Ep #12: Substance Use & Abuse


Last week, I received a ton of emails from my clients and podcast listeners regarding the recent The New York Times article on lawyers and addiction. Many of them voiced their fears that continuing in their careers would set them up to develop drug or alcohol problems.

To put your mind at ease, I’d like to set the record straight – being a lawyer doesn’t mean you are destined to be a drug addict or alcoholic.

In this episode, I explain what actually contributes to substance use and abuse and how you can solve those problems without using *or* quitting your job. If you’re using substances more often than you would like and you want to better understand why you use and how to cut back, this podcast is for you.

Tune in to find out how you can break your habit of using and abusing substances and better manage your urges to use. Discover three things that you can start practicing today to reduce your desire to use alcohol or other substances and create lasting change in your life and career.

Important disclaimer: I am not a medical professional. This podcast is not a substitute for medical advice. If you are physically addicted to drugs or alcohol please consult a medical professional before you try to reduce your use. This podcast is intended for people who are not physically dependent, who are functioning in their jobs and their lives, but who would like to reduce their recreational use of alcohol or drugs.

What You’ll Learn From this Episode:

  • Why substance abuse in the legal profession is such a widespread problem.
  • What makes lawyers vulnerable to substance abuse.
  • What creates the desire and urges to drink or use other substances.
  • How to manage the desire and the urges to use.
  • Why resisting your urges is not the answer.
  • The step-by-step process for reducing your desire to drink or use.

Listen to the Full Episode:

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About the author

Kara Loewentheilis a former litigator, academic, and think tank director who now runs a boutique life coaching practice for lawyers. As a certified cognitive life coach, her coaching work focuses on teaching lawyers how to reduce stress, improve time management, balance their workload and personal lives, and create a sustainable and enjoyable legal practice. Before launching her coaching practice Ms. Loewentheil ran the Public Rights / Private Conscience Project at Columbia Law School, held academic fellowships at Yale and Columbia, and litigated in state and federal court. Ms. Loewentheil clerked on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and is a cum laude graduate of Harvard Law School and Yale University.

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