The Victorian Bar is committed supporting the health & wellbeing of our members with a range of services, policies and activities. See below video library of Victorian Bar health and wellbeing videos.
R U OK Day is Australia’s National Day of Action when we remind Australians to ask, 'are you OK?', and start a meaningful conversation whenever they spot the signs that someone they care about might be struggling with life.
But asking these important questions isn’t reserved for just one day.
To keep the conversation going, we have uploaded a short video to the Health and Wellbeing portal, featuring Dr Michelle Sharpe speaking with Bernadette Healy from Revision Group, where they give helpful tips and pointers about starting those conversations, and the importance of asking questions.
Find the video below.
Asking R U OK?
Anxiety drains our energy and can get in the way of clear logical thinking. Court timetables, instructors’ and clients’ requirements, and one’s own diligence all place considerable demands on a barrister’s time. Yet each of us must also attend to other things, including children, family and other relationships, as well as eat right, get enough exercise and sleep, take an occasional holiday and so on.
How can we fit it all in and remain calm and healthy? Three members of the Bar share their experience and strategies for taking on the demands of practice while still managing to have “a life”.
Effective Time Management (in lockdown and beyond)
In this seminar Dr Michelle Sharpe, Convenor of the WBA will facilitate a conversation with Bernadette Healy about wellbeing during lockdown, including the widespread state of ‘languish’ in this extended 6th lockdown.
Languishing in lockdown - A conversation about wellbeing in lockdown with psychologist Bernadette Healy
Artificial Intelligence is set to revolutionize workplaces, eliminating some occupations altogether. One skill that lawyers have, that the machines do not, is our ability to genuinely empathise with our clients, colleagues and decision-makers. And research has shown that clients’ value lawyers ‘human-centric skills’ just as highly as their skills in navigating legal problems: it is a lawyer’s superpower.
In this seminar Louise will speak to this research, her professional skills and to map out the anatomy of empathy and reveal how to master empathy in the service of your client and how it will improve your own performance both in and out of court.
Empathy: a lawyer’s superpower against the rise of the machines
A lawyer’s main tool of business is his or her mind. Elva Zhang is the founder of Peace Lab, a pioneering organisation that promotes wellness in the legal profession through mindfulness and mediation.
In this seminar Elva will canvass recent research into the plasticity of the human brain and the impact of meditation and mindfulness in moulding more powerful minds.
Lawyer Neuroscience: the plasticity of the human brain
We can’t always control how people treat us but we can always control how we respond. In particular we can employ effective strategies to preserve our own sense of wellbeing and integrity. These strategies are even more important now, in post Covid legal practice, than ever before. Covid has worn us all down. Added to this mix are the unique challenges of online hearings.
Presented by Dr D’Amico, a leading psychologist based in the United States and author of ‘Trauma and Well-being Among Legal Professionals’ which is a culmination of her research into wellbeing among legal professionals in Canada, the United States, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and Australia. It includes a chapter dedicated to incivility, bullying and sexual harassment.
Effective strategies to deal with the psychological fallout of bullying or incivility in post Covid legal practice
Until recently Lara was a practicing lawyer in Sydney for over 17 years, mainly in the areas of Family Law and Estate Planning. She is also a certified Master Practitioner in Neuro Linguistic Programming and a Certified Coach with the International Coaching Federation. She has coached many lawyers to support them to enhance their leadership skills and improve their mental health so they can thrive in their careers and in their lives.
In this seminar Lara explains what coaching is (as distinct from counselling), the benefits of coaching and some strategies to support personal and professional confidence.
Coaching Confidence
In this seminar the speaker will discuss the following:
- the link between stress, anxiety, depression and exercise;
- the cyclical nature of physical and mental health;
- how to fit in exercise; and
- understanding habit change
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Exercise, Mental Health & Habit Adoption to Improve Longevity at the Bar
The IBA has recent conducted a comprehensive survey into mental health of legal practitioners. In this seminar, the results of that survey will be presented together with some reflections on how to improve lawyer wellbeing.
International Bar Association – results of survey into mental health in the legal profession
Barristers, especially those practising in Family, Children’s, Coronial and Criminal law, can be involved in cases that include difficult and traumatic incidents. This can take a toll on practitioners’ wellbeing.
Dr Dawn D’Amico, is a leading authority on secondary trauma and the author of Trauma and Well-being Among Legal Professionals, soon to be released.
In this seminar she will explain what secondary trauma is, how to spot the signs of secondary trauma in oneself and others, and lead a discussion about ways that barristers can manage secondary trauma and where to find help.
Managing secondary trauma as legal practitioners
As part of the Victorian Bar’s health and wellbeing initiative, this is a webinar for parents by Dr Jane Fisher AO to help parents with their children’s sleep schedules.
Dr Fisher is a clinical psychologist who has dedicated her life to researching maternal health and wellbeing and is a highly experienced consultant at the Masada Early Parenting Centre.
VicBar’s health & wellbeing program – Sleep techniques for babies and children
As men, we are notoriously poor at looking after ourselves and this translates into much worse health outcomes and life expectancy compared to women. Particular problems relate to poor mental health, alcohol abuse, work stress and relationship problems as well as poor self-care, not seeking help when it is needed. Nearly all of the chronic illnesses that affect people living in affluent countries like Australia are lifestyle-related including cancer, heart disease, dementia and poor mental health. Essence is an acronym standing for a mindfulness-based healthy lifestyle program founded on seven pillars: Education, Stress management, Spirituality, Exercise, Nutrition, Connectedness and Environment. This interactive presentation will explore the role of each of these elements in promoting men's health and preventing or managing chronic illness.
The Essence of Men's Health - the seven pillars of wellbeing
Bullying can happen anywhere: work, home or online via email or message. Join us for this important seminar covering bullying in the workplace, including how to identify, cope or support someone who is being bullied.
Meredith Fuller OAM psychologist has spent most of her professional life researching this more nuanced form of inappropriate workplace conduct. In this seminar, Meredith provides some insight as to why some women chose to engage in workplace bullying. And what the targets or bystanders, of that conduct, can do to protect themselves and others from harm.
Managing bullying and harassment in the workplace
Vicarious trauma is a growing problem for lawyers, judges and others in the legal profession who are dealing with vulnerable citizens in the course of their work. It’s important to be able to recognise the signs of trauma exposure and to know how to respond – both for yourself, your colleagues and your clients. Trauma-informed best-practice can make it easier to navigate the emotional, mental and physical responses to traumatic events.
Over her 35 year career in Australia, Canada, Russia and South East Asia Karen has pretty much seen it all – bushfires, floods, protests, violence, a military coup, political corruption, courts and crime – dealing with people at some of the lowest and most difficult times of their lives. She’s a passionate advocate for taking a trauma-informed approach when dealing with survivors, victims of crime, their families and friends, and others.
Karen is a freelance reporter after leaving the ABC in September 2020. She’s also Chair of the Dart Centre Asia-Pacific which focuses on trauma in journalism.