
Family and Parenting
Relationships
Emotional/Behavioural
Financial Crisis
LHWP offers crisis-intervention and assessment, short-term counselling services to a maximum of twelve sessions per family per year, and appropriate referrals. Visit The Law Society of Manitoba for more information.
*Newsletter distribution service is only offered to members of the Law Society of Manitoba.
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