In this season of gratitude and spending time with family, it is important to be mindful of those who may be hurting during this time. The holidays can be very difficult for many people, including for lawyers who are susceptible to mental health issues or crises. Setting aside the pressures for year-end collections, working through client needs and striking the balance between life and work during the holiday season can prove challenging for some.

It is no question that the practice of law is a stressful profession, and lawyers, more than other professionals, are known to experience symptoms of stress or burnout at high rates. Indeed, one study recently found that highly stressed lawyers are 22 times more likely to consider suicide than lawyers with low stress. It also found that lawyers were more than twice as likely as the general adult population to have thoughts of suicidal ideation.