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Help for barristers

Barristers inherently face very specific challenges on a daily basis. If you need some help click on support to find contact details and advice on seeking support.

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Help for clerks and staff

The professional lives of clerks and chambers’ staff include many potential stressors. If you don’t know how to broach an issue, want advice on your options.

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Help for students and pupils

These resources have been designed specifically for those who have completed their BPTC and for pupils up to tenancy.

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Resources

Our vision

Find out what Wellbeing at the Bar aims to achieve.

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Policy & practice

Guidance on how to introduce wellbeing policies and initiatives and on tackling a wellbeing issue in chambers.

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Media pack

Logos and banners to help you to promote wellbeing.

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Case studies

Examples of successful wellbeing initiatives adopted by chambers, Specialist Bar Associations and the Inns of Court.

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Support

Support for barristers

Who to talk to, how to get help in coping with the pressures and demands of life at the Bar.

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Support for clerks and staff

Who to talk to and how to get help, resources are for clerks and staff themselves.

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Support for students and pupils

Who to talk to and how to get help for those who have completed their BPTC and for pupils up to tenancy.

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Assistance programme

The confidential 24/7 helpline with access to counselling for barristers, pupils, clerks and chambers’ staff.

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Podcasts

Talking therapies may help you explore negative thoughts and feelings, realise why they are there, and potentially enable you to work through issues or feelings of anxiety. But talking therapies do not work for everyone and are just one example of the type of support or intervention you might consider. If you don't find these resources helpful, please try something else. If they don't work for you, stop listening. We also welcome any feedback on these resources - please get in touch via the link at the bottom of the page. Any feedback will be treated in confidence.

Recovering from Addiction

This audio combines an informative and experiential approach for anyone wanting to recover from addiction. It is designed as a start-up, and/or booster, intervention. It may, or may not, be the only support you will need to control your addiction. Please find a quiet place (not when driving) in which to listen to it, where you won’t be interrupted.

22 minutes

Overcoming Anxiety

This audio provides a short guided exercise designed to alleviate stress and anxiety which can be used as a one-off stand alone, and which becomes increasingly effective the more it is practised. Please find a quiet place (not when driving) in which to listen to it, where you won’t be interrupted.

13 minutes

Recovering from Trauma

This series of short audios are designed as an introduction to trauma recovery, providing both information and practical tools to help you move beyond trauma. The techniques taught are widely recognised to be helpful in overcoming trauma. However, these audios do not encompass experiential trauma processing as it is important that this be done in the safe environment of one-to-one therapy. Please listen to, and work with, these audios in order. If listening to them makes you feel anxious, please stop immediately and seek some one-to-one specialist trauma therapy. There are some gentle, quick and very effective therapeutic methods for trauma resolution. You will want to find a quiet place (not when driving) in which to listen to these, where you won’t be interrupted.

About the Author

Sarah Wiesendanger is a psychotherapist and mindfulness practitioner. She has studied mindfulness meditation with a master from the Rinzai tradition of Zen. She works as a psychotherapist for cancer patients at The Fountain centre within The Royal Surrey County Hospital, for military veterans at PTSD Resolution, as well as having her own private practice. Sarah has recently started providing counselling for barristers through the Wellness for Law Network. Sarah has an excellent understanding of life at the Bar and is married to a barrister.

  • The Human Givens Institute – Postgraduate Diploma in Solution-Focused Psychotherapy
  • Terapia – Counselling Skills for Young People
  • Cruse – Bereavement Counselling Training
  • Centre for Counselling and Psychotherapy Education – Postgraduate Diploma
  • Macmillan – Group Counselling Facilitation Training
  • EFT Centre – NLP, Hypnotherapy
  • London College of Clinical Hypnotherapy – Medical Hypnotherapy Diploma
  • Zenways – Mindfulness Mediation Study and Teacher Training

The information and resource packs on this website are designed to help you and your colleagues to work as a community for better wellbeing and professional resilience. If you want to provide feedback on these resources, or to get involved in promoting wellbeing please get in touch.


Get in touch Resource packs

It can be difficult to make a living from law and it can be pressurised and demanding. Competition and an adversarial approach to everything can make collegiate relationships difficult. This website aims to provide you with the knowledge to manage these stressors, make emotionally informed, wise professional decisions and thrive in your chosen profession.

A simple expression that sums up wellbeing is ‘travelling well’

2 in 3 barristers feel that showing signs of stress equals weakness