Episode 2.5: Exploring Attorney Well-Being & Mental Health
Season 2 | Social Share
In this episode, Robin Frazer Clark, Jonathan Ringel, and Stacey Dougan offer insights on the importance of attorney well-being, suicide prevention, and explore how the culture of the legal profession must change to promote mental health. Miles neutral, Bianca Motley Broom, and CMO, Marcie Dickson, guide the discussion and provide additional resources.
Robin Frazer Clark is a personal injury attorney and past president of the State Bar of Georgia (2012-13). During her tenure as bar president, Clark created the “How to Save a Life” program to educate members about the warning signs of suicide. She is a vocal advocate of attorney wellness and suicide prevention.
Jonathan Ringel is the editor of the Daily Report, the official legal news source of Georgia. In 2018, he oversaw an informal mental health study that enabled attorneys to share their mental health challenges confidentially. He has written and edited significant pieces aimed at suicide prevention and de-stigmatizing mental health treatment among lawyers.
As a lawyer turned therapist, Stacey Dougan works with individual lawyers to enhance their well-being by aligning their needs and values with their professional roles and responsibilities. She has extensive experience in this area, having served as a shareholder, assistant general counsel, and chief professional development officer at Big Law firms. As a consultant, Dougan partners with bar associations, employers, law schools, and employee assistance programs to improve the well-being of attorneys and law students.
Bianca Motley Broom is a strong advocate for attorney well-being. She has written in various outlets about the importance of work-life balance. As an adjunct to this episode, she shared a moving account of the positive impact mental health treatment has had in her own life.
This episode is available, along with a special segment featuring former attorney Lisa Smith, author of the memoir A Girl Walks Out of a Bar. Smith’s book details her struggles with alcoholism and drug addiction.
For more information about the information discussed in this episode, view this resource page.
The Future of Resolution Podcast is also available on Apple Podcasts , Spotify and Stitcher. This podcast is the latest in a series of episodes that features thought leaders in Georgia’s legal community.