Back in 2015 I wrote a book (which was reviewed here and here). Sample download here.
The book was written with lawyers in mind – lawyers everywhere – but the feedback I’ve had from non-lawyers has been that the life lessons have been helpful generally.
So, with the generous agreement of my publisher, I’ve updated and blogged short extracts from the book. (Click on the page titles in bold below).
The ideas are fleshed out by three fictional lawyers: Andrew, Beth and Chris.
SO WHAT?
Wicked problems – sometimes things are too complex to be totally sorted
Legal un-wellbeing – some UK lawyers are unhappy …
A little more on un-wellbeing – … and elsewhere too
Starting to tackle wicked problems
Tattoo and taboo – the stigma of mental illness
STRESS HAS HAD A BAD PRESS:
Some fruits of stress – stress is good
PREHAB:
What on earth is prehabilitation?
ARCHETYPES:
Archetypes – this one’s mainly for lawyers – lawyer personalities
Archetypes – this is for everyone – lessons from a US rehab clinic
BRAINS & BODIES:
Rumpling jerkins – some neurology lite
The high road, the low road and the bears
RESILIENCE:
PRACTICAL MENTALISING:
Alice in Wonderland – stress impairs thinking
Mentalising – being curious about ourselves and others
MIND-MINDEDNESS:
Thinking feelings and feeling thinkings – emotional intelligence
Transactions – a model for behaving as an adult
TEAMS:
Group interactions – staying objective when things get complex
Basic assumptions – a theory on dysfunctional groups
STUFF HAPPENS:
Secondary trauma – looking after ourselves when working with traumatised clients
Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes – some models of change and loss
LOOKING AFTER NUMBER ONE:
Snowed under – finding words for emotions
8 ways to cope – healthy coping strategies
PRESS PAUSE: 5 minute ‘time’ focus
To sleep, perchance … – tips for insomniacs
Kanbanning – a system for organising workload
WORKING WITH OTHERS:
Psychological first aid – breaking the ice – helping colleagues who are struggling
Thinking hats – one way to understand meetings
WHAT NOW FOR THE LEGAL PROFESSION?
What lessons can we learn from the creation of the UK welfare state?
How do we even begin to think about how to tackle hugely complex problems?
What can the medical profession teach us about managing change?
