Gain insight into how legal education and professional culture shape the attorney psyche including:

• Cognitive patterns: adversarial reasoning, catastrophizing, risk-aversion;
• Core identity development in law school and early practice;
• Emotional suppression as a professional survival mechanism

This foundational module explores the distinctive psychological patterns common among practicing attorneys, beginning with coping mechanisms developed early in life, honed through rigorous academic environments, and reinforced by the demands of law school and formal practice. Participants will examine hallmark features of the legal mind—including perfectionism, hypervigilance to risk, emotional compartmentalization, and an often relentless cognitive orientation toward outcomes—all of which contribute significantly to attorneys’ success but frequently lead to relational challenges, anxiety, depression, and dissatisfaction in personal life. By gaining a nuanced understanding of these characteristics and their origins, clinicians can more effectively engage attorneys in psychotherapy, anticipate treatment barriers, and foster deeper therapeutic rapport and progress.