In the next episode of Council of Firsts, Amanda Arriaga, first Latina president of the Austin Bar Association, sits down with all six justices of Texas' Third Court of Appeals. For the first time in the state's history, the Third Court of Appeals is comprised of all women.Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/C06POZy3KxM
In the next episode of Stop the Stigma, we sit down with Kristi Taylor, executive director of the Texas Judicial Commission on Mental Health (JCMH). Formed by a joint order of the Texas Supreme Court and the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals in 2018, the commission's mission is to develop, implement, and coordinate policies to improve courts' interactions with individuals with mental health needs, substance use disorders, and intellectual/developmental disabilities (IDD).There are 30 adult mental health courts and nine juvenile mental health courts in Texas: https://www.texasjcmh.gov/programs-and-initiatives/mental-health-courts/Please check out these important tools and resources from the commission:JCMH Bench Books - https://www.texasjcmh.gov/publications/bench-books-code-book/JCMH Summit - https://www.texasjcmh.gov/programs-and-initiatives/conferences-meetings/summit/2025-jcmh-summit/JCMH Treatment Courts Collaborative - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_g4xkl42v3gTBRI - https://child.tcu.edu/about-us/tbri/#sthash.sWJPGGbM.dpbsHandle with Care Program - https://minaretfoundation.com/handle-with-care-texas-toolkit/Yolanda Lewis/Dr. Jule Kaplow presentation - https://youtu.be/Bq7AD20V7ckChristi Center - https://youtu.be/Bq7AD20V7ckWatch and subscribe on YouTube: https://youtu.be/zbQ7QHiDFwI
Kurt Metscher is a 36-year-old family law attorney in Austin. His addiction challenges started in high school, first with marijuana, then amphetamines. After an incident in college, he entered treatment. Initially planning to return to his addiction once his probation was over, he gradually found himself enjoying the sober way of life.He wants people, particularly law firms and partners, to understand that addiction is not a moral failing and that a lawyer in recovery is perhaps better equipped to handle the stressors of the profession than a lawyer who has never struggled with addiction.Find an AA meeting: https://austinaa.org/meetings/From Slate, "Why Philip Seymour Hoffman’s Death Is So Scary":"One truism of addiction science is that long-term abuse rewires your brain and changes its chemistry, which is why triggers (or “associated stimuli,” in scientific parlance) are major risk factors for relapse. But these changes can be reversed over time. Walking past the apartment where my dealer used to live didn’t make me want to score; it made me feel as if I was in a phantasmagoria of two crosshatched worlds—but I was the only person who could see both realities. None of my colleagues at MIT, no one in the science writing community I lean on for professional advice and support, none of the people who’ve worked on my books has ever seen me slip into that other world."https://slate.com/technology/2014/02/philip-seymour-hoffmans-drug-death-the-science-of-addiction-recovery-and-relapse.html
In the next episode of the Council of Firsts, Amanda Arriaga, first Latina president of the Austin Bar talks to Sandra Avila Ramirez, First Latina Judge of the 98th Civil District Court.Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/SReZ7uu8KUQ
In the next episode of the Council of Firsts, Amanda Arriaga, first Latina president of the Austin Bar, talks to Pete Gallego, former U.S. Congressman.Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Oj7WVRIELhQ
TIMESTAMPS00:00 - 01:25 Introduction01:26 - 06:49 Why did you want to share your story with us?06:50 - 24:52 Tell us about your experiences with ADHD.24:53 - 30:32 What advice would you give to a lawyer struggling with ADHD?30:33 - 40:40 Closing StatementsDavid Courreges is a former Austin Bar president and general counsel at University Federal Credit Union. Katy Sutton is a Houston-based licensed psychologist who has been friends with David since elementary school. Both have been diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). In this podcast, they discuss the value of a diagnosis, how their lives, both personal and professional, improved once they were properly tested and treated. They both emphasize the importance of not being ashamed to ask for help when you sense something is not right. When all of your efforts fail when you're trying to achieve something, the answer may be something you don't know about. When you experience that, consider seeking professional help to find answers.
