Module 5: Working with Lawyers in Crisis
Understand how to support attorneys during acute psychological, legal, or reputational crises.
Managing suicidal ideation in high-achieving clients
Licensing concerns and confidentiality
Helping clients tolerate uncertainty and loss of control
This module focuses on equipping clinicians to effectively support attorneys experiencing acute psychological or professional crises, including burnout, ethical conflicts, substance use relapse, relationship breakdowns, suicidal ideation, or career collapse. Lawyers in crisis often struggle with shame, isolation, and fear of reputational damage, which can lead to minimization of distress and reluctance to seek or accept help. Clinicians will learn how to recognize the nuanced presentations of lawyer distress, often masked by over-functioning or intellectualization, and how to intervene with a blend of crisis stabilization, affect regulation, and strengths-based engagement. Treatment approaches covered will include elements of crisis intervention theory, trauma-informed care, and short-term psychodynamic and cognitive-behavioral techniques tailored to high-achieving professionals. The module also emphasizes the importance of confidentiality, clear boundaries, and strategic referrals when attorneys’ licensing, malpractice exposure, or fitness to practice may be implicated.
