E96 | "Walking the Walk" on Lawyer Well-Being | Bree Buchanan

Serving clients as their advocate takes a toll—mentally, emotionally, and physically. Bree Buchanan, Senior Advisor at Krill Strategies and former director of the Texas Lawyers’ Assistance Program, is all too familiar with this problem. After years of representing clients in traumatic cases, Bree relied on alcohol to cope. As she began her recovery, Bree developed a passion for helping other lawyers take care of their own well-being. In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, Bree joins Todd Smith and Jody Sanders to share her experience and tips on how attorneys can care for themselves and others. She also discusses her role at the Institute for Well-Being in Law and their efforts to reshape the profession to support attorney wellness and recovery. 0:00 Intro 4:55 The Confidentiality of TLAP 9:15 Origins of the Institute for Well-Being and Law 14:19 How the Pandemic Accelerated Change 18:45 Advice for Legal Employers and Individuals 23:04 Being Transparent About Getting Help 28:36 Setting Boundaries Around Availability 32:31 How Much Progress Have We Made 38:09 The Role of Law Schools 41:38 Predictions for the Next Decade -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Texas Appellate Law Podcast Episode 96 Original Air Date: May 26, 2022 The views expressed by the participants of this podcast are their own, and not those of their law firms, courts, or employers. Nothing you hear on this show establishes an attorney-client relationship, or is legal advice. texapplawpod.com