I was very lucky a little while ago to be able to take my Mum to Sorrento, Italy to celebrate her 80th birthday. She is an amazing woman, a joy to be with and great company. It was absolutely no hardship at all to spend a week with her.
We stayed at the Grand Hotel Royal which looks over the Bay of Naples. Sorrento is beautiful and relaxing, a great place to take time out from my busy family lawyer life.
I have been in practice for 31 years and have come to realise that looking after my mental health is absolutely essential to maintaining a balanced life and a good family law firm.
The practice of Family Law is about providing the best workable solutions for clients, their families when their relationships/marriages come to an end. In short, I spend my days helping people and I cannot do that unless I am the best I can be mentally and physically.
Despite what people might think family Lawyers are not coated in Teflon. The stories that we hear from clients do not slide off leaving no trace at all. We are and need to be resilient, in order to be that, we need to be mindful about looking after our own mental health.
Over the last 20 years I have suffered from bouts of depression and as a result, I find it easier to spot that in my clients and to have open and frank discussions with them about it.
I remind them that it is no use them ploughing on, staying strong and ignoring how they really feel. The end of a marriage/relationship, whether or not it involves children, can be a shattering experience and can take its toll on your mental health. Do not be afraid to talk about it to your family, friends and even your family lawyer, chances are they have experienced it too and will be able to help or at least give you a hug.
