WBI Weekly Digest
Happy Hump Day!
Well-Being Wednesday
Thank you to everyone who attended Stress Management for Law Students, hosted by Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers! To see the main takeaways of the presentation and to learn how to manage stress, look below at our Advice Column.
Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers
Yesterday, Chase Andersen from Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers presented on how to manage stress while in law school. If you are interested in learning more about LCL, check out their website, call (651) 646-5590, or email [log in to unmask].
To learn more about the support groups offered, click here.
To learn about the free counseling offered, click here.
Physical Committee Updates
Hello WBI! The Physical Subcommittee is having meetings on Mondays at 5:30 pm! Come join!
We Play basketball at the UMN Recwell every Monday at 7 pm
We plan on going apple picking at Aamodt’s Apple Farm on Friday, Oct. 9th. Please contact us as we will need to carpool.
We have discussed several ideas and opportunities to spread well- being through at the law school, so stay tuned for more ideas.
If you have any questions, ideas or comments feel free to reach out to [log in to unmask] or [log in to unmask]
Deep Breathing
Are you anxious in class anticipating getting cold called? Feeling stressed knowing you have to read 5 cases in your free hour before class? Worried you’ll run out of time while taking your midterm?
Deep breathing can help in the moment when your anxiety is heightened. It is one of the best tools to carry with you, as you can use it anywhere and it is practically invisible to everyone around you!
Here are a few of our favorites:
4-7-8 Breathing
Close your mouth and inhale through your nose for 4 – 8 counts (you can work up to 8 counts as your lung capacity increases).
Hold your breath for 7 counts.
Exhale very slowly for 8 counts.
Repeat steps 1-3 four times.
Box Breath Technique
Exhale all the air from your lungs while counting to four.
Hold for a count of four, keeping your lungs completely empty.
Inhale a deep, full breath for a count of four.
Keep your lungs full for a count of four.
Do this for at least four rounds and reduce the number of rounds if you start to feel light headed.
The Toaster Innovation Hub Event
Let's Eat - Feeding Social Entrepreneurs / Seeding Social Entrepreneurship
When: Friday, September 30th | 12:00 - 1:30PM
Where: Toaster Innovation Lab, Walter Library, BO4
Lunch provided!
Join UMN Partners from Student Counseling Services and the Bakken Center for Spiritualit & Healing to examine the issue of Mental Health on campus. Learn about existing efforts to support student well being, and spend some time exploring / ideating what more we can do to move the meter on student mental health.
We will also be joined by Erik Muckey, co-founder and CEO of Lost & Found and UMN Alum, whose shared passion for supporting peers struggling with suicide ideation grew into a multi-faceted, student-centered effort to reduce suicide risk, strengthen resilience, and promote self-care at college campuses across the midwest.
Let's Eat! Seeding Social Entrepreneurship is a monthly Lunch and Learn program encouraging conversation, ideation, and "Ideas to Impact" challenge participation. The monthly series will bring in campus and community experts to share and explore topics of interest to students / Toaster users.
Register here: https://umn.libcal.com/event/9469241
Advice Column
Hey all,
If you were unable to attend the LCL Stress Management for Law Students or if you attended and want notes from the event here you go! Especially if you left right after the sad law school stats but did not stay for the tips on how to deal with those stats.
Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers is Minnesota’s Lawyers Assistance Program and its resources are available to you. Please use these resources, they are free and confidential!
There is a lot of stress for law students, including mental health concerns, vicarious trauma, perfectionism, pessimism within issue spotting, success that is defined by others, addiction issues, and competitiveness.
Regularly do self-check-ins. The consequences of failing to address stress can lead to burnout or attaching yourself to unhealthy coping skills.
Barriers to seeking help: not wanting others to find out they needed help, concerns regarding privacy or confidentiality, bar/professional concerns.
‘It is Okay to Not Be Okay’: The 2021 Survey of Law Student Well-Being can be found here
Managing Stress:
Respect your feelings
Give change a chance
Come face-to-face with your problem
Hear what your body is telling you: your body is trying to tell you something, practice taking the time to listen.
Learn how to use relaxation techniques: like deep breathing and taking breaks.
Allow yourself to make mistakes
Concentrate on yourself
Recognize the importance of time management
Have fun
Seek help when needed
Check out LCL Services!!!
Any questions, concerns, or topics that you’d like some advice on, feel free to submit them here or email [log in to unmask]. You’ll get real advice, and maybe some memes for your situation.
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 law student facilitators 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
Sept 12, Sept 26, 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.
"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.
What: Let’s Talk Counselor in Mondale Hall
Who: Ms. Kifaya Bishop, Multicultural Counselor from Student Counseling Services
When: Every Monday from 1-3pm
Where: N20 in the Wellness Room
No appointment necessary. Drop in.
LCL offers resources on substance use and compulsive behaviors, mental illness, stress, and well-being
LCL offers free counseling through Sand Creek for any issue that causes stress or distress.
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])
Well-Being Group: Thursdays 12:00-1:00 via Zoom
Need assistance now? Call 651-646-5590 or 800-525-6466
For 24-hour phone counseling, call Sand Creek at 651-430-3383 or 888-243-5744 (If asked, say you were referred by LCL)
To schedule your first appointment, call 612-624-1444
Offering in-person and telehealth
Individual and couples therapy available (10-session-per-year limit for each type)
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.
Psychology Today Find a Therapist Search Tool
Psychology Today is a great resource to find a therapist
Filter by specific location, accepted insurance, specialty, issues, age, gender, sexuality, language spoken, ethnicity, faith, and more
Search tool for mental health and substance use disorder resources in Minnesota
988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
Call 988
Text ‘MN’ 741741
Línea de Prevención del Suicidio y Crisis - dial 988
Options for Deaf & Hard of Hearing - for TTY users: use your preferred relay service or dial 711 then 988.
Veterans Crisis Line - dial 988 then press 1
Call any time, for any reason
Sand Creek 24/7 Phone Counseling
651-430-3383 or 888-243-5744
If asked, say LCL referred you
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 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 where law students can always go to find support.
UMN Law Well-Being Initiative
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