In this episode of The Thriving Lawyer, hosts Kathleen Brenner and Carla Ferraz discuss the concept of 'Flow' and its importance in the legal profession. They explore how physical environments can impact creativity and focus, share personal experiences, and offer practical tips on minimizing distractions to achieve a state of deep engagement.

The episode also introduces a new course designed to help lawyers reclaim their energy and improve their work-life balance through actionable steps and strategies.

00:00 Welcome to The Thriving Lawyer Podcast

01:01 Introduction to Flow

01:12 Creating a Productive Workspace

02:54 The Reality of Legal Work Today

05:08 Understanding Flow and Its Benefits

09:51 Barriers to Achieving Flow

12:59 Practical Tips for Lawyers to Achieve Flow

17:45 Introducing Our Course: Achieving Flow and Thriving as a Lawyer

Check out our on-demand seminar 'Achieving Flow and Thriving as a Lawyer' here. 

Embracing a Growth Mindset: Essential Strategies for Lawyers.

In Episode 9 of Season 2 of The Thriving Lawyer Podcast, hosts Kathleen Brenner and Carla Ferraz discuss the importance of adopting a growth mindset, specifically for lawyers. L

awyers often think they have a growth mindset, and that they understand the concept. However, misconceptions are common. Kathleen and Carla explore what a growth mindset REALLY is, and how lawyers can foster one.

They explore the transformation and change that can be locked by this single shift in mindset. They delve into the pressures and complexities of the legal profession and how a growth mindset can help lawyers navigate challenges and improve their practice.

With real-life examples and practical advice, they emphasize the role of self-reflection, experimentation, and resilience in professional and personal growth. The episode also highlights the importance of self-compassion and curiosity while offering tips for shifting from a fixed to a growth mindset. 00:00 Introduction to The Thriving Lawyer Podcast

00:55 Weekly Catch-Up and Mindset Reflection

03:46 Understanding Growth Mindset

05:48 Growth Mindset in the Legal Profession

08:32 Practical Tips for Developing a Growth Mindset

11:45 Overcoming Barriers to Growth Mindset

18:40 Course Introduction: Growth Mindset for Lawyers

20:40 Conclusion and Resources

The classic resource on growth mindsets comes from the work of Carol Dweck. We highly recommend her book 'Mindset: The New Psychology of Success'.

If you want to learn more about growth mindsets and how lawyers can foster them, you go deeper by exploring our one hour seminar 'The Lawyer's Growth Mindset'. 

In Episode 8 of Season 2 of the Thriving Lawyer Podcast, hosts Kathleen and Carla delve into why coaching skills are essential for lawyers.

Most lawyers think of coaching as something leaders and managers can use with their teams. This is of course very true - and coaching skills is most certainly an essential skill for legal leaders.

However, coaching skills can play a critical role far beyond team management. All lawyers can develop and use coaching skills to enhance client relationships, improve team collaboration, and foster personal growth - and wellbeing.

The episode highlights key coaching techniques such as active listening, powerful questioning, and maintaining a coaching mindset. Kathleen and Carla share their experiences and practical insights on how lawyers can integrate these skills into their practice to become more effective and trusted advisors.

If you enjoyed the episode and want to find out more, you can go deeper by completing our 1 hour seminar designed specifically for lawyers called 'Lawyer as Coach'.  The training is designed to equip lawyers with essential coaching skills. Depending on the requirements of your jurisdiction, this may be able to be claimed as CPD. Find the 'Lawyer as Coach' here: https://www.thrivinglawyer.com.au/store

00:00 Introduction to the Thriving Lawyer Podcast

00:18 The Importance of Coaching Skills for Lawyers

02:17 Why Coaching Skills Matter in Today's Professional World

03:29 Applying Coaching Skills in Legal Practice

11:34 Key Coaching Skills for Lawyers

18:06 Introducing the Lawyer as Coach Course

19:26 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Resources mentioned 

Michael Bungay Stanier, The Coaching Habit 

You can get our Guide to Thriving here 

In this episode, Carla Ferraz turns the tables on Kathleen, interviewing her about the changes she's made since discovering the power of coaching, and explores why she came up with the idea for the Thriving Lawyer.

Resources mentioned - Martin Seligman, Flourish.  

