Your Wellbeing

It is always important to protect our physical and mental health, never more so than when we are experiencing stress. If you are struggling to manage stress, we recommend that you let your Volta counselor know. In this section, we share resources that you can use on a self-directed basis.

At Volta, we are not licensed medical or mental health professionals and we do not provide any diagnostic or therapeutic services. Any information we provide is for educational purposes only.

In a crisis?

If you experience depression or anxiety and feel that you are having a crisis, text HOME to 741741 from anywhere in the United States, anytime. The Crisis Text Line will assist with any crisis. A live, trained Crisis Counselor will receive the text and respond, all from the organization’s secure online platform. The idea is for the crisis counselor to help you move from a “hot moment” to a “cool moment.”

In addition, Lawyer Assistance Programs organized by state and local bar associations provide confidential services and support to lawyers who are facing mental health or substance use issues. Please check the American Bar Association’s website to find programs in your state.

Help and support may also be available from national organizations focused on specific issues including:

Many firms will have an Employee Assistance Program (EAP). An EAP is an intervention and support program designed to assist employees in resolving personal problems that may be adversely affecting their performance at work, such as marital, financial or emotional problems; family issues; or substance or alcohol abuse. EAPs may offer a wide array of services but these will vary by firm. Please check your firm’s intranet or reach out directly to Human Resources for more information.

Having trouble sleeping?

We all know that sleep is fundamental to our physical and mental health. Learn more about how sleep deprivation impacts the body and mind (and about ways to combat sleep issues) here. Also check out the popular CALM and Headspace apps, which have guided audio meditations that can be helpful in a number of scenarios including encouraging sleep.

Reduce and Manage Stress

The SNAP Technique

It has never been more important to understand the impact of anxiety and stress and to have an arsenal of tools to manage it. In the webinar below, Kara Dodson of Volta and Diane Costigan, Director of Coaching and Wellbeing at Winston & Strawn, explain the SNAP technique (Stop, Note, Analyze, Plan) and four tools you can use to reduce stress: (1) Mindfulness; (2) Breathwork; (3) Progressive Muscle Relaxation; (4) Emotional Freedom Technique. (Approximately 1hr)

 
 

Below are the tools introduced by Kara and Diane in the webinar:

The Emotional Freedom Technique

 
 

You can find additional information on the The Tapping Solution website.

Mindfulness Meditation

Mindfulness meditation is a simple and easy-to-learn practice of paying attention to your experiences in the moment. Meditation can reduce stress, increase immune response and increase positive emotions. Regular practice can also increase the ability to concentrate, enhance productivity and increase your ability to make empathic connections and be present with challenging situations. If you would like to get started with meditation, there are some excellent free meditations available such as:

HelpGuide is a nonprofit mental health and wellness website. The site offers free audio meditations.

The 21-Day Meditation Experience is a meditation program developed by wellbeing pioneer, Deepak Chopra.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON Wellbeing

  • The ABA maintains an extensive and useful resource page on its website (with a particular focus on COVID-19).

  • You can also download the Lawyer Well-Being Toolkit created for the ABA by Anne Brafford.

 

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