Wellbeing & Life Balance

LawCare

LawCare is the LIV's confidential counselling service. It aims to help members deal with personal and professional problems that interfere with their work performance and personal life.

A counsellor is available to discuss any personal problem currently affecting your work performance, or threatens to do so in the future. Problems may include anxiety or stress related conditions, alcoholism, drug abuse, gambling addiction, a family or marriage crisis, or career problems.

LawCare can all assist your family with a wide range of problems.

LawCare counselling is provided by experienced practitioners who are members of the Australian Psychological Society. You may choose from male or female counsellors.

Contact LawCare at anytime on 0408 586 966, or email MJ Clarebrough and Associates at clarebrough@gmail.com to arrange a consultation. The service is available 24 hour service, 365 days a year. Telephone counselling is available for regional members.

LawCare Fact Sheets

Crisis Counselling for Barristers

The Victorian Bar has appointed a psychologist to provide counselling to all members of the Bar and their immediate family, if required.

Contact details for Counselling Service

The service includes 24 hour crisis telephone counselling and support.

Topics of Interest

Diet

Find a healthy recipe for dinner.

Have a look at what the CSIRO Health and Wellbeing has to say about diet and nutrition.

Exercise Guide

Need to get moving but not sure which sport to choose? Have a look at the ABC’s website for inspiration

You can also check out ABC’s website to see whether you are in the healthy weight range.

Financial Wellbeing

See our Practice Management - Finance page.

Medicare

View and update your Medicare details online.

Do you have to pay the Medicare levy? Find out using the ATO's calculator.

Mistakes & Complaints

See our Practice Management - Risk and Ethics pages.

Organ Donor

Register to become an organ donor, but remember to speak to your family about your decision as they will have the ultimate say.

Private Health Insurance

PrivateHealth.gov.au allows you to compare private health care insurance and find a policy that suits you and your family.

Women In The Workplace

The Better Health Channel has a fact sheet addressing issues facing working women.

Computer Tan

For those who are time poor but still yearn for a nice tanned appearance, try Computer Tan

Your Career

The dissatisfaction of so many lawyers with their careers dramatises the need to focus on a process which enables them, by seeking positions consistent with their personal values and professional goals, to achieve professional satisfaction.

The USA version of Findlaw has a collection of articles to help you understand the process and the steps you need to take to make a thoughtful transition in your career. And the July 2011 issue of Law Practice is dedicated to Time To Take A Leap.

LIV have a Careers Centre with further information.

Victorian Lawyers' Health Line

www.viclawyershealth.com.au

The Vic Lawyers' Health Line is funded through the Legal Services Board Grants Program.

All calls to the VLHL are confidential and will be answered by trained health professionals.  The VLHL is a pilot health and wellbeing service, providing independent and confidential assistance to:

• Victorian lawyers, law students, barristers, judges, legal support staff including personal assistants, legal secretaries, paralegals, clerks and all other Law Institute of Victoria members feeling stressed or burnt out, whether due to work-related or personal reasons, or who are concerned about anxiety, depression or substance abuse
• Legal professionals seeking to de-brief during or after emotionally difficult cases
• Legal employers who are supervising  or managing staff with mental health issues 

General Health

ABC Health & Wellbeing

Information for the public on healthy living, medical conditions and medical news.

Healthy Insite

A wide range of up-to-date and quality assessed information on important health topics such as diabetes, cancer, mental health and asthma.

Life Balance

Lawyers are notorious for working long and hard and making sacrifices for the sake of their practice. For lawyers, this is one of life's double-edged swords. For insight and hints to help lawyers balance the incessant pulls of both work and daily life:

• CBA Practice Link collection of resources(Not all links available to non-members).
• ABA Work/Life Balance for Solo and Small Firms
• Lawyers Weekly - search work/life
• Address by Justice George Palmer
• Meditation is an excellent way of dealing with stress, getting some sleep, seeing a clearer picture and getting your life back into balance.
  Melbourne Meditation Centre
  Meditation Solutions - Melbourne
• Practice Pro's articles on "Wellness and balance".

Mental Health

Your mental health is important. If you suspect you may be suffering from a mental health disorder, don't delay, seek help.

• For general information and details on where to get help, go to Beyond Blue where you can check signs and symptoms and get information to help yourself or others.
• Business in Mind is a free DVD and Resource Kit designed to help you look after your own mental health and wellbeing, and that of your employees.
• Work related stress can affect your mental health significantly. Further information and self help techniques to reduce your stress.
• Depression in Law Schools

From Junior Solicitor to Senior Partner

Whether you're starting your journey or charting a new career course, firsts can be frightening. These resources focus on new lawyers as well as solo- and small-firm challenges. Resources from the CBA PracticeLink pages.