balancing the scales with the gold in your shadow: psychological wellbeing for professionals
Dr suzanne Cremen
Mental health issues have plagued the legal profession for years, according to research studies and anecdotal evidence. Common symptoms include depression, psychological distress, and drug and alcohol abuse. Yet despite strategies to improve lawyers’ wellbeing, those following a career in law continue to suffer an alarmingly high prevalence of mental health concerns.
A professional career requires the cultivation of certain skills and aptitudes. However, in the process, other valuable (if undervalued) parts of ourselves are relegated to our shadow. Life is thrown out of balance. The Greek Titaness Themis, the archetype of Justice who presides at the entrance of many law courts, holds scales in her hand signifying her ability to weigh and balance both sides of a situation. What forgotten wisdom does her mythology hold for restoration of the profession that serves her?
For the ancient Greeks, as well as for indigenous societies, both logos and mythos were valued as complementary ways of arriving at truth, each with its special area of competence. Eros, the principle of relatedness, appears as teacher and healer too. In this engaging and challenging presentation, Dr Suzanne Cremen draws on fascinating perspectives from the arts and humanities – including mythology, film, literature and Jungian analytical psychology – to offer a thought-provoking insight into what ails the legal profession and practitioners today, and a prescription for better health.
Presented as a 45 minute talk or 2 hour workshop with time for reflective exercises and deeper discussion.
This topic may be tailored for other professional groups.
Dr suzanne cremen, humanities 21
Suzanne Cremen holds a PhD from La Trobe University in the depth psychology of work and careers, two Masters degrees (Engaged Humanities & Mythological Studies, and Jungian Psychology) from Pacifica Graduate Institute (USA) and degrees in Law and Arts from UNSW. Her career began as a lawyer with Tress Cocks Maddox in Sydney, and she has held positions in the legal profession including National Marketing Communications Manager with Minter Ellison, publisher of the Australian Law Journal, and publisher of the Corporate, Commercial, Civil & Criminal Division with Thomson Reuters, before making a tree change to follow entrepreneurial, creative, therapeutic and scholarly paths. Her book From Career to Calling (Routledge 2020), was a finalist in the Australian Career Book Awards supported by the Royal Society of Arts. Suzanne is an advocate for the therapeutic power of the arts and the humanities in transforming and healing the cultural psyche. Her work is published internationally and she has presented plenary sessions at international conferences, including Art and Psyche in the City sponsored by New York University Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, IAAP and others. Suzanne serves on the Management Committee and is a former General Manager of Humanities 21.
CLICK HERE TO BROWSE BY OTHER CORPORATE CONVERSATIONS THEMES
CLICK HERE FOR A COMPLETE LIST OF TOPICS AND SPEAKERS