I work in a small legal practice, where we treat each other as family. However, the ongoing lockdowns greatly restricted our ability to connect, both socially and professionally. I have noticed that one of my colleagues appears to be struggling. In normal times, I would find space to have a face-to-face chat. As this is not possible now, what should I do?

Working in the legal profession can be very satisfying, but we also know that it can be particularly challenging and pressurised, resulting in poor wellbeing. This is borne out by a recent study conducted by the International Bar Association, which showed that those who work in the legal profession scored substantially lower than the general population on the WHO wellbeing index.

Providing support in the workplace, or elsewhere for that matter, can be challenging. The current social restrictions may add some additional challenges. Recognising that a colleague may be experiencing a mental-health challenge can be the first step in providing support. Signs can include not meeting deadlines, withdrawal, and working longer hours to get usual workloads completed. Regular contact with colleagues is important, as you will not be able to observe the signs through incidental contact. Observing non-verbal cues (like facial expressions and body language) might be more difficult over the phone or via video-calls, so you will need to pay particular attention to tone and speech.

At all times, you should ensure that your conversation is private. It can be helpful to find out if they are at home alone, or if a partner or children are at home as well. Ask if they can move to a more private area, or you could consider going for a virtual ‘walk and talk’ together over the phone.

Once you have opened the conversation, you will need to rely more heavily on your verbal skills to show you are listening, and to convey empathy and understanding.

Empathy can be conveyed by expressing that you are seeking to understand what might be going on for them. This includes asking questions that show that you genuinely care, re-stating what they have said, and summarising facts and feelings. You should also be patient, as the person may not be communicating well. Remember that empathy can be conveyed in the tone of your voice and what you say. Try not to interrupt the person when they are speaking.

You may need to be more direct in your conversations, and to ask more questions than usual to really understand what is going on for them. If you are providing support via webchat or texting, it will be especially important to ask clarifying questions to ensure you have understood them. Pauses and silences are okay, but can be more awkward over the phone. Think about whether the silence is awkward, or just awkward for you. Remember, you are not a miracle worker and, where possible, try to signpost the person to independent supports, such as LegalMind (tel: 1800 81 41 77), their GP, or the Samaritans (tel: 116 123).

Finally, if you believe the person is at risk to themselves or others, you may need to call the emergency services.

The question and response in this column are hypothetical and written by Martin Gillick, manager of Mental Health First Aid Ireland. Any response or advice provided is not intended to replace or substitute for any professional, psychological, financial, medical, legal, or other professional advice.