Wellbeing
Support for lawyers … from those who’ve been there and got the t-shirt!
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Annmarie Carvalho
re you suffering with the stresses and strains of life in the law? Lockdown shone a spotlight on a work-life imbalance? Struggling with anxiety as we transition into some sort of ‘normal’ life? At the Carvalho Consultancy, we specialise in supporting lawyers with the ups and downs of the job and life. And we should know – we’re lawyers ourselves!
Our business support for teams and firms service includes training, HR policy advice and in-house therapeutic support for staff. We work with many of the top national law firms on initiatives that have a genuine impact on staff morale and wellbeing. Our practical support is infused with a deep understanding of the reality of life as a lawyer and demands of firms as businesses.
Who are we? Established in 2018 by Annmarie Carvalho after over a decade as a solicitor and mediator at Farrer & Co, we offer counselling, coaching and training specifically tailored to those in the legal profession. So, whatever you’re going through, whether it’s anxiety, low mood, or if you’re questioning whether law is really for you anymore, we can help.
This includes:
We speak your language In addition to Annmarie, we have Tim Rice, a therapist specialising in couples and divorce and family breakdown situations. We’re also excited to now be joined by Adam Carvalho, a former litigation partner at Farrer & Co specialising in high value and complex trust disputes and private client work. Why do lawyers need our support? A legal career has unique benefits and challenges. As the profession has developed, life in the law has become more pressured, more intense and more demanding. Lawyers are often juggling caring for children (and increasingly, elderly parents) with chargeable work, BD targets and trying to get some rest. And this juggle can be particularly acute for women in the profession. With lockdown heightening these issues, the profession is now recognising that support for lawyers is no longer a luxury but a necessity. What do we do? We provide personal support for lawyers and business support for firms and organisations. We combine psychological insight, legal experience and a practical approach that busy professionals demand. We have juggled legal careers with a young family, bereavements and family issues ourselves and are passionate about bringing not just resilience but balance and even happiness into law. Our personal support services include counselling and coaching for: ■ Imposter syndrome, perfectionism, difficulty switching off ■ Anxiety and depression ■ Career guidance, whether you’re looking to diversify within the law or seeking to transition into another profession ■ How to manage high expectations from clients and boundary setting ■ Navigating complicated team dynamics ■ Support with addictions and over-attachments to work and other substances/behaviour ■ Couples and relationship problems
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■ Advising HR teams on policy and best practice on client, team and firm management, including helping staff working with vulnerable/suicidal or hostile clients ■ 1 to 1 therapeutic support for such staff members We offer popular training sessions for teams, including the following: ■ Lawyers Leaving Lockdown – how to re-integrate as a team/firm and re-setting boundaries with clients and contemporaries ■ How to persuade and influence people ■ Tackling stress and anxiety ■ Helping clients with grief and loss ■ ‘Do you have to be perfect to be a lawyer?’ Happy customers But don’t just listen to us – here’s what our clients have to say… ‘I can truly say that the experience of working with Annmarie was life-changing and now I feel I have the emotional tools to face new challenges in the future’ – AN, a client. ‘I have spoken with a number of mental health professionals over the years and my discussions with Annmarie have been by far the most helpful. She understands the pressure of a legal career in a way that other counsellors generally don’t, and she gives very helpful and practical advice on navigating life as a lawyer’ – BY, Partner at a large corporate city law firm. ‘Annmarie began facilitating our in-house counselling sessions for lawyers just over a year ago. The feedback has been fantastic and due to demand, we very quickly doubled the number of appointments available per month…. Annmarie can relate to many of the challenges faced by our lawyers due to her background as a city lawyer. This has proved highly beneficial and has contributed greatly towards the success of the service and the relationships she has forged.’ – JK, HR Manager at a City law firm. For more information on counselling, coaching and training and support for your legal business, get in touch on info@carvalhotherapy.com. ■
