Bond law academics doing their part for mental health awareness month.
The month of October is recognised worldwide as Mental Health Awareness Month. It serves as poignant reminder to all of use to consider the wellbeing of others. It is also a time when law academics can reflect on the wellbeing of our students and our colleagues. The global initiative encourages open conversations about mental health, reducing stigma and fostering a culture of support.
Law academics at Bond University have been doing their small part:
Fostering Resilience: By acknowledging the important of mental health, law academics can help students develop resilience, a vital skill for navigating the challenges of the legal profession. Executive Dean of the Bond Law Faculty, Professor Nick James shared a powerful speech on resilience at the Faculty of Law Executive Dean’s awards evening. This speech was published by the CPLE and can be accessed here
Breaking the Silence: Some academics have been delving into the complex issue of social anxiety among law students. Melanie Jackson, Bond Law Faculty and CBT therapist Lisa Du Plessis share their insights into social anxiety in legal education and provide useful strategies for educators to provide the best possible support to struggling students. The posts can be assessed here and here.
Raising Awareness and reducing stigma Some of our law academics are actively fundraising for mental health charities. Associate Professor, Kay Lauchland and GDLP Program Director, Tanya Atwill are making a difference by fundraising for the Black Dog Institute.
Kay and Tanya will be taking part in One Foot Forward to help reduce the impact of mental illness and suicide by walking 160km! The aim is to raise funds for Black Dog Institute, so that they can put ground-breaking new mental health treatment, education, and digital services into the hands of the people who need them most. If you are interested in sponsoring our law academics you can help me a difference here One Foot Forward – Bond Law
The CPLE would love to hear from other academics about what you are doing to support mental health, both in the classroom and beyond!