March 2008

Why You Should Never, Ever Call the LAP: Five Misconceptions Exposed

by Rebecca Nerison

Perception is a funny thing. The WSBA Lawyers Assistance Program (LAP) has been around for 20 years, helping to keep lawyers balanced and healthy. Yet many WSBA members have some very interesting ideas about whom we serve and what happens here. So, we offer a few of the more common misconceptions we've encountered over the years — and the facts that counter them — in hopes of setting the record straight.

1.  LAP is just for alcoholics, addicts, and mentally ill lawyers.

Wrong. About 80 percent of our clients don't qualify for any of these categories. Instead, our clients are pretty much ordinary folks who have an issue they'd like some help with. Here are some common situations our clients bring:

• Managing stress and looking for ¬balance
• Transitioning to another workplace or career
• Feeling overwhelmed by doing legal work and running a business
• Financial stress
• Difficulty relating to friends and loved ones
• Feeling too depressed or anxious to get work done
• Procrastination
• Crises such as illness, loss, separation, and divorce

In other words, what we handle is pretty much normal stuff that most lawyers face at one time or another. Those who come to see us recognize that these issues could interfere seriously with their lives, and they want to address them before suffering or damage occur.

Of course, we do help people who use alcohol, drugs, gambling, and other compulsive behaviors to cope with their stressful lives. These behaviors — in addition to untreated mental illness — can ruin a career, a relationship, or a life very quickly. So it's important that we address them and do it well.

2. It isn't really confidential.

We can think of at least three reasons why people might have this misconception. First, many of you associate the WSBA with its discipline and licensing functions. Second, LAP is housed in the same building as the WSBA offices — though on a completely different floor from the public, discipline, and regulatory areas. Third, we are WSBA employees. Why, indeed, should you trust us? Consider these reasons:

• We risk losing our professional licenses if we blab about you to anyone without your written permission.
• APR 19 protects your confidentiality. You have the same level of protection as provided by the attorney-client or psychologist-client privilege.
• We'd have zero clients if the above weren't true. (And we do have more than zero clients.)
• There are certain things we do have to report, just like any other licensed mental health provider in Washington state. Reportable circumstances include the abuse or neglect of a child or vulnerable adult, and plans for suicide or homicide. You sign a Services Agreement in our office that explicates limits on confidentiality, so there is no mystery about this. And if something is reportable, it is reported directly to DSHS or the police — with the lawyer's knowledge — and not to another department within the WSBA.
• Since we don't accept health insurance, there are no electronic records and/or diagnoses about you flying around in the virtual ether.

3. I'll have to spend years in counseling. I can't afford the time — or the cost.

Happily, most people don't need years of counseling. Some of our clients come for one or several sessions and then feel confident that they're on the right track. Others come for a few months or longer.

Sometimes a small issue becomes a big problem if you don't address it early on, so it can actually be more efficient to get a little help at the outset. Routine maintenance can even ward off problems, much like servicing your car regularly will keep it healthy.

As for the cost of LAP services, we've structured our fee agreement such that everyone can access us regardless of their financial situation. Money is never a barrier.

4. I have to live close to Seattle to access LAP services.

Thanks to the telephone, you can access LAP services from anywhere in the country. We've worked successfully with people we've never met in person. If circumstances dictate face-to-face meetings (and some do), we help members find a provider local to them. (If referred, members pay the provider's rate, since LAP does not have financial agreements with private providers.)

In the interest of better serving members outside the Seattle metro area, LAP is working on several initiatives. We welcome your input and invite you to stay tuned on the WSBA website for more information.

5. I can handle my problems by myself. Besides, it's a sign of weakness to ask for help.

Well, okay. Just because you're a lawyer doesn't mean you automatically have issues needing "professional help." You may have all kinds of personal and professional resources available that help you get through the day — and your career.

But if there is an issue that needs your attention, we hope you'll attend to it sooner rather than later, for the reasons mentioned above. And if you'd like an objective set of eyes and ears to help you assess the situation, we're available. Our job is to help members be as healthy, happy, and functional as they can possibly be. That's our sole agenda.

And yes, some people will always have a hard time asking for help. My view is this: The law business is difficult enough without getting all John Wayne about it. Even star athletes have personal trainers and agents and don't expect to figure it all out on their own.

Just know that we're here if you ever want to use us. See for yourself if your ideas about us are true! 

To make an appointment for a free confidential consultation, call LAP at 206-727-8268 or 800-945-9722, ext. 8268.

Rebecca Nerison has counseled, coached, and consulted with lawyers at the WSBA Lawyers Assistance Program since 1997. She earned a doctorate in counseling psychology from the University of Iowa in 1992 and is a licensed psychologist in Washington state. She can be reached at 206-727-8269 or 800-945-9722, ext. 8269, or rebeccan@wsba.org.