What We Do
Assist’s mission is large. We have designed 4 programs as pillars that support our mission, vision and objects.
Professional Counselling
Assist provides free and confidential professional counselling to Alberta lawyers, articling students, law students and members of their families (spouse and children who are under 25 and financially dependent).
All lawyers, articling and law students and eligible family members are entitled to 4 sessions per person per issue per year.
To book an appointment with one of our counsellors, please call 1-877-498-6898 weekdays between 8 am and 4 pm. Please provide at least 24 hours' notice of cancellation. All in-person counselling appointments are at the counsellor's office.
Crisis counselling is available 24/7 at 1-877-498-6898 by following the prompts. A registered psychologist will be able to assist you.
Psychological services and 24 HOUR CRISIS LINE: 1-877-498-6898
Peer Support
We provide peer support to Alberta lawyers, articling students and law students. Peer support was a core principle of the Lawyers Helping Lawyers movement that led to the creation of Assist. We formalized our peer support into our Matched Peer Support Program in 2010 and have matched over 350 lawyers and students in that time.
In addition to our Matched Peer Support, we also introduced drop-in peer support sessions where junior lawyers and articling students can chat with senior lawyers about career and personal issues.
Education and Awareness
Assist maintains a library of educational resources on its website and provides speakers at law firms, conferences, CBA sections, PREP program orientation and law schools about mental health, addiction and well-being strategies. Our goal is to find ways, over the long-term, to have a positive impact on the culture of the profession and to partner with other organizations to leverage education and encouragement of good mental and physical health.
Assist's website and on-line educational tools provide valuable, interactive content to reach and engage all lawyers and to be a source of knowledge about human issues and lawyer well-being.
These activities are part of a prevention-based strategy for both lawyers and the profession.
Community
Assist unveiled its Assist Community programming in 2018 to support good mental health and well-being among lawyers, articling and law students and their families. Research shows that proactive strategies for dealing with challenges and emotional distress can be learned and modelled. Being part of a community of support can complement resilience and stress-hardiness. On this basis, and for the purpose of reducing emotional distress through preventative education, Assist facilitates community groups to provide support for lawyers, students and families dealing with particular issues. These include
- parents practicing law,
- lawyers new to a geographic area,
- lawyers new to a practice area, or
- caring for elders.
These groups will build connections and provide a forum for education and positive approaches to stress.
Assist Community activities are based on current understandings of mental health issues and initiatives and are designed to educate participants about help-seeking and de-stigmatization.