Check out and join the waitlist for our signature course here.  

Sign up to our newsletter here

Embracing the Future: Wellbeing, AI, and Human-Centric Leadership in Law In this episode of The Thriving Lawyer, hosts Kathleen Brenner and Carla Ferraz delve into insights from a recent conference in New York focused on coaching and leadership. The discussion covers crucial topics such as the decline in human performance vis-à-vis AI advancements, the critical role of wellbeing in organizational success, and innovative leadership strategies. They emphasize the importance of creativity, effective communication, and ethical AI integration in fostering resilient, high-performing teams. The episode also underscores the necessity for lawyers and legal managers to adapt to these evolving dynamics to thrive both professionally and personally. 00:00 Introduction to The Thriving Lawyer Podcast 00:50 Exploring Insights from the Uplift Conference 03:53 The Human Performance Crisis 11:30 The Rise of AI and the Manager's New Job 17:13 The Power of Creativity in the Workplace 25:41 Communication and Connection: Becoming a Super Communicator 32:24 Wellbeing as a Business Imperative 38:42 Embracing the Unknowns in Leadership 44:16 Conclusion and Upcoming Announcements

Key resources mentioned 

Uplift: https://www.betterup.com/built-for-growth

Podcast : 

Art and Flow: The Neuroaesthetics Revolution 

Books:  

Supercommunicators: The Power of Conversation and the Hidden Language of Connection by Charles Duhigg

Your Brain on Art: How the Arts Transform Us  by Susan Magsamen & Ivy Ross 

Why Workplace Wellbeing Matters: The Science Behind Employee Happiness and Organizational Performance by Jan-Emmanuel De Neve & George Ward

Check out our signature Thriving Lawyer course at here.  

Join our newsletter here.  

Mastering Flow for Legal Peak Performance - Episode 5, Season 2 In this episode of The Thriving Lawyer Podcast, Kathleen Brenner and Carla Ferraz dive deep into the concept of 'flow' and how it serves as a secret weapon for achieving peak performance in the legal profession. They cover the importance of deep focus amidst the distractions of modern life and share practical strategies for achieving and maintaining flow. Listeners will learn about the challenges faced in a high-pressure legal environment, the stages of flow, and actionable tips to manage time and distractions effectively. The co-hosts discuss their personal experiences and offer insights from renowned experts in flow like Steven Kotler and Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. They also emphasize the necessity of recovery and self-care to sustain peak performance. Whether you're a seasoned lawyer or new to the profession, this episode offers valuable advice for enhancing productivity and overall well-being. 00:00 Introduction to The Thriving Lawyer Podcast 00:50 Episode Introduction: The Flow State 04:14 Understanding Flow and Its Importance 06:33 Practical Tips for Achieving Flow 09:32 Stages of Flow and Legal Applications 15:32 Challenges and Solutions for Lawyers 26:42 Recovery and Sustaining Flow 31:24 Conclusion and Final Thoughts 31:34 Outro and Additional Resources https://www.thrivinglawyer.com.au/thrivinglawyercourse

In this episode of The Thriving Lawyer with Kathleen Brenner and Carla Ferraz, the duo dive into the PERMA Model from positive psychology to provide practical insights and actionable tips for lawyers so they can thrive, not just survive. As lawyers, and in the rest of their lives. They discuss how elements like Positive Emotions, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, and Accomplishment, along with the added factor of Health, can be applied to cultivate flourishing. The hosts share personal anecdotes and client experiences to illustrate how lawyers can easily apply the model in both their practice as lawyers and in the rest of their lives. They also highlight the significance of maintaining mental and physical well-being as foundational to thriving in the legal profession. 00:00 Introduction to The Thriving Lawyer Podcast 01:07 Episode Overview: Positive Psychology and the PERMA Model 01:42 Personal Updates and PERMA in Action 05:49 Foundations of Positive Psychology 09:21 Applying Positive Psychology in Legal Practice 12:27 The PERMA Elements 19:43 Practical Strategies for Positive Emotions 23:50 Achieving Flow and Deep Work 30:53 The Importance of Relationships 38:03 Finding Meaning and Purpose in Legal Work 46:49 The Role of Achievement and Growth Mindset 51:56 Prioritizing Health for Wellbeing 56:16 Practical Steps for Lawyers' Wellbeing 01:00:41 Conclusion and Resources Check out the Lawyer's Guide to thriving in 2025 at www.thrivinglawyer.com.au/guide

In episode three of season two of the Thriving Lawyer podcast, Kathleen Brenner and Carla Ferraz delve into the hidden obstacles preventing lawyers from thriving. They explore both cultural and individual barriers, such as societal factors and profession-specific challenges, that contribute to lawyer burnout.

