174. From Fear to Trust: A Journey of Recovery and Resilience in the Legal World

Such an important episode! In this podcast episode, former big law attorney Brooke Welch discusses her personal struggle with alcoholism and the high-stress culture of the legal profession. She shares her journey to recovery and her passion for transforming the legal workplace culture. The conversation also touches on the prevalence of substance abuse among lawyers, the importance of mental health, and the need for more supportive and inclusive work environments. Brooke also talks about her upcoming essay in the book "Her Story," which focuses on resilience and women attorneys overcoming obstacles. The episode concludes with potential solutions for lawyers struggling with similar issues. Brooke Welch is an attorney and Founder of Tiny Adventures Path, a woman-owned consultancy. She works with organizations to support well-being and DEI-B, while reducing risk and attrition, with a specialization in workplace alcohol culture. Brooke brings her lived experience of 16 years of Recovery for alcohol use disorder and mental health challenges. She is also the Founder of the Alcohol-Free Tiny Adventures Social Group in Richmond, Virginia with almost 500 members and 100+ events. Brooke is active in law school programming for the Institute for Well-being in Law (IWIL) and serves as Vice-Chair of the DEI-B Committee for the ABA Law Practice Division. Her legal career spans from BigLaw litigation to non-profit humanitarian immigration law. Brooke is a graduate of the University of Virginia School of Law and Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy (Tufts University). Connect with Brooke at tiny-adventures.com, [email protected] and LinkedIn.  You can read Brooke’s essay, “From Trust to Fear: Lessons From My Recovery for the Legal Community,” in the newly-published American Bar Association “Her Story: The Resilient Woman Lawyer’s Guide to Conquering Obstacles, Book 2” You may order your copy of Breaking Free here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CPKSQ59R