Canadian Lawyer

w w w . C A N A D I A N L a w y e r m a g . c o m F e b r u A r y 2 0 1 5 27 which is part of the problem." Getting close to clients and handling difficult cases is a double-edged sword for family lawyers. "This is a difficult practice. It is draining," says Rachel Baron, a family lawyer and mediator in Toronto. Fortunately, there are steps lawyers and judges can take to help prevent vicarious trauma and address symptoms should they emerge. Distance is impor- tant. "We are faced with difficult cases all the time. You have to be objective. You can't hold on to these issues," says Baron. "The ones who survive in this practice are the ones who do not become too emotional but are able to advocate on behalf of their clients. Sometimes clients don't like that. They feel like you're a surgeon, very cold and clinical." Developing a thick second skin may be personal, but it should not be a sin- gular experience. Indeed, isolation only increases the potential for developing vicarious trauma. For the four young BLG lawyers who got together before the Magnotta trial and watched what has been widely dubbed "the murder video," there was strength in numbers. "We were afraid this would be traumatic, but because we knew we were there on a mission, we weren't. Watching these images was necessary for us, the judge, the jury. This helped us," says associate Jean-Philippe Herbert. In fact, says Zimmerman, "the most effective stress reducer is collegial dis- cussion." He recommends people find what he calls a buddy judge or lawyer "someone who will listen and you can have a cup of coffee with during the trial." Over that coffee, judges and law- yers will have time for personal and emotional reflection. For that discussion to be successful, the buddy needs to meet three key cri- teria, says Zimmerman. First, they must be available — in person, by phone, via Skype. It doesn't matter the medium, just that the person can be there when need- ed. Second, personality is paramount. Someone who is prone to preach or who rushes in with solutions is out. Finally, the buddy must be the supreme confi- dant. Absolute confidentiality is neces- sary both for code of conduct reasons and for personal peace of mind. It is helpful to discuss issues and per- sonal responses to those issues with a colleague because confidentiality can be maintained. But for many lawyers and judges, stepping outside the workplace to share their problems — without breaking privilege — is beneficial. "You need to have a close friend or confidant, someone who will be unconditionally supportive, "As a helping professional, you become a reservoir of other people's trauma — first-person accounts, crime scenes, autopsies. Pretty soon you start to have the same PTSD your clients have. Feelings get transferred." Psychologist Peter Jaffe I n a presentation to the CBA– Nunavut branch and accom- panying paper, "Practical pain management for lawyers exposed to vicarious trauma," Nova Scotia lawyer Donald Murray empha- sized the need to "dissipate the impact of traumatic material" by finding an opportunity "to disgorge that material in a safe and accepting environment." In other words, vent- ing is good for what ails you. Murray identified three topics lawyers at risk of vicarious trauma need to learn to talk about. They are: 1. what is personally and professionally disturbing about the traumatic material; 2. how the person senses the material is affecting them and their practice; and, 3. how the person intends to respond to these personal and professional issues. Letting it out

• Cover