Building resilience in the face of an extreme crisis
It is human to feel a whole range of emotions, from fear and worry to loneliness and sadness, during this trying time of unprecedented change and uncertainty.
Remote working, social distancing, self-isolation, and an over-arching uncertainty about the future, are affecting all of us in many different ways.
Clarity
Legal practitioners, with their particular professional pressures and community standing, are likely to be experiencing both good and bad days – moments of clarity and moments when it all feels too much.
In moments of clarity, one might notice the beauty of the mundane or be reminded of how deeply we appreciate both our loved ones and support network.
In moments when it all feels too much, there may be a need, somewhere deep inside, to talk to someone – outside of colleagues, family and or friends.
LegalMind can provide you with this support.
Launching today, LegalMind is an independent, confidential, low-cost mental health support that is accessible to Law Society members and their dependants across Ireland, at any time of the day or night.
Permanent support
It is a permanent support structure, based in Ireland, and available to you for any personal or professional challenges. Maintaining good mental health at this time can help you stay physically well.
The service offers ‘in the moment’ 24/7, over the phone, with a qualified, experienced and accredited counsellor or psychotherapist.
This mental health professional will talk through any issues you or your family may be facing and, on completion of the consultation, will collaboratively explore the most appropriate next steps to consider and supports available for you.
These further supports may include a series of either face-to-face, online video, or over the phone counselling sessions.
Initial call
Following the initial phone call, which offers in the moment support with a counsellor and assessment of the issue, you will be offered an appointment to speak with a mental health professional (psychologist, counsellor or psychotherapist) withing 48 hours.
This appointment will be within a 30-kilometres geographical radius and will be inside five working days.
Currently, therapy sessions are taking place via online video and/or telephone.
Face-to-face counselling sessions will resume once the present health emergency has passed.
What are the benefits?
- LegalMind is and independent mental health service provided by high-quality mental health service provider, Spectrum.Life, in partnership with Spectrum Mental Health. Absolute confidentiality is therefore guaranteed.
- LegalMind offers affordable mental health supports to the profession. The first appointment will be free and after that Law Society members will pay a reduced fee of €30 per session,
- LegalMind is provided by a high-quality, mental health service provider using best practice standards and robust clinical and risk governance policies and procedures,
- LegalMind offers three levels of supports:
- preventative supports such as talk therapy,
- early intervention supports for members facing more complex issues,
- treatment and response supports for members experiencing a mental health crisis,
- LegalMind also offers an online portal which combines information and content (podcasts, videos, guidelines and articles) on physical wellness, wellbeing, mental health, and wellbeing events.
How to access the service?
Access LegalMind directly by calling their freephone number 1800 81 41 77 to speak with a mental health professional and to work out a plan that feels right for you.
You can also register here on LegalMind’s online portal for access to information and content about physical wellness, wellbeing, mental health, and wellbeing events.
The LegalMind counselling service can also be accessed through a live chat function on this portal and once your portal account is set up you can also download the LegalMind app.
Further details on this service are available on the Law Society Professional
Wellbeing Hub. Today, right now, at this very moment LegalMind is here to help you.
We hope that knowing this support is here for you gives you some solace on both the good and bad days which may lie ahead.
Stay well.
– Dr Emelina Ellis, Clinical Excellence Lead, Spectrum.Life