Finding the Compassion Balance: Mindful Lawyering & Vicarious Trauma

Too often, lawyers become de-sensitized to the impacts of their own emotional needs during intense and painful cases. The first half of the CLE program will address how to cultivate compassion as a practice of self-care. The second half of the program will examine the extreme opposite of self-compassion, which is vicarious trauma (or compassion fatigue) where we care so much for so long in really difficult cases that we begin to break down. The goal of the program is to help the lawyers find the "middle" – thereby remaining present in their bodies with self-compassion, while learning the boundaries and skills necessary to withstand vicarious trauma (compassion fatigue).

Speakers

Elizabeth Coreno, Esq. – The Law Offices of M. Elizabeth Coreno, Esq. P.C.

Kerry O'Hara, Psy.D. – DBT Wellness & Psychological Services