Vermont (VT) Mental Illness Awareness CLE Course Catalog

In today’s fast-paced work environment, stress and anxiety are common challenges that can impact both productivity and well-being. This program is designed to equip you with actionable strategies to confidently manage these pressures for yourself and your colleagues and learn the role that organizational health plays.

In today's rapidly evolving workplace, understanding and integrating self-care practices that resonate across diverse generational perspectives is crucial for fostering a culture of mental health and well-being. This session will delve into how varying generational values and experiences shape self-care and mental health practices in the modern work environment. Join our expert speakers as they provide real-world examples and discuss collaborative efforts designed to equip you with the tools to implement a forward-thinking approach to mental health and self-care in your organization.

In this 1-hour course, Dr. Brian Russell, Licensed Psychologist and Attorney, discusses issues encountered and interventions employed repeatedly in years of psychotherapy sessions with attorneys. Topics include "impostor syndrome," perfectionism, burnout, and spillover effects on relationships outside of work, as well as tips to help attorneys manage work-related stress more healthily, effectively, and sustainably.

In this 1-hour course, Dr. Brian Russell, Licensed Psychologist and Attorney, updates data reported and ethical issues discussed in his 2020 "Attorney Impairment: Ethical Implications and Difficult Conversations" (also available here at CLE Center). Topics include substance abuse, mental illness, and ethical obligations of attorneys regarding the practice of law if impaired.

Drawing upon his personal experience as a former law firm lawyer in addition to guidance from psychologists and other experts in the field, Zach McGee discusses professional burnout among lawyers: what it is, how it impacts attorneys in and out of the office, how to spot it and how to address it. Zach also reviews the legal ethics rules that require lawyers to provide competent representation to our clients, and require supervising lawyers to ensure that more junior lawyers meet this obligation, which may become implicated when lawyers are suffering from professional burnout.

In this program, seasoned mental health attorney Carolyn Reinach Wolf (Abrams Fensterman LLP) will take the audience to an in-depth conversation about the growing issues surrounding substance abuse and addiction among legal professionals. The speaker will also present the best strategies and practices for prevention and treatment.

In this CLE seminar, The Knowledge Group presents ardent mental health and well-being advocate Mark Yacano (Major, Lindsey & Africa) and mental healthcare practitioner Atty. Carolyn Reinach Wolf (Abrams Fensterman, LLP) for an in-depth discussion of emerging mental health issues in the legal profession. The distinguished speakers will also share practical tips and effective strategies to manage the mental well-being of lawyers.

We all know that CLE programs are boring and a chore to watch.  But we’re breaking the rules – aCLE program that’s intentionally funny and (gasp) entertaining, yet somehow still informative. In the latest installment of this popular series, Mark Wooster hosts the “It’s Never Too Late Show” with his featured guest, popular writer and stand-up comedian -- and recovering addict – Craig Shoemaker. During this funny yet compelling program, Craig shares his personal story of how he overcame addictions to alcohol, drugs and sex and set himself on a path to great success in his personal and professional lives, while teaching lawyers how to spot the signs of addiction and how to get help. Reserve your seat today!

Lawyers are much more likely than other professions to suffer from substance use and mental health disorders due to the high-stress nature of our work and a culture that encourages us to be self-reliant. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, increasing stress and isolation among lawyers has made this problem even worse, particularly for the newest members of the bar. Our experts discuss this alarming trend and what we can do to help ourselves and our colleagues during these difficult times.