In the next episode of Stop the Stigma, we talk with Austin attorney Brian Tagtmeier, who has suffered from alcoholism and depression for most of his life. Today, though, he is a successful attorney because he learned to stop isolating himself and to reach out to people for help.Brian's inspiring story is also available on YouTube: https://youtu.be/7Tr66-T6RS0
In the next episode of the Council of Firsts, Amanda Arriaga, first Latina president of the Austin Bar, talks to Delia Garza, Travis County Attorney and first Latina to serve on Austin City Council, as Austin Mayor Pro Tem and County Attorney.Watch and subscribe on YouTube: https://youtu.be/BAgAZF6IjOQ
Cameron Cano's addictions started young. He remembers drinking a case of Smirnoff Ice when he was about 10 years old. At first it was alcohol, but it eventually led to crystal meth and jail all before law school. Cameron's biggest struggle was trying to maintain his sobriety after the drug-related death of his older brother. Angry and not sure where to go or what to do, Cameron decided to go on a soul-cleansing journey on foot, starting in Oregon during the winter and ending back in Texas. It took the harsh conditions of that journey to convince Cameron that he wanted something more for his future. Pushing back against his negative self-talk and self-doubt, Cameron applied to college, then law school. Today, Cameron is a plaintiff's attorney who strictly separates his work and personal lives. His best advice is to maintain your sobriety at all costs and to be conscientious of when you start to feel that your sobriety is at risk. If you find yourself in situations that feel dangerous to your sobriety, you must remove yourself right away.
In the next episode of Council of Firsts, Amanda Arriaga, first Latina president of the Austin Bar, sits down with Austin attorney Pete Reid to discuss his law career, his journey to becoming an attorney, and how he created his unbiased Scottish soccer announcer alter ego and social media star, Allaster McKallaster.
Shana Faulhaber is a Dallas-based criminal defense attorney who started drinking when she was 14 years old and continued to do so as she got older. In law school and in her early career, she rationalized that alcohol was a natural part of the legal profession, so she didn’t have a problem, even as her nightly red wine habit escalated from one glass to one bottle to eventually a three-liter box. After admitting she had a problem, Shana’s first effort at recovery involved the 12-step program. She attended 90 meetings in 90 days, as per the program’s recommendations, but at the end of it she found the program did not resonate with her, and she continued drinking. At the time, the 12-step program was the only sobriety program she’d ever heard of. However, she was introduced to a different sobriety program, inspired by the book Rational Recovery, by a friend who had recently overcome heroin addiction. Through Rational Recovery, Shana has found lasting sobriety and advocates for lesser-known sobriety programs. However, she is certainly not against the 12-step program. If you’re struggling with addiction, it’s important to find the program that works for you and that you can adhere to in the long term. Watch and subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GIU4YDEqs0
Greg Cox is a regulatory and public law attorney. He's also someone who has chosen not to drink - a decision he says has immensely improved his life. Without alcohol, Greg says he's able to be more present as a husband and father. As a regulatory law attorney, Greg acknowledges that the wheels of government typically turn the most during cocktail hour. However, choosing not to drink has not destroyed his career. Greg says you just have to get more creative and more intentional about how you network and develop business opportunities. Watch and subscribe on YouTube https://youtu.be/-2sOIvQ4pSA
Watch and subscribe on YouTube Deborah Wigington is judge of Comal County Court at Law No. 3 in New Braunfels. The mental health court handles both civil matters, as well as criminal referrals, related to mental health issues. The purpose of the court is to take a non-adversarial approach to helping individuals with mental health issues find resources that can help them. The court has forms to share with other courts interested in offering mental health services. Visit https://www.co.comal.tx.us/CCLaw/Mental_Health_Court.htm to view these documents. The Texas Judicial Summit on Mental Health will take place Nov. 21-22, 2024. The in-person event is full, but you can still register and attend for free by signing up for the livestream at https://web.cvent.com/event/4bb9ad0d-0f6d-4154-837d-5c941190c00c/regPage:3a358dcf-21b7-414c-ad7b-06220cc77043.
