In the decade since the CBA’s Well-being Subcommittee commissioned its 2012 Ipsos Reid survey on lawyer wellness, the mental health landscape for legal professionals has evolved significantly. The 2020-2022 Université de Sherbrooke’s National Study on the Psychological Health Determinants of Legal Professionals in Canada reveals that while stress and burnout remain critical issues, modern stressors such as technological overload (“technostress,” including fear of being replaced by AI), job insecurity and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have intensified the challenges faced by lawyers.

Courthouse Libraries BC (CLBC) is not only about books and databases (even innovative offerings like free access to CSO E-search which, as of this year, lets you view dockets and download various court records at no cost). We support mental well-being of legal professionals through our 30 locations — havens of calm and focus. Consider the comforts of “bibliotherapy”— using books to boost well-being. One of our books, “Trauma-Informed Law: A Primer for Practicing Lawyers and a Path to Resilience,” delves into intersections of trauma and law, plus where trauma is often denied, ignored, covered up or avoided. It’s written for lawyers and those in the legal system, to enhance resilience and improve legal practice.

Also check out the Lawyer Depression Project. They offer a bibliotherapy reading list for legal professionals, with titles that address mental well-being. Books like “The Anxious Lawyer” (Cho & Gifford) provide mindfulness practices tailored for the legal profession, while “The Introverted Lawyer: A Seven Step Journey Toward Authentically Empowered Advocacy” empowers introverted or anxious individuals to achieve without compromising their quiet nature.

Work bibliotherapy into your self-care, explore CLBC’s collections, and use our spaces to retreat from the daily grind.