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Well-Being

ISBA Well-Being Committee
The Well-Being Committee believes healthy and positive lifestyles are vital to the practice of law. This committee supports and inspires a culture shift by advocating for the importance of physical and mental well-being, personal growth, career satisfaction, and community involvement. Join or learn more by contacting Rebecca Smith, rsmith@inbar.org.

Well-being resources


About well-being

“Well-Being” is a holistic term for not only physical wellness, but also other dimensions of life such as mental health, career satisfaction, and community engagement.

OCCUPATIONAL
Cultivating personal satisfaction, growth, and enrichment in work; financial stability.

EMOTIONAL

Recognizing the importance of emotions. Developing the ability to identify and manage our own emotions to support mental health, achieve goals, and inform decision-making. Seeking help for mental health when needed.

facets of wellbeing


SOCIAL
Developing a sense of connection, belonging, and a well-developed support network while also contributing to our groups and communities. 

PHYSICAL
Striving for regular physical activity, proper diet and nutrition, sufficient sleep, and recovery; minimizing the use of addictive substances. Seeking help for physical health when needed.

SPIRITUAL
Developing a sense of meaningfulness and purpose in all aspects of life. 

INTELLECTUAL
Engaging in continuous learning and the pursuit of creative or intellectually challenging activities that foster ongoing development; monitoring cognitive wellness.


ISBA CLE

Resilience Training: Performance & Interpersonal Management Skills for a Better Practice and a Better Life
Understanding and Overcoming Imposter Syndrome


Groups

  • Mindfulness in Law Society Indiana Chapter
    The mission of the Mindfulness in Law Society (MILS) is to enhance well-being in the legal profession by educating it about the benefits of mindfulness meditation, yoga, and other contemplative practices. Learn more »
  • Indiana Judges & Lawyers Assistance Program 
    The Indiana Judges and Lawyers Assistance Program (JLAP) provides confidential, compassionate support to all judges, lawyers, and law students by promoting well-being, improving lives, fostering connection, and thereby elevating the competence of our profession. Anyone can call JLAP for help, whether you are calling for yourself or for a friend, family member, or colleague. Any contact you have with JLAP is held in the strictest confidence under Rule 31 of the Indiana Rules for Admission to the Bar and the Discipline of Attorneys. Learn more »
  • Institute For Well-Being In Law
    The Institute for Well-Being in Law (IWIL) is dedicated to the betterment of the legal profession by focusing on a holistic approach to well-being. Through advocacy, research, education, technical and resource support, and stakeholders’ partnerships, we are driven to lead a culture shift in law to establish health and well-being as core centerpieces of professional success. Learn more »
  • Lawyers Depression Project
    The Lawyers Depression Project is an online peer-to-peer support group for legal professionals. They want to help break the stigma around discussing mental health through confidential forum and bimonthly online support group meetings. Learn more »
  • National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
    NAMI offers educational programs and support for those affected by mental illness and advocates on their behalf at various levels of government. Learn more »
  • International Bar Association Professional Well-Being Commission
    The International Bar Association strives to highlight the importance of well-being for the global legal community and to advocate for change in the legal profession. Learn more »
  • Thought Kitchen
    Thought Kitchen offers mindfulness-based practices, CLE, and other services centering on topics of personal well-being and professional development and renewal. Learn more »


Res Gestae journal articles


Resources from the Well-Being Committee

31 Day Mental Health Challenge
Celebrate Well-Being Week in Law for the entire month of May with these daily well-being challenges and activities. See resource »

Well-Being Resources for New Admittees and Law Students
Download a one-page resource guide of well-being organizations, articles, and groups designed specifically for new admittees and law students. You are welcome to download, print, and share the guide.