Watch on YouTube In the next episode of Stop the Stigma, we talk to Paul Jacobs, a recovering alcoholic and drug addict. In Paul’s own words, his addictions cost him virtually everything - his lucrative career, his marriage, and nearly his children. In his heart, he knew he was an addict, but it wasn’t until he was at his lowest point - -23 degrees below zero at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, where a doctor told him his ear, nose, and throat system was irreparably damaged as a result of his cocaine use - that Paul accepted help, or surrendered. What followed was an intense rehab process that finally got Paul sober, and today, more than five years clean, Paul helps other attorneys in crisis at TLAP. It’s important for Paul to be vocal about his addiction and recovery, he says, because it lets other attorneys know they’re not alone, they just need to ask for help. In retrospect, he says, if a lawyer he respected had shared their own story of recovery, Paul himself might not have felt so ashamed of asking for help. He hopes providing his story will make the difference for another attorney who is struggling. Don't let costs stop you from getting the help you need. The Austin Bar Foundation offers the Justice Mack Kidd Fund to help pay for treatment of mental health disorders, like depression. Visit https://www.austinbar.org/?pg=justice-mack-kidd-fund Texas Lawyers' Assistance Program offers the Sheeran-Crowley Trust also offers financial help in getting treatment for substance use and mental health issues. Visit https://www.sheerancrowley.org/ The Austin Young Lawyers Association Foundation offers the Personal Crisis Assistance Plan, which offers either $1,500 to help with practice-related financial obligations or helps coordinate with volunteers to oversee an individual's practice while he or she handles the personal crisis. To apply confidentially for financial or practice assistance, please contact Debbie Kelly at 512-472-0279, x105 or by email at debbie@austinbar.org.
Click here to watch on YouTube. The Christi Center is a free grief counseling center in Austin, Texas. The Center has groups for Loss to Suicide, Loss to Overdose, Pregnancy and Infant Loss, Crime Victims, Teen Group, as well as a general adult group. Featured in this episode are Ana-Christina Gonzalez, a fundraising consultant for the Christi Center; Executive and Clinical Director Jocelyn Chamra Barrera; Peer Support Coordinator Christi Neville, and Board President Julio Mendoza-Quiroz. The Christi Center has its annual fundraiser, Heart Connections, on Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Norris Conference Center. If you are interested in purchasing tickets, a table, or sponsoring the event, please click here. If you're interested in learning more about the Christi Center, including joining any of its grief groups, please click here. The Christi Center offers numerous resources for parents in how to help their children through grief. To access these resources, including the downloadable PDF "Coping with Grief," click here. The Christi Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. To make a tax-deductible donation, click here.
In the next episode of the Council of Firsts, Amanda Arriaga, first Latina president of the Austin Bar, talks to with Aaron Moncibaiz, general counsel for Goodwill of Central Texas. For more information on how you can support Goodwill Central Texas, visit https://www.goodwillcentraltexas.org/
TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - 01:00 Introduction 01:01 - 05:30 Why did you want to share your story with us? 05:31 - 10:57 How did you experience depression and what effect did it have on your practice and personal life? 10:58 - 11:42 How did you realize what you were feeling was depression? 11:43 - 13:51 How did you reenter the practice of law? 13:52 - 19:14 How do you prioritize your mental health? 19:15 - 23:22 What do you do when you find yourself in a “messy middle”? 23:23 - 24:33 Tell us about your practice. 24:34 - 26:16 What other self-care techniques do you employ? 26:17 - 34:38 What perceptions of mental health and substance abuse do you want to change? 34:39 - 37:45 What do you wish you had known at the beginning of your mental health journey that you know now? 37:46 - 41:28 What advice would you give to young attorneys? 41:28 - 45:56 How do you balance work and your mental health? 45:57 - 47:48 How do you balance your mental health and being a mom? 47:49 - 51:03 What advice would you give to an attorney who’s struggling silently? 51:04 Closing Statements Eileen Lawrence is an estate-planning lawyer based in Round Rock, Texas. For the past seven years, she has struggled with her mental health - primarily depression, which she calls "a really good liar." This is because depression talks to you in the same voice that you have come to trust. Eileen details her struggles, including "the messy middles," on in her Substack newsletter, to which you can subscribe for free at https://notesfromthemindfield.substack.com/ Her practice's website is https://centraltexaswills.com/
This week we revisit our interviews with the Hon. Maria Cantú Hexsel of the 53rd Civil District Court and María Amelia Calaf, partner at Botkin Chiarello Calaf.
In the next episode of the Council of Firsts, Amanda Arriaga, first Latina president of the Austin Bar, talks to Gabrielle Smith, president-elect of the Travis County Women Lawyers' Association. To become members of TCWLA or learn more about the organization, visit tcwla.org
In the next episode of the Council of Firsts, Amanda Arriaga, first Latina president of the Austin Bar talks to Philip Arnold and Matt Garcia, chair and chair-elect of the Austin Bar LGBTQ+ Law Section. To donate to the Drag and Justice LGBTQ+ Scholarship Fundraiser, visit https://givebutter.com/em7Ihu. To join the section, visit https://www.austinbar.org/?pg=lgbtqlaw The section is also accepting applications for the LGBTQ+ Scholarship. Click here to learn more about the scholarship program and to apply