Debunking the Myth of Wellness for Women Lawyers

Healing in the Quiet™ with Arlene JM Grant, Esq.

Episode: Debunking the Myth of Wellness for Women Lawyers

Welcome back to Healing in the Quiet™! I’m your host, Arlene JM Grant, Esq., and this week, I’m joined by two powerhouses in lawyer well-being:

• Alyssa Johnson, Esq. – Former practicing attorney turned coach and consultant specializing in emotional intelligence, the neuroscience of productivity, and racialized trauma in the White body. She helps lawyers navigate stress and perform at their best.

  • Website: www.alyssajohnson.love
  • Contact: [e-mail]

• Idara E. Bassey, Esq. – Freelance Project Attorney, Energy Strategist, and Corporate Intuitive who founded JOY Counsel LLC to help women lawyers reduce stress and find clarity beyond traditional legal training. She holds advanced degrees in law and metaphysical counseling and advises legal professionals on wellness, executive performance, and values alignment.

  • Website: www.loveyourlawyerlife.com
  • Contact: Contact Form

Trigger Warning: This episode touches on stress, trauma, and mental health.

The legal profession has long been steeped in a culture that equates success with endurance, resilience, and an unyielding work ethic. But at what cost? Women lawyers face unique stressors—from systemic challenges in the profession to societal expectations that demand they “have it all” while sacrificing their own well-being.

In this conversation, Alyssa and Idara challenge outdated notions of wellness and offer a candid look at:

• The most pervasive myths about lawyer wellness and why they persist.
• Whether law firm wellness initiatives are truly effective or just corporate posturing.
• The hidden stressors that impact women lawyers’ health and performance.
• How societal and workplace pressures shape women’s ability to prioritize their well-being.
• The intersection of race, culture, and background in a woman lawyer’s wellness journey.
• How to recognize the early signs of burnout before reaching a breaking point.
• Tangible ways law firms can better support women’s well-being beyond yoga and mindfulness apps.
• The one simple but powerful shift every woman lawyer can make today to improve her wellness.
• What a truly sustainable and nourishing wellness culture in law would look like.

Women in the profession are often told to “push through,” but true success comes from learning to balance ambition with self-preservation. This episode is a must-listen for any woman lawyer navigating the intersection of career and well-being.

CLE for Women Lawyers – "Winning on Your Terms: The Inner Game Plan"
📅 Friday, March 21st | 10-11 AM ET
🔗 Register Here

📖 Book Recommendation by Alyssa:
"Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen" by Dr. Inger Burnett-Zeigler

📺 The Enjoli Perfume Commercial (1982) Referenced by Idara:
Watch Here

(For the record, it's from 1982, no