Your Wellness Matters! Update from Wellness Committee
From Gill Beck, Wellness Committee Chair & Bar President-Elect:
Research and experience demonstrate that the legal profession’s unique stresses require that attorneys take affirmative steps to promote their wellness and improved attorney wellness translates directly into enhanced effectiveness as an attorney and a healthier work-life balance. Buncombe County Bar President Carter Webb and the Bar’s Executive Committee are committed to promoting wellness within the Buncombe County Bar and have taken the following steps to promote wellness by offering:
- Resiliency CLE — The Bar is hosting free virtual CLE with Laura Mahr to promote resiliency. The seminar is called “Wiring Your Brain for Optimal Resilience in an Evolving Legal Landscape,” and will take place on Zoom on Thursdays from 10am-11am on October 7, 14, 21, 28 and November 4, 2021. For more information and to sign up go to https://buncombebar.com/upcoming-events/.
- Resources CLE — During the October 13, 2021 Bar Luncheon we will feature a panel of speakers including Judge Kepple and Ron Harris who will discuss resources available to our clients regarding a wide range of issues including treatment courts, drug and alcohol addiction, and mental health resources. To sign up go to https://buncombebar.com/events/bar-luncheon-october-2021/.
- The Impact of COVID on Lawyer Wellbeing CLE – On November 10th during our monthly meeting, Robynn Moriates of the State Bar will present a CLE on The Impact of COVID on Lawyer Wellbeing.
- Bar Cares Program – BarCARES is a short-term professional intervention program offered cost-free to members of the Buncombe County Bar. Each attorney may receive up to three free visits per year to address substance abuse, crisis intervention, depression/anxiety issues, and other professional stressors. To learn more about BarCARES visit https://www.ncbar.org/members/barcares/ To request a referral to a provider please contact the BarCARES coordinator at 919-929-1227 or 1-800-640-0735. For urgent concerns: to speak to someone immediately, call 919- 929-1227 or 1-800-640-0735.
- Mentorship Program — The Buncombe County Bar mentoring program provides experienced practitioners an opportunity to share their knowledge and experience with their mentees and to provide a guiding and supportive hand as young attorneys traverse the reality of practicing law. Finally, the mentees will learn the importance of becoming a citizen lawyer.
- Webpage – The Buncombe County Bar webpage provides wellness resources — https://buncombebar.com/wellness.
- Dealing with Adversity CLE — In the spring we will conduct a CLE focused on wellness similar to last year’s CLE where experienced attorneys will discuss how to deal with adversity in the practice of law.
- Wellness Week — Next May we are considering expanding out Wellness Day to a Wellness week where we bring in meditation, yoga, and other practices to help us deal with the pressures of practicing law.
- Wellness Committee Welcomes Your Ideas — President Carter Webb has appointed a Wellness Committee to look for ways to enhance wellness for our Bar members, which includes President-elect Gill Beck as Chair of our Wellness Committee, Past President Sonya Rikhye, Hayley Wells, Becca Eden, and Elizabeth Oxley. Please reach out to them regarding your ideas of how we can promote wellness for our Bar members.
