For NCRA Mental Health Awareness Week, being held Oct. 5-9, members can learn more about how to take care of themselves through a series of free sessions that range from a discussion of the ramifications of working in the legal industry to strategies to create more resilience in your everyday life with better self-care.
“With the deadlines and pressures in the legal field, it’s no wonder that taking care of ourselves can fall off our to-do lists,” says NCRA President Christine Phipps, RPR, a firm owner from North Palm Beach, Fla. “With this series of sessions, I hope that you can put yourself and your mental health back on that list.”
Although no CEUs are being offered for these sessions, the National Court Reporters Foundation (NCRF), which is sponsoring these sessions, feels that these are important topics that should be made available to all NCRA members. The sessions planned for the week include:
An Honest Discussion on Mental Health Issues in the Legal Field from All Stakeholders
Oct. 5 — 8 p.m. Eastern
Dori Foster-Morales, Esq.
Christine Phipps, RPR
Back to Basics: Mental Health Essentials during the Pandemic
Oct. 6 — 3 p.m. Eastern
Raymond J. Kotwicki, MD, MPH, DFAPA
Balance and Self-care in a World of COVID-19, Deadlines, and Virtuality
Oct. 7 — 3 p.m. Eastern
Vicki Akenhead Ruiz, FAPR, RPR, CMRS (Ret.)
*Special for students*
Self-Care: Managing Life with School, Family, Work – and a Pandemic
Oct. 7 — 7 p.m. Eastern
Dr. Sherry Cooper, LMFT
Practicing Mindfulness
Oct. 8 — 1 p.m. Eastern
Debi Galler
Self-Care 101
Oct. 9 — 12 noon Eastern
Aigner Fells, MS
“I’m looking forward to leading this discussion with Christine Phipps,” says Dori Foster-Morales, Esq., who will lead the Monday session with Phipps. “It’s important to acknowledge that working in the legal field can leave us open to stresses and pressures that are unique, and we need to protect the mental health of all members of our legal community. It is important to acknowledge and openly discuss these issues to address the support we all need. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated these stresses.”
Funded by the National Court Reporters Foundation, these six sessions are being offered free for NCRA members; however, no CEUs will be awarded to attendees. All sessions are being offered on Zoom, and times are all Eastern times. Registration is open now.