The hosts provide practical strategies and real-world examples for identifying and addressing these obstacles. Key points discussed include the 'doing obsession,' the role of pessimism, and the prevalence of perfectionism among legal professionals. The episode emphasises the importance of self-reflection, setting boundaries, and gradual experimentation in overcoming these challenges to achieve well-being and professional satisfaction.

00:00 Introduction to Episode Three

00:13 Understanding Hidden Obstacles

01:49 Personal Check-In with Hosts

04:20 Statistics on Lawyer Burnout

05:40 Exploring Individual Obstacles

07:14 The Doing Obsession 35:06 Perfectionism in the Legal Profession

43:42 Practical Steps to Overcome Obstacles

47:53 Conclusion and Encouragement

Resources mentioned

For more on the 'Doing Obsession' refer to Brad Stulberg, The Practice of Groundedness: A Transformative Path to Success That Feeds--Not Crushes--Your Soul

For the classic article on why lawyers are unhappy, see: Seligman, Martin E P; Verkuil, Paul R; Kang, Terry H --- "Why Lawyers are Unhappy" [2005] DeakinLawRw 4; (2005) 10(1) Deakin Law Review 49 at 

For research on lawyer wellbeing see:

2021 International Bar Association report on Mental Wellbeing in the Legal Profession 

2019 Victorian Legal Services Report on Lawyer Wellbeing. https://lsbc.vic.gov.au/resources/2019-lawyer-wellbeing-project-report

Download Your  Free Lawyer's Guide to Thriving in 2025 here. 

See our Instagram here. 

You can find Kathleen on Linkedin here and Carla here.

The Thriving Lawyer: The Importance of Values Clarity for Lawyers' Wellbeing  

In this episode of The Thriving Lawyer, hosts Kathleen Brenner and Carla Ferraz discuss the critical importance of knowing and living your values, particularly for lawyers. They explore the values-wellbeing connection, defining core values as underlying beliefs and desires about the world.   The hosts share personal examples and client stories illustrating how values clarity can mitigate burnout, improve fulfilment, and create a more aligned life.   The episode also provides practical ways for lawyers to start reflecting on and aligning with their values, emphasizing that even small changes can lead to significant improvements in overall wellbeing and professional satisfaction.   00:00 Introduction to The Thriving Lawyer Podcast

00:56 Episode Overview: Values and Wellbeing

01:31 Personal Check-In: Balancing Work and Wellbeing 03:44 Defining Values and Their Importance

07:47 Extrinsic vs. Intrinsic Values 09:57 Real-Life Examples of Values Alignment

18:38 Signs of Values Misalignment 21:26 Addressing Skepticism and Creating Change

27:01 Choosing the Right Goals 28:32 The Importance of Values in Legal Practice

28:58 Personal Reflections on Values

31:35 Practical Steps to Identify Your Values 33:36 Balancing Values in Professional Life

40:42 Integrating Values into Daily Routine 44:07 Small Steps for Big Changes

45:46 Building a Values-Based Career 48:56 Final Thoughts and Resources  

Get your Lawyers Guide to Thriving in 2025 here.    

Check out our course here.  

Resources mentioned - Episode 101 of the Farewell podcast, with Clay Skipper, Brad Stulberg & Steve Magness     

In this episode, we (re)introduce ourselves go deep into what it truly means to thrive as a lawyer - and in the rest of your life. We look at unique roadblocks that often trip lawyers up - and explore signs that you might be languishing!

We also have a surprise announcement up our sleeve. 

Check out our website at www.thrivinglawyer.com.au.  

You can find our free guide, The Lawyer's Guide to Thriving in 2025: A Sustainable Roadmap for Success here. 

You can check out our signature program here.

Instagram: www.instagram.com/thrivinglawyer 

Kathleen Brenner's Linkedin profile can be found here, and Carla's here.