How to Take Better Care of Yourself This Winter Without Adding More to Your Plate
As we close out the year and step into winter, I’ve been thinking a lot about something:
How do we make caring for ourselves easier?
If you work in a high-stress profession, your days rarely leave much extra room. Your clients need you. Your team needs you. Your family needs you. Your pet(s) need you. The list can go on and on. And even with the best intentions, your own well-being often ends up last on the list.
Just a few weeks ago, I ran a poll on LinkedIn where nearly two-thirds of respondents shared that they don’t consistently feel cared for at work. And in my most recent poll just this past week the top response to the question, “What would make it easier for you to take better care of your well-being this winter?” was "accountability and structure."
To me, this says so much about the moment we’re in. We show up for everyone else, such as our clients, colleagues and family members, but when it comes to showing up for ourselves, we rarely have the built-in support we need. And that’s the gap my winter programs are designed to fill: gentle structure, community support, and accountability that helps you follow through.
Across my workshops, CLEs, and graduate classes, I hear the same themes again and again:
We’re more resilient when we don’t navigate stress alone.
Community, structure, and gentle accountability matter.
Sometimes quick, informal practices can feel more supportive than longer, formal ones.
Self-care shouldn’t feel like another item on an already overflowing to-do list. And you don’t need to make huge changes to feel better. Weaving in well-being practices in even the smallest of ways can be incredibly nourishing to both the mind and body. But the practices have to "fit" into your actual life in order for you to really taste the fruits of them.
That's why I’m sharing several practical ways to care for yourself this winter - each designed to help you feel more grounded, present, and steady, without adding more to your plate.
1. The Winter 6-Week Stress Reduction Program
Earlier this month, I announced that I’ll be co-facilitating the 8-week MBSR program at Jefferson's Center for Mindfulness in January. Many of you reached out and said, “I want something like MBSR, but I can't commit to 2.5 hours a week right now. And I hear you. Mindfulness doesn’t have to be all-or-nothing. And it shouldn’t feel like another task on an already overloaded schedule.
Which is why I designed the Winter 6-Week Stress Reduction Program - evidence-based mindfulness for real schedules:
One hour per week
Six consecutive weeks
All virtual
Digestible pace
Practical tools you can use immediately
Community support + gentle accountability
This is for you if:
You’re drowning in deadlines
You feel stretched thin
You want to feel more grounded and present
You benefit from structure
You want meaningful support without overwhelm
Details and registration will be released next week. But, if you want early access please email me.
2. Emotional Intelligence & Mindfulness for Lawyers
Last week, on behalf of National Academy of Continuing Legal Education Ari Sliffman and I co-facilitated a CLE titled, "Mindful Lawyering: Emotional Intelligence in Mediation and Legal Practice." Together, Ari and I bring nearly 40 years of combined litigation experience and deeply understand the emotional, cognitive, and relational intensity of legal practice. We understand how demanding legal work can be at times.
It can feel like you're
Constantly navigating conflict
Advocating under pressure
Managing personalities
Making decisions that impact real lives
So much of what drains us isn’t necessarily the work itself. Rather, it's how we relate to the stressors that are inherent to the nature of the work. In our one-hour session, we discussed how mindfulness can help us to notice how we're perceiving stressors in our life and shared tools that can help us to down-regulate the nervous system so that we can step out of reactivity, communicate more clearly, stay grounded during hard conversations, improve decision-making under pressure and build long-term resilience. They're tools that are meant for real life - usable in court, negotiations, meetings, mediations, and in your personal life, as well.
If your team, firm, or organization would benefit from this CLE, we’re happy to bring it in-house and tailor it to your practice area or group’s needs.
3. Playing Big Without Burning Out: Mindfulness & Menopause for Women in Law
Physiological and hormonal shifts can intensify stress, impact focus, and make high-pressure work feel heavier, especially for women in midlife. And nothing is “wrong” when that happens. It's natural. It’s physiology. And it’s treatable.
Later this month on December 19 at noon (ET), psychotherapist and award-winning author Shonda Moralis, MSW, LCSW and I are co-leading a one-hour, remote CLE designed specifically for women lawyers navigating midlife transitions and the performance expectations that come with them.
We’ll explore:
Why the brain can get “stuck” in fight-or-flight
How mindfulness supports regulation and clarity
Lifestyle and mindset shifts that reduce cognitive overload
Practical tools to use during the workday
How to stay focused, grounded, and confident, even during intense seasons
If you're interested in registering for this upcoming CLE, please click here. We'd love for you to join us!
As with all of my programs, this session can be customized and brought in-house for your firm or organization.
4. 1:1 Mindfulness Coaching
While many people thrive in community learning, others prefer a more private, individualized space. If you want deeper support tailored to your schedule, your stressors, and your goals, I also offer 1:1 mindfulness coaching.
Private sessions can support you in:
Reducing reactivity and overwhelm
Staying grounded during demanding seasons
Navigating transitions with clarity
Building sustainable habits and practices
Integrating mindfulness into your workday and personal life
If group programs aren’t your style, I’m here for 1:1 support whenever you’re ready.
As We Step Into Winter…
We may not be able to slow life down, especially during the holidays. But we can learn to move through it with more steadiness, clarity, compassion and ease. Whether you want a supportive community, such as my 6-week program, a customized in-house CLE for your team, or a 1:1 space to receive individualized care, know that there are ways to take better care of yourself this season and I'm here to help that feel lighter and more doable.
Warmly,
Courtney