These articles are written by the family members of Mississippi lawyers lost to suicide. But for the Grace of God these stories could be about anyone of us affected with these illnesses. Rodney, Robert, and Portrait were real people, loving fathers, husbands, and lawyers. Often our culture focuses on “the suicide.” With these stories we […]
One of the questions I get asked over and over in meetings with local bars across the state is, “Are lawyers really that much more likely to become alcoholics or drug addicts?” Or, said another way, are lawyers more apt than others to contract addictive disease? The statistics for the general population reflect that approximately […]
Alcoholism is a brain disease. Brain research in the past several years has taught us much more than we have ever known before about the mechanics of how alcoholism affects us. At the same time, it has reaffirmed older wisdom about alcoholism that has too often been neglected. Seneca, the Roman poet, observed that some […]
You have probably noticed the rash of recent biographies about the founding fathers. Why do we have this thirst for insight into the lives of our heroic American forefathers? We seem to long for a sense of greatness in ourselves and our leaders that seems missing in our complex modern lives. A forthcoming biography focusing […]
One morning I went to a place beyond dawn. A source of sweetness that flows and is never less. I have been shown a beauty that would confuse both worlds, but I won’t cause that uproar. – ‘Rumi No matter how we grow up -wealthy or poor, well loved or forsaken – we form a view of life. […]
” . . . [H]appiness cannot be pursued; it must ensue as the unintended side-effect of one’s personal dedication to a course greater than oneself.” – Victor Frankel Thomas Jefferson’s phrase has long resonated in the minds of Americans. But only recently has there been extensive research on what makes people happy. For many years, […]
The lawyer explained, “just don’t have time to see my doctor.” Or, the explanation of what he did not have time for could have been, go to support group meetings, see a therapist, play with my kids, or take my spouse out to dinner. One of the great benefits and burdens of technology has been the […]
Turns out that one of the most important aspects to addressing any emotional, mental health or addiction problem is learning to be curious. Over the years, numerous studies of the application of different psychological theories have failed to show any factor about a particular theory which made the application of that psychological theory better than […]
I am writing this on a day when the front page of the newspaper is full of headlines about the killing of four students and a teacher in Jonesboro, Arkansas. A short article buried inside the local section recounts that a few miles from my home a Mr. Moore shot and killed his neighbor Mr. […]
A lawyer comes in to talk recently. He expresses that he is burned-out with the profession. It is hard to come into work: he hates returning calls. His relation with his spouse is poor and his child is acting out in school by skipping classes and smoking pot. All of these are signs of possible […]
Malcolm Gladwell has written a book called, The Tipping Point. Gladwell wants to know what made Paul Revere’s ride successful. How did Hush Puppies, sometime in the late 90’s, become high fashion? What caused the crime rate in New York City to fall almost in half in five years and for the murder rate to drop 64.3%? […]
Every now and then the Lawyer Assistance Program gets a call from a law student at one of our seven North Carolina law schools. The student would rather talk without giving his or her name. The LAP person answering the phone says that’s OK and asks what the concerns are. Usually the student is facing […]