Planting Roots in the Tumbleweed: A Legal Advocate’s Guide to Mental Health w/ Paula Yost

Send us Fan MailWelcome to Surviving-ish! In this episode, we dive deep into the intersection of legal advocacy and mental health with the incredible Paula YostPaula isn't just a high-level trademark attorney; she is also a licensed clinical mental health clinician, a foster/adoptive parent, and a powerful advocate for trauma-informed practices within the legal system.We start things off with our "surviving" moments—ranging from Paula’s experience navigating a rare North Carolina snowstorm with three boys to the technical frustrations of IRS verification. From there, we trace Paula’s journey as a first-generation college student who used hyper-achievement to forge a new path, eventually earning two degrees at Virginia Tech and pivoting to law school in the wake of 9/11.In this episode, we discuss:•The Court as Triage: Why Polly returned for a Master’s in Clinical Mental Health to better understand how the legal system functions as a frontline for mental health crises.•Trauma-Informed Lawyering: How Paula teaches lawyers to recognize signs of mental illness and respond with empathy rather than just procedure.•The Cost of Caring: A candid look at secondary trauma and the emotional toll on advocates.•Advocacy in Action: Paula’s work as a CASA/guardian ad litem and her personal journey of adopting a foster youth as an adult.•Resilience in Parenting: Navigating the medical challenges of her children, including cleft lip/palate and the realities of acute preeclampsia and premature birth.Paula Yost also shares a sneak peek into her upcoming book, Tumbleweed, which explores the themes of advocacy, healing, and the vital importance of supporting families through their hardest seasons. #SurvivingIsh #MentalHealth #TraumaInformed #LegalAdvocacy #FosterCare #Adoption #Resilience #Podcasthttps://www.amazon.com/Tumbleweeds-Advocate-Children-Yourself-Failing/dp/B0GQ9M2FK6https://paulayost.com/Support the show