Registration is OPEN for The 2024 Women’s Legal Professional Retreat!

Register Now on Whova

Providing a Beacon of Hope for Virginia’s Legal Professionals Since 1985.

Learn how our recovery programs can provide a beacon of hope and empower lawyers, law students, and their families to find their way again.

Learn How We Help
Do you know
A Legal Professional
that needs help?
24-Hour Confidential Help Line
1-877-545-4682

We Help Virginia’s Legal Community With:

  • We all feel sad from time to time, but clinical depression is an illness that greatly impacts one’s quality of life. The persistent feeling of sadness that characterizes major depression can lead to a variety of behavioral and physical symptoms, including changes in sleep, appetite, energy level, concentration, daily behavior and self-esteem. Depression can also be associated with thoughts of suicide, which can lead to suicidal attempts.

  • Anger management is the inability to express anger in a healthy way. Chronic, explosive anger has serious consequences for your relationships, your health and your state of mind. Anger oftentimes masks other feelings, such as insecurity and vulnerability.

  • People with anxiety disorders experience constant, intrusive and unrelenting worry that dominates their thoughts and perceptions. This level of anxiety can interfere with daily responsibilities, job performance and relationships.

  • Burnout is a state of emotional, mental and physical exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress and anxiety. Burnout occurs when one feels overwhelmed and unable to meet constant demands.

  • Compassion fatigue is the cumulative physical, emotional and psychological effects of continual exposure to traumatic or distressing events when working in a helping capacity. Exposure to client distress and trauma is one of the largest factors of compassion fatigue.

  • Grief is a natural response to loss. Grief can also be a normal response to change because change in life brings loss in some form, whether big or small. Grief usually throws us off balance and into chaos. Unfortunately, the world does not stop to allow us adequate time to grieve. We have to continue on life’s path while simultaneously grieving. The good news is that you are not alone. Everyone suffers loss. Grief counseling can help.

  • Classic characteristics of over-functioning include being overly focused on another person’s problems, offering frequent advice or help to another person, doing things that are part of the other person’s life responsibilities, feeling angry when help is not appreciated, and frequently feeling overwhelmed and stressed, as well as neglecting self-care.

  • Dementia is not a specific disease. It’s a term that describes a group of symptoms associated with a decline in memory. To classify as dementia, symptoms must be severe enough to reduce a person’s ability to perform everyday activities. Dementia is often incorrectly referred to as “senility” or “senile dementia,” which reflects the formerly widespread, but incorrect, belief that serious mental decline is a normal part of aging. While symptoms of dementia can vary, at least two of the following core brain functions must be significantly impaired to be considered dementia: memory loss and judgement.

  • When we think of addiction, we usually think of drugs and alcohol. However, it also refers to compulsive behaviors like gambling, having sex, eating and spending money. A process addiction follows a destructive path and is often coupled with mental health issues such as anxiety.

    • Substance Abuse/Addiction

    Drug or alcohol abuse is defined by having two or three symptoms of addiction. Many people experience alcohol or drug abuse problems but are able to stop using or change their patterns without progressing to addiction. The most severe form of substance abuse is addiction: a physical, chronic disease that typically requires long-term treatment. Types of addiction include: Nicotine, alcohol, illegal drugs and prescription drugs.

  • 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.

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

  • 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.

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

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

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

  • Featured Recovery Story

    Mark’s Story

    Gradually, I surrendered to his advice and demands because I began to want what he had, and I did not want to go back to that hell of depression and despair that I was leaving behind. I had bad moments, bad weeks, and periods of depression but they grew less frequent and less intense with time. Gradually he and the program pulled me along to a point where I began to appreciate all that I had been given.

    AA and my sponsor helped me see, understand, accept, and surrender to that the fact that the most important thing in my life was recovery from alcoholism. And this new vision allowed me to find the real gem, the really big gift: some sobriety.

    Continue Reading

    Need Help?
    (or know someone who does?)
    Call Our 24-Hour Confidential Help Line
    1-877-545-4682
    Refer a Colleague:
    Contact Us