Work stress is consistently among the top five mental health disorders among law professionals, according to a recent paper conducted by the Homewood Health (HHI). The research suggests that, when compared to other professionals, lawyers exhibit higher rates of anxiety, stress and work stress.
“Twenty to 25 per cent of law professionals report experiencing anxiety, which is double the rate of the general population and about twice the national average for reporting depression,” says Shannon Remers, Senior Director of Research and Outcomes at Homewood Health. Remers and her team analyzed findings from Homewood’s Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP) for legal professionals from 2019 to 2024.
Since 2021, one in four cases among lawyers lists anxiety as the primary presenting mental health issue, with nearly two-thirds of those accessing the EFAP for anxiety exhibiting moderate to severe symptoms.
Remers says the traits that make lawyers successful can be detrimental to their mental health and can even get in the way of them seeking help. “They’re naturally super-high achievers and have a strong drive to excel,” she points out. “Their attention to detail and persistence for perfection work well for them professionally but are contrary to them seeking help. They work themselves to burnout, but there’s this stronger reluctance to ask for help which eclipses the stress and burnout.”
Remers’ colleague, Paul Obermeyer, says he’s seen this reluctance among clients at The Residence at Homewood. In his role as The Residence’s Treatment Consultant, Obermeyer says clients with high-stress, high-performing careers frequently struggle with admitting they need help with their mental health. He says a common mindset is, “I’m successful in every realm of my life, and I would never need anything like this.”
The HHI research suggests law professionals underutilize mental health services offered by their employers and law societies because of fear of reprisal and stigma surrounding mental health issues.
“Lawyers may worry if they admit they’re struggling with their mental health, clients may not trust them to be their legal advisor,” says Remers. “They also may worry about public stigma—what other people will think of law professionals generally. For example, a lawyer might think, ‘If I’m supposed to be the person who solves everything and I need help, how do I reconcile that? And how will it impact my career?’”
Declining mental health coupled with a punishing work schedule can lead to burnout. Respondents in the HHI study perceived burnout and anxiety as the two most prevalent issues in the legal profession (94 per cent and 68 per cent, respectively).
Obermeyer says The Residence at Homewood is uniquely positioned to address anxiety disorders brought on by burnout and stress. With its tailored approach to treatment in a relaxed and supportive setting, he says The Residence has a lot of experience with high performers and C-suite individuals. “The beauty of inpatient care is it becomes a forced reset.”
Located on a 50-acre estate in Guelph, Ont., The Residence at Homewood offers a dedicated inpatient experience with one of the highest staff to client ratios of any treatment facility in Canada. These highly customized treatment plans blend individual and group therapies, tailored to each patient’s needs, strengths and long-term goals. The process begins with a multi-day assessment, incorporating family input when appropriate, to shape a personalized inpatient care plan.
This immersive in-patient environment is particularly effective for people struggling with work/life balance. “Sometimes they need reminding how unhealthy it is to work for 18 hours straight, and that you need to take a break,” says Remers.
Treatment for these high-performing individuals is frequently focused on resiliency, self-care and strength
Shannon Remers
Obermeyer points out that one of the primary functions of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is understanding the connection between the way someone thinks and the way they behave. “This informs the team of what to concentrate on,” he says. “For example, a patient might benefit from leisure through recreation therapy, or meditation or mindfulness.”
These therapies, Remers says, can help patients focus on the resources they have in their own lives to support them. “Clients start considering how to strengthen their social connections and how to practise self-care,” she says. “Lawyers tend not to work in isolation, so they could potentially turn to colleagues for support—employing a work-smarter-not-harder mindset.”
Remers believes a naturally built-in support system can help legal professionals keep mental health struggles at bay. “By the time they enter treatment, they tend to be a bit more tenured in their profession,” she points out. “We need to have these conversations early in their careers, so they have that support to build on as they progress.”
Remers says one of the key takeaways from this research is the recognition of the barriers to seeking help, largely due to stigma. “While lack of knowledge plays a role, there is a growing shift toward open discussions about mental health support,” she says. “By continuing these conversations and fostering a supportive environment, we can further break down barriers and extend that openness to the wider community.”
Disclaimer: This story was created by Canadian Family Offices’ commercial content division on behalf of The Residence at Homewood, a member and content provider of this publication.