Canadian Bar Association launches free online wellness course

The Canadian Bar Association, in conjunction with the Mood Disorders Society of Canada and Bell Let’s Talk, recently launced a free online wellness course specifically formulated and tailored to the needs and issues facing legal professionals, including law students, and their families. “Mental Health and Wellness in the Legal Profession” is designed to provide edudcation, supports, and resources for legal professionals to udnerstand mental health and addiction issues. In the free, online program, you’ll learn about:
-Mood disorders and their causes, symptoms and treatment options;
-How to foster positive prevention strategies;
-Treatment and recovery strategies for depression, anxiety, addiction and stress;
-How to reduce stigmatizing behaviours, attitudes and effects; and
-Support and resources for recovery and maintaining wellness.
Please go to http://cba.org/wellness/ to access this valuable tool!

A Nuanced Perspective on Student Mental Health

A recent article written by Alan Percy, head of counselling at the University of Oxford, takes a look at the numerous factors that collide within the post-secondary student experience to decrease student mental health. The mutually-reinforcing challenges of academic work, increasing tuition and uncertain economic prospects increase stress and anxiety. At the same time,  social and mass media create unrealistic expectations and unhealthy perfectionism in many students. However, Percy cautions against medicalizing the difficult, yet natural, life struggles that many students face during this stage of development.

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