IndyBar: IndyBar’s HEAL Committee announces renewed focus on lawyer well-being

By The Hon. Helen W. Marchal, Marion Superior Courts

-We believe to be a good legal professional, you need to be a healthy person-

If national surveys on attorney wellness hold true, we are among a group of burned out, depressed, anxious legal professionals who, on average, drink more than we should, sleep less than what’s recommended, and find little to no work satisfaction.

Now, even if you don’t see yourself within that description, trust that it aptly describes some of your colleagues: partners and associates in your firm, opposing counsel, and the lawyers you pass in the halls of the Community Justice Center. Well-being surveys of law students and judicial officers reveal similar results. We all need a little assistance managing the day-to-day grind of the legal profession.

IndyBar’s HEAL (Helping Enrich Attorneys’ Lives) Committee is taking a deeper, more committed dive into finding practical solutions to improve our professional happiness and job satisfaction. Caveat: We are not a group of mental health experts, but rather, a committee of legal professionals who are simply interested in well-being. We believe that by adopting some simple lifestyle changes, we can feel better physically, emotionally, and mentally.

Don’t quite know how you’re feeling or what might be of help? As a first step, take advantage of one of the following assessment tools. All are free of cost and easily accessible online:

• University of Minnesota Assessment- Quick, 13 question survey.

www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/wellbeing-assessment

• Princeton University Assessment- A bit more thorough, categorizes questions into seven wellness dimensions.

umatter.princeton.edu/wellness-self-assessment#no-back

• Professional Quality of Life Assessment- Great assessment tool, especially for those who are impacted by second-hand trauma.

proqol.org/proqol-measure

Once you have those results, stay tuned for HEAL’s future communications. Beginning in September, you can find monthly posts on the HEAL IndyBar webpage relating to lawyer well-being. You’ll find out what’s worked for other IndyBar members, be directed to helpful well-being resources, and learn how to make positive changes in your professional life.

And for those of you who might be a bit hesitant, believing “well-being practices” to be too alternative, or weird, please keep an open mind. If daily meditation and intention-setting isn’t your thing, how about a walk around the block, or an invitation to a friend or colleague for coffee? The pathways to feeling better run the gamut.

To kick off HEAL’s efforts, plan to attend one or both of these upcoming events:

September 17th from noon to 1 p.m.: Well-known dietician, Jackie Dikos, kicks off an afternoon of well-being with: “Food for Thought—Nutrition for the Lawyer’s Brain.” Jackie will present invaluable information about the specific nutrients and timing of meals to improve mental clarity, stamina, and performance for legal professionals. This session is pending approval for one hour of ethics credit. You can register for this event at www.indybar.org/brain.

The afternoon continues as part of IndyBar’s member appreciation month. Starting at 1 p.m., seek solace during the “Wellness for the Mind, Body and Business” event with friendly therapy dogs (mind), chair massages (body), and free document shredding (business) all at IndyBarHQ.

If you’d like more information on our efforts or are interested in helping the legal community better navigate well-being, please email me at [email protected].•

Hon. Helen W. Marchal is the presiding judge over Marion Superior Court Criminal Division 15. She’s been on the bench for over six years. Previously, she worked as a city prosecutor for the City of Indianapolis. Judge Marchal is very involved with IndyBar. In addition to being the chair of the HEAL Committee, she is the Immediate Past Chair of the Women & the Law Division. She earned her undergraduate degree from Indiana University and her J.D. from the Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law.