WBI Weekly Digest
Happy October!
Well-Being Wednesday
Answering Your Character & Fitness Questions
If you missed last week’s "Meet LCL and the Minnesota Board of Law
Examiners" lunchtime event, we’ve got you covered. Do you have concerns
about character and fitness issues that might come up when you’re applying
for admission to the bar? Don’t let them stress you out. Instead, get ahead
of them.
When should you address your issues? As soon as you can. The Minnesota
Board of Law Examiners (BLE) wants people to be proactive and is focused on
conduct — particularly how likely you are to repeat your conduct. If there
is a pattern of behavior, the BLE will want to know what you are doing now
to address that issue. For example, if underage drinking leads to
disorderly conduct and eventually a DUI, the BLE will want an explanation
of how you will prevent this conduct from recurring. Their main concern is
whether conduct is going to affect your ability to practice.
What do you need to disclose? For starters, your criminal, debt,
employment, and litigation history. The important thing to know is that if
you are being proactive and handling issues, boards will likely not be
concerned. For instance, if you are steadily paying off your student loans,
don’t worry. On the other hand, unfiled taxes and unpaid child support will
raise questions. All that said, you should err on the side of disclosing
information.
Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers <https://www.mnlcl.org/> (LCL) is here to
help! They can walk you through requirements for disclosure. Be aware,
though, that they can’t give you legal advice on your particular situation.
What other conduct does the BLE care about? Really, anything that affects
your ability to practice. There does not need to be ill intent or a
criminal aspect to it. Missing class for a month could be concerning for
the BLE if there’s no explanation behind it. That’s why it’s best to be
proactive and make sure you have documentation explaining these potential
conduct issues.
What if I don’t plan to practice in Minnesota? You should look at the bar
application for the jurisdiction in which you plan to practice as soon as
you can. There’s a good chance there will be subtle differences in
questions, and you will want to know how you can proactively address them.
What can I do right now? Get in touch with Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers
<https://www.mnlcl.org/> about getting ahead of these issues. The BLE will
NEVER ask LCL for guidance on applicants and will NEVER ask if a bar
applicant worked with LCL. LCL, to its own credit, will NEVER share
information with the BLE. Your conversations with them will be completely
confidential. Just be aware that this could differ in other jurisdictions.
Also, see below for the student-run “Character and Fitness” Wellness Group
on Fridays.
Most importantly, be proactive! Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us
<[log in to unmask]> if you are concerned about access to resources and
services.
Resources
NAMI Connections Group for Law Students
The NAMI Connections group offers peer-led support for law students living
with mental health disorders who attend any Minnesota law school (UMN Law,
St. Thomas, Mitchell Hamline).
NAMI Connection is a recovery support group for adults with a mental
illness regardless of their diagnosis. (Aka… you don’t need an official
diagnosis to join us). This group is offered free of charge and is led by
trained individuals who are also in recovery – people who understand the
challenges folks with mental illness face.
Who: Law students living with mental illness (No diagnosis required)
What: Peer-led support group!
When: 2nd & 4th Mondays of each month; 4:30-6:00pm
Oct 10, Oct 24, Nov 14, Nov 28, Dec 12
Where: Remote; https://umn.zoom.us/j/97566449394
Meeting ID: 975 6644 9394
This group is confidential. It is not therapy.
Click here to see other NAMI Connection Groups offered in Minnesota.
<https://namimn.org/support/nami-minnesota-support-groups/>
"Character and Fitness" Wellness Group
A student-run, safe, strictly confidential, judgment-free, casual support
group welcomes anyone struggling with substance use or who is in recovery.
Who: University of Minnesota law students struggling with substance use or
who are in recovery
What: Student-run, peer support group
When: Held every Friday at 12:30
Where: Mondale Hall
Hybrid meeting: Contact [log in to unmask] for room location, Zoom
info, support, or other inquiries.
