Login
Powered by
MOMENTUM
MEDIA
Powered by MOMENTUM MEDIA
As legal professionals navigate the emotionally charged landscape of their work and confront the traumatic experiences of those they represent, it has become increasingly important for law firms to adopt measures that both prevent and address vicarious trauma.
Speaking with Lawyers Weekly, Emma Howard, national mental health manager and in-house psychologist at Clayton Utz, along with Emily Woodlands, health, safety and wellbeing manager at the firm, explored the psychological effects and broader implications of vicarious trauma on legal professionals.
Together, they also discussed numerous proactive workplace measures and personal strategies that legal practitioners can adopt to mitigate the impact of vicarious trauma on themselves and others.
Howard pointed out that, much like psychologists and other support professionals, lawyers “often hear stories of trauma” from their clients or colleagues while on the job. As a result, she noted that this can stir up “strong emotions”, and listening to such narratives can sometimes “feel overwhelming”.
However, Howard explained that such reactions are “a normal human response”, sharing how she has observed vicarious trauma manifesting as “lingering anger or sadness about the client’s victimisation, emotional over-involvement, and feelings of guilt or self-doubt”.
These emotions, however, extend beyond the workplace. Howard noted that, these feelings often “follow lawyers home – with thoughts of the client occupying their mind long after work”.
The ramifications of vicarious trauma are evident in the wellbeing of legal professionals; however, Howard articulated that these effects extend to influence “team dynamics and beyond”.
Howard indicated that law firms may experience heightened levels of “burnout, decreased job satisfaction, and impaired job performance” as a result of vicarious trauma.
In response to the escalating concern, Woodlands presented a series of practical and proactive measures that law firms may adopt to foster a workplace environment that reduces the risks of vicarious trauma among their lawyers.
“Law firms can foster a supportive work environment by instituting regular mental health training, offering access to counselling services, encouraging open dialogue about mental health, and promoting work/life balance through flexible working hours and resource sharing,” Woodlands said.
Woodlands explained that firms should be proactive in “reducing unnecessary exposure” to distressing content by adopting straightforward yet effective strategies, such as establishing a “labelling system that warns of distressing content”.
At Clayton Utz, the firm launched the “Vicarious Trauma Support Program”, which was developed internally by Howard, where “lawyers participate in evidence-based psychoeducation”. By creating this initiative internally, Woodlands pointed out that the firm can “tailor its program to the needs of our people and the ‘lawyer experience‘.”
“Our program equips lawyers with the skills to recognise signs and manage vicarious trauma and compassion fatigue. We have also implemented mandatory wellbeing check-ins to proactively reduce and respond to the risk of trauma,” Woodlands said.
Beyond workplace strategies, Woodlands shared that lawyers can adopt personal strategies to mitigate the impact of vicarious trauma “while simultaneously encouraging wellbeing outside of the office”.
These approaches include “practising mindfulness or meditation to manage stress, staying physically active to boost overall mood, and setting firm boundaries between work and personal life”.
One of the most critical strategies an individual may employ, as explained by Woodlands, is to “proactively and preventively” seek support as soon as they begin to recognise emerging signs or symptoms.
We’re evolving – and so should your insights. Lawyers Weekly is going premium from 1 May, for just $5 a month. Stay informed without missing a beat! More information coming soon.
We're evolving — and so should your insights. Heads up — Lawyers Weekly is going premium from 1 May for just $5 a month. Stay informed without missing a beat. More information coming soon.
Get breaking news
Grace Robbie
