|
A recent issue of the Texas Bar Journal draws attention to the Texas Lawyers Assistance Program, which “provides crisis counseling and referrals for lawyers, judges, and law students coping with substance use disorders and mental health issues.” Articles in the issue deal with “strategies for dealing with anxiety, mental health, and substance abuse.”
On the right, see other topics in this issue >>>>
I found the articles to be insightful and thought-provoking, even though specifically written for lawyers. These ideas are equally applicable to anyone who is asked to dole out compassion on a daily basis, and they made me want to add my voice to the discussion and mention one of my strategies for dealing with these issues: nurturing the soul.
Neglect of the spiritual life can have as dire consequences as not taking care of one’s health, and often the two omissions occur together. Ask any 12-Stepper if they were able to maintain sobriety without doing some spiritual work.
Surveys have found that many people say they are “spiritual” without necessarily being “religious.” Whether your spiritualism is humanistic in nature or you’re a spiritual person who attends regular worship services and prays to a God of your understanding, these pages are for you.
“Compassion fatigue” was first identified in nurses, but is now seen as extending across the professions whose members deal directly with human beings and their problems. This soul-tiredness exacts a terrible penalty. We find ourselves coping in unhealthy ways just to keep on keepin’ on. Is there another way?
I think the answer is yes. On these pages, let’s explore the feeding and care of the spirit.
We need ask only that we stay true to the purpose outlined here. People of all faiths, Muslim, Hindus, Buddhist, Jew, Christian--and Gandhi claimed to be all of these-- are welcome. We need only to be tolerant of the beliefs of others and have open hearts and minds to new ideas. One such idea is to refocus our lives in part to the needs of others.
|
