Lawyer Well-Being & Psychology

This section was inspired by the work of our sponsor, Gretchen Duhaime of Practicing on Purpose. Gretchen has developed an overview of well-being that is very holistic and we'll be organizing this page based on her model and coding content to reflect her holistic perspective of Wellness. Having said that, we could consider almost everything on the site to fall into one category of Wellness or another, as defined by Gretchen. Instead, we'll identify the articles and videos which are most "on point" for this topic and trust that you can sort the rest into the model.
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Wellness habits help lawyers maintain physical health and stamina, emotional balance and ethical boundaries. More than "health," well-being is an integration of the whole person; body, mind, and spirit.

Practicing on Purpose Model:

The Physical dimension is the body itself. Nutritious food, adequate shelter, restful sleep, and regular exercise provide for self-preservation.

The Inner dimension is the passions and emotions underlying our decisions. Whether we're conscious of it or not, the Inner aspect seeks self-gratification; it needs to pursue life with zest. When the Inner dimension is neglected, we can develop harmful coping strategies.

The Analytical dimension is our inquisitive and rational mind, seeking self-definition. Curiosity sharpens the mind, and doing by rote dulls it. If the Analytical is overpowering the other dimensions, we can rationalize actions that hurt ourselves and others.

The Relational dimension is our capacity and desire for love. Self-acceptance is prerequisite to social enrichment and all types of love. An underdeveloped Relational aspect can result in poor communications and even dehumanizing others.

The External dimension is how we fit into society. Through work, play and creativity, the External aspect seeks self-expression  and is fulfilled with expressing and receiving gratitude. An unbalanced External dimension confuses gratification with material wealth.

The Higher dimension is our search for meaning in life and self-knowledge. When we ask the Big questions we exercise the Higher aspect of ourselves. Envisioning a satisfying future and believing it will happen creates hope which fuels the Higher dimension. Shattering ourselves by creating compartments for Work and Personal cripples our Higher self.

The Reflective dimension exercises self-reflection; it is our tool for understanding ourselves.

Understanding the dimensions of wellness is the first step in creating a fulfilling life.