Let’s Talk <https://counseling.umn.edu/LetsTalk>
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What: Let’s Talk Counselor in Mondale Hall
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Who: Ms. Kifaya Bishop, Multicultural Counselor from Student Counseling
Services
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When: Every Monday from 1-3pm
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Where: N20 in the Wellness Room
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No appointment necessary. Drop in.
Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers <https://www.mnlcl.org>
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LCL offers resources on substance use and compulsive behaviors, mental
illness, stress, and well-being
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LCL offers free counseling through Sand Creek for any issue that causes
stress or distress.
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Support Groups <https://www.mnlcl.org/support-groups/#adhd_support>
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ADD/ADHD Support Group: 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month at 12:00pm
via Zoom (Pre-Registration is required for this group. Email
[log in to unmask])
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Well-Being Group: Thursdays 12:00-1:00 via Zoom
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Need assistance now? Call 651-646-5590 or 800-525-6466
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For 24-hour phone counseling, call Sand Creek
<https://www.mnlcl.org/services/counseling/> at 651-430-3383 or
888-243-5744 (If asked, say you were referred by LCL)
Boynton Mental Health
<https://boynton.umn.edu/clinics/boynton-mental-health>
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To schedule your first appointment, call 612-624-1444
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Offering in-person and telehealth
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Individual and couples therapy available (10-session-per-year limit for
each type)
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Eating disorder services, ADD/ADHD treatment, alcohol and chemical
health services, and group therapy available
Group Therapy at Boynton Health
Understanding Self and Others for Graduate Students
Group Leader: Emily Price, PsyD, LP, (she/her)
Tuesdays | 1:00 – 2:30 p.m. | September 20th - December 6th
Understanding Self and Others for Black Students
Group Leader: Nomcebo Gugu Nkosi, LPCC (she/her)
Wednesdays | 1:00-2:30 p.m. | September 21st - December 14th
To join a group, contact Boynton at 612-624-1444. All groups take place in
Boynton’s East Bank Clinic.
Looking for a Therapist?
Learn about the various types of mental health professionals and types of
treatments available.
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Types of Mental Health Professionals
<https://www.mhanational.org/types-mental-health-professionals>
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Types of Mental Health Treatments
<https://www.mhanational.org/mental-health-treatments>
Psychology Today Find a Therapist Search Tool
<https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/mn/minneapolis>
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Psychology Today is a great resource to find a therapist
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Filter by specific location, accepted insurance, specialty, issues, age,
gender, sexuality, language spoken, ethnicity, faith, and more
Fast Tracker <https://fasttrackermn.org/>
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Search tool for mental health and substance use disorder resources in
Minnesota
Crisis Resources <https://counseling.umn.edu/crisis-services>
988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
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Call 988
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Text ‘MN’ 741741
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Chat Online <https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/chat/>
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Línea de Prevención del Suicidio y Crisis - dial 988
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Options for Deaf & Hard of Hearing - for TTY users: use your preferred
relay service or dial 711 then 988.
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Veterans Crisis Line - dial 988 then press 1
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Call any time, for any reason
Sand Creek 24/7 Phone Counseling
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651-430-3383 or 888-243-5744
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If asked, say LCL referred you
NAMI Ramsey County Book Club
<https://www.namiramseycounty.org/bookclub.html>
Join NAMI Ramsey County on the first Thursday of each month to discuss
books with a mental illness theme. Learn through compassionate
conversation. See which book they’re reading at
namiramseycounty.org/bookclub.
NAMI Educational Courses
<https://namimn.org/education-and-public-awareness/classes/https-namimn-org-education-and-public-awareness-classes-all-scheduled-classes/>
NAMI offers numerous educational courses for a wide variety of audiences,
all relating to mental health. Check out their current schedule to find a
course that looks interesting to you! (Practically all the courses are
free!)
WBI has created a Resources Page on our website
<https://sites.google.com/umn.edu/wbi/resources> where law students can
always go to find support.
UMN Law Well-Being Initiative
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