Breaking the Test-Anxiety Loop: Using Self-Regulated Learning to Improve Bar Exam Performance
How many competent examinees fail the bar exam because of excessive worry? No one knows. However many, when bar exam candidates have resources to supplement their practice testing with self-regulated learning strategies, they will be better able to earn scores that reflect their real competence, without interference from test anxiety. See resource »

How To Deal With Bar Exam Stress
The bar exam may be one of the most important exams aspiring lawyers take. So, it is no surprise that graduate students dread the bar exam. Review the best strategies for handling UBE stress. See resource »

How To Avoid Panicking During Law School Exams
Pick up some strategies on handling exam anxiety in law school. See resource »

Wellness Resources for Law Students
Loyola University Chicago School of Law offers examples and suggestions for reading material on well-being and mindfulness topics. See resource »

6 Daily Self-Care Practices for Young Adults
For young adults, self-care isn’t always a priority. The pressures of college and/or starting a job can make basic self-care seem more like a luxury than a necessity. But making a commitment to incorporate self-care practices into your daily routine can create a positive difference not just now, but for the rest of your life. See resource »

Say More: Well-Being in the Legal Profession: Oxygen, Aspirin, or Bling?
Ten years ago, well-being in the legal profession wasn't even bling; it wasn't part of the daily discussion. Today, a lot of us talk about it, but are we practicing it or integrating it into our profession? See resource »

U.S. Surgeon General's New Workplace Mental Health & Well-Being Guidelines
This 30-page framework offers a foundations that workplaces can build upon to show workers that they matter and to provide resources and support.  See resource »

The Workforce Well-Being Imperative
Dr. Jay Bhatt, Colleen Bordeaux, and Jen Fisher discuss their research analyzing how work determinants of well-being (including leadership behaviors, design of work, and the ways of working) impact well-being in an organization. See resource »

How Thinking Like a Lawyer Can Affect Your Mental Health
Elizabeth Rimmer explains unhealthy thinking patterns common for lawyers and offers some tips on how to deal with them. See resource »

Next Level Resilience: Strengthen Your Brain for Optimum Performance Using Neuroscience
Resilience is the innate capacity to face challenges - to keep going when things are hard. Discover new strategies brought forward by neuroscience and related fields to change how you respond to life's challenges. See resource »

Meeting Loss and Grief with Self-Compassion, Not Judgment
Loretta Oleksy discusses the importance of talking about grief and loss, especially following the loss of certainty, predictability, and ritual we all experienced throughout 2020. Learn how to meet your grief with self-compassion. See resource »

#BeThe1To
#BeThe1To is a campaign that encourages everyone to take action and prevent suicide. Learn about the five action steps for communicating with someone in need and ways you can help support them. See resource »

The Besden Redemption
The ABA Commission on Lawyer Assistance Programs (CoLAP) and Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law have created a video called 'The Besden Redemption.' Attorney Laurie Besden candidly shares her story of drug addiction and, ultimately, redemption. See resource »

About One-Fifth of Lawyers and Staffers Considered Suicide at Some Point in Their Careers, New Survey Says
A new survey of lawyers and staff members hailing mostly from BigLaw has found that anxiety, depression and isolation remain at concerning levels, despite a slight decrease in the percentages since the survey last year. See resource »

Supervisor Relationships Are Key to Beating Attorney Burnout
Review tips for fostering a culture where associates are less likely to burn out and more likely to function at an optimal level. See resource »

How to Overcome Your Fear of Failure
Learn how to reframe your situation to avoid paralyzing stress and anxiety, and to redefine success independently of the final outcome. See resource »

An Introduction to the Brahmavihāras: For Lawyers, Law Students, & Judicial Officers
This course was designed by Jill Carnell for lawyers, law students, and judicial officers in response to the findings in the August 2017 report of the American Bar Association’s National Task Force on Lawyer Well-Being titled "The Path to Lawyer Well-Being: Practical Recommendations for Positive Change," specifically Recommendation 8.4: Mindfulness Meditation. See resource »

Feeling Stuck? Here’s How to Get Unstuck and Move Ahead
Understand how to reset and reassess your situation, and to take advantage of opportunities for giving and receiving support. See resource »