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When Stress Turns To Addiction and Why Mental Health is Key to Prevention with Jason Ward
Manage episode 506401486 series 3680133
Host Tim Culbert welcomes guest Jason Ward, owner of Wards Lawyers PC and mental health advocate on his website Mentally Speaking, to the show for a candid conversation about stress, mental health, and addiction. Jason shares his journey through the legal profession until burnout and a descent into addiction at age forty-seven to cope with the stresses of the job. He is now a speaker devoted to destigmatizing mental health wellness for everyone, but especially for legal professionals. Jason’s story is powerful and redemptive and highlights the importance of mental health care and support.
Through the start of his law career at one of the largest litigation group firms in Canada, through to the successful firm he co-founded, Jason handled the stress of the job right up until he didn’t. At age forty-seven, never having been much of a drinker before, Jason turned to alcohol and drugs to cope with mental health issues related to burnout. He found himself non-functional and completely dependent on substances to continue his daily life. At the peak of his addiction, he made the decision to retire from litigation and sought rehab assistance. Now sober, Jason is candid about the stresses and demands of a legal career. In a competitive and driven industry, success can come at the cost of mental health, and that’s something Jason is passionate about changing.
About Jason Ward:
Certified by the Law Society as a Specialist in Civil Litigation, Jason Ward is co-owner of Wards Lawyers PC along with his wife, Karissa. Recently retired from litigation at age fifty, the full-service firm in Central East is one of the largest regionally.
Jason is very enthusiastic about mental health wellness in the legal community, as well as for anyone who needs to hear his message of recovery. After his story was spotlighted by national media organizations like MacLean’s and the American Bar Association in both Canada and the U.S., Jason spends much of his time publicly speaking to others about his journey. He is dedicated to raising awareness, de-stigmatizing, and making paramount mental health wellness for everyone, particularly for legal professionals. Jason can be reached through his website at mentallyspeaking.ca.
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Contact Tim Culbert:
Contact Jason Ward:
- Website: WardLegal.ca
- Website: MentallySpeaking.ca
- Facebook
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