From burnout to independence: A lawyer breaks her silence!

From burnout to independence: A lawyer breaks her silence!

The mental health of lawyers has become increasingly important in recent years, particularly following the personal experience of Felicitas Kapp, a former lawyer at a major law firm. Kapp, who left her job at the end of 2021, has now begun to speak openly about her struggles with stress and burnout. In a recent interview, she describes her experiences, which were characterized by exhaustion and panic attacks.

Kapp reported a gradual exhaustion that manifested itself in physical complaints such as back pain and migraines. She explained how the pressure of her job caused her to enter a cycle of overwork and endure panic attacks. These symptoms eventually led her to realize that something had to change. In order to improve her professional situation, she began training as a business coach while at the same time working on her independence.

The path to coaching

“I looked into personal development and realized that I wanted to help shape the firm’s culture,” says Kapp. Her decision to leave the legal profession behind came when she was working at a credit institution with more regulated working hours. After a short time, she quit her job at the law firm to devote herself fully to her training.

For Kapp, the decision to make her story public had a conscious dimension. “I wanted to start the conversation about mental health in the legal industry,” she said. In her experience, many lawyers are under enormous pressure, which leads to a high number of unreported cases of mental illness. In her workshops, she repeatedly experiences how important it is to talk about mental health.

An image of strength and aloofness

In the world of large law firms there is a strong image of strength and aloofness that also influences lawyers. “You have to take on the role of the strong person and showing weakness is a taboo,” explains Kapp. This way of thinking often leads to overestimation of oneself and can severely impair one's own perception. “Authenticity and inner strength are crucial,” she adds. Kapp advises taking early warning signs of burnout seriously, such as excessive exhaustion or a loss of energy for things that once brought joy.

The most important thing is to be honest with yourself. Many sufferers tend to deny their own needs, which further exacerbates the situation. “Being radically honest with yourself is the first step to bringing about change,” emphasizes Kapp. She makes it clear that you don't always need a complete professional reorientation; sometimes it's enough to become aware of your own needs.

Kapp sees a fundamental lack of appreciation and teamwork in many law firms. “The way we work should be much more people-oriented,” she demands. Flexibility and individual consideration are necessary to enable a healthy work-life balance. It is important to create an atmosphere of appreciation in which you are perceived as a person and not just as a “work machine”.

The discussion about mental health in the legal profession is more relevant than ever. Kapp shows that there are opportunities for change and that it is important to talk openly about challenges. Her work as a coach and her workshops help to remove taboos from the topic and encourage other affected colleagues.

Felicitas Kapp is now a certified business and team coach and is fully dedicated to improving mental health in the legal industry. Their perspectives and experiences help raise awareness of an often overlooked but important topic and improve working conditions for lawyers.