At the same time, you’re continuing to run
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Starting Therapy for the First Time: What to Expect When You’ve Never Done This Before
Latest from Sidebar Counseling’s Blog
When Perfectionism Becomes a Problem: Understanding Workplace Perfectionism and Mental Health
Picture this: You’ve just submitted a project you’ve spent weeks perfecting. Instead of feeling satisfied, you’re already mentally reviewing every detail, wondering if you could have done something better. Sound familiar? You’re not alone—and you might be experiencing the double-edged sword of perfectionism in the workplace.
For professionals in Wisconsin’s competitive business environment, from attorneys to executives, these perfectionist patterns are increasingly common. Perfectionism often gets praised in business settings. After all, who doesn’t want high standards and attention
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From Overwhelmed to Optimized: Evidence-Based CBT Techniques for Busy Professionals Managing Anxiety
Sarah stared at her computer screen, the cursor blinking mockingly in her empty email draft. The presentation to the board was tomorrow, and despite weeks of preparation, her mind was spinning with worst-case scenarios. What if they ask a question I can’t answer? What if the projector doesn’t work? What
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Running Hot Without Burning Out: A Lawyer’s Guide to Sustainable Performance
Just like a light switch, you have the power to disconnect from work stress and create boundaries that protect your well-being while maintaining professional excellence.
If you’re reading this, chances are you’re feeling the weight of an unsustainable workload, the pressure of always being “on,” and the creeping sense that your legal career is demanding more than you can give. You’re not alone—and more importantly, there’s a path
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Spinning Wheels and Winding Up: The Amplifying Nature of Anticipatory Stress
“Here’s a pamphlet. This contains everything you need to know so whatever you do, don’t look up anything else.” I came to see this physician assistant for some numbness and discomfort in my fingers that I had been experiencing for a few months. A few minutes into the appointment, she gave me a referral for an electromyography along with the pamphlet and that firm but concerned warning. “I’m telling you, just don’t Google ‘EMG’ and you’ll be fine. Trust 
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The Lawyer's Burden: How Goal Obsession and Hindsight Bias Lead to Burnout
Goal-chasing and hindsight anxiety shape the lawyer’s mindset—understanding these patterns is the first step toward sustainable practice
A bit under ten years ago, a law firm colleague shared a conversation he had with his partner about stress and work hours. His partner had a corporate sales role, worked a standard forty hour week, and took home a similar salary as my colleague and me. In contrast, we were billing away at a large law firm with everything that entailed.
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Anxiety: Managing fear when it comes time to perform
Anxiety is a strange thing and people tend to have a complicated relationship with it. But it can give you everything you need to get up there, focus, and perform.
I was the last presenter at a two-day conference for the Wisconsin Defense Counsel last week. My topic was on wellness, specifically the prevalence of anxiety in the legal profession and strategies for leveraging it to one’s advantage. The other sessions were on substantive subjects relating to insurance litigation,
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Beyond Band-Aids: Creating Effective Wellbeing Initiatives for Legal Professionals
Interpersonal connections are crucial protective factors. Supportive relationships between peers and managers are “the biggest single thing that influences my feeling of well-being at work.”
The legal profession has long struggled with mental health challenges. A comprehensive study published in the UNSW Law Journal examines the effectiveness of wellbeing initiatives for lawyers and support staff, offering evidence-based insights for legal organizations seeking meaningful improvements in workplace wellness.The research, conducted over several years at a large public sector legal organization,
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5 Practical Strategies for Managing Anxiety
When we start to feel anxious, our bodies immediately enter into “fight-or-flight” mode. We are simply trying to survive a perceived threat. Sometimes, our bodies fail to tell the difference between possible danger and completing a specific task. No need to worry—anxiety is a natural response to stress! If you are struggling to get your anxious thoughts under control, however, here are some strategies to help manage them more effectively.1. Practice Mindful BreathingOne of the quickest and most effective
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Mental Health in the Workplace: Addressing the Stigma Amongst Doctors, Lawyers, and Other Professionals
Mental health in the workplace has long been a topic of concern, but the conversation is especially critical when it comes to high-stress professions such as medicine, law, and finance. While society has made progress in reducing stigma around mental health, professionals in these fields often struggle in silence, fearing judgment, career setbacks, or even a loss of their professional license.Why Mental Health Matters in High-Stress ProfessionsDoctors, lawyers, and corporate executives face enormous pressure, often leading to burnout, anxiety,
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Workplace Anxiety: How to Stay Calm and Focused
Tight deadlines, high expectations, interpersonal conflicts, and an overwhelming workload are all a part of having a full-time job. While a certain amount of stress to complete tasks can be motivating, excessive workplace anxiety can hinder productivity and impact mental well-being, which may take all the focus out of actually completing the work.The good news is that there are effective strategies to manage workplace anxiety and to learn to keep calm and focused mindset.Understanding Workplace Anxiety
Before addressing workplace
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What to Know About High-Functioning Depression
“High-functioning depression” is a term used to describe individuals who appear to manage daily life successfully, but are silently battling persistent feelings of sadness, exhaustion, or emptiness. Because these individuals often maintain careers, relationships, and social responsibilities, their internal struggle can go unnoticed, making it challenging for both the person and those around them to recognize the signs.What Is High-Functioning Depression?High-functioning depression often aligns with a clinical diagnosis known as persistent depressive disorder (PDD) or dysthymia. It is characterized
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