Mental Health and Substance Use in the Legal Profession and in the Practice of Law Virtual Program (1 Mental Health CLE Credit Applied For)


When: 1/23/2025 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Where: 
Virtual via Zoom
Register for Event
Registration closes 1/23/2025

Legal professionals are exposed to experiences that can lead to higher stress and greater consequences than those in many other careers. There is a clearly recognized continuum where unresolved chronic stress becomes a predictor for substance use problems and mental illness, particularly depression and anxiety. By understanding this continuum, the impact of our exposure to trauma, and the facts about addiction and mental illness, lawyers can reduce their risk and, hopefully, get help earlier when there is a mental health, substance use, or related problem. By knowing these risks, we can also support each other. This program will present signs, symptoms, risk factors, and recovery regarding these challenges, along with well-being tools. The presenter will also provide information on Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers and other resources.

Presenter: Joan Bibelhausen

Joan Bibelhausen has served as Executive Director of Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers since 2005. She is an attorney and received her JD from the University of Minnesota Law School. Joan is nationally recognized for her work in the lawyer assistance and diversity and inclusion realms and has significant additional training in counseling, mental health and addiction, diversity, employment issues, and management.

Joan has a passion for reducing the stigma about asking for and offering help to do our best work and live our best lives in the legal profession. She has spent her career working with legal professionals at a crossroads because of mental illness and addiction concerns, well-being, trauma, stress, and related issues, and has a particular interest in helping those with career challenges.

This event is open to MIPLA members at no cost.

This program has been submitted for 1 Mental Health CLE credit on event code 515604.

The Zoom link will be included in the registration confirmation and reminder emails.