The Happy Lawyer Mom Podcast

Welcome to THE HAPPY LAWYER MOM PODCAST, a podcast that takes lawyer moms from beyond stressed and barely hanging on to finally getting what they want at work and at home, so that you can be TRULY happy.

Managing Stress and Cravings During Demanding Seasons with Michele Perron 12/22/2025

Managing Stress and Cravings During Demanding Seasons with Michele Perron Stress affects women in ways we’re rarely taught to recognize—especially during demanding seasons at work and at home. In this episode, I talk with Dr. Michele Perron about stress-driven cravings, women’s wellbeing, and what safe, moderate drinking actually looks like for women. We explore why cravings tend to show up under stress and how alcohol affects women differently, particularly when it comes to hormones, sleep, and mood. We discuss topics including: What’s happening in a woman’s body under chronic stress and why cravings occur; How alcohol affects women differently than men; The role cultural expectations around alcohol play for women; Practical, real-life strategies for managing cravings without shame or extremes; What moderation truly looks like for women; and How to support your wellbeing while still enjoying your life. This is a thoughtful, practical conversation for anyone navigating a full, high-pressure season. Link to free resources: Michele Perron, PhD, CAPP, CNRC2 is an alcohol moderation specialist with nearly 20 years of clinical experience who developed a neuroscience-based program that helps attorneys, leaders, and executives regain control of alcohol—without quitting. /episode/index/show/happylawyermom/id/39494765

The Perilous Pursuit: How Overwork Imperils Lawyers’ Careers and Bar Licenses 07/31/2023

The Perilous Pursuit: How Overwork Imperils Lawyers’ Careers and Bar Licenses The legal profession demands a lot of lawyers. But what happens when you’re spread so thin that you make a mistake? It’s not an exaggeration to say that your entire career and future could be affected. In my latest podcast episode, I talk with , Vice Chair of HWG’s Legal Ethics and Malpractice Group, about the direct connection between overwork and bar disciplinary proceedings. We explore topics including: How bar disciplinary proceedings arise for good lawyers who are overstretched; What lawyers who have gone through bar disciplinary proceedings say they would have done differently regarding setting boundaries when overstretched at work; Who bears the risk of being overstretched; The most important thing that lawyers can do to avoid working past their limit; The warning signs and signals that often precede making mistakes; What NOT to do when you’re overworked; How family commitments can particularly make lawyers vulnerable to being overstretched; and How to prioritize your to-do list to avoid making a career-altering or career-ending mistake. If you’re a practicing lawyer, you’re going to want to hear this episode! Full show notes are available here: /episode/index/show/happylawyermom/id/27614598

Getting Happy At Work (Part 1): Are You In The Right Role? 07/05/2023

Getting Happy At Work (Part 1): Are You In The Right Role? Are you in the right role at work? In this episode, I take a deep dive into a huge source of unhappiness for lawyers (and lawyer parents especially): role mismatches! Learn about the different types of role mismatches - and how to know if you have one - as well as the steps for correcting a role mismatch. Spoiler alert: you don't always have to find a new job to correct a role mismatch! If you're feeling stuck, stagnated, or unhappy at work, you don't want to miss this episode! /episode/index/show/happylawyermom/id/27368649

BONUS EPISODE: Is Wellbeing Part of a Lawyer's Professional Responsibility? 01/03/2023

BONUS EPISODE: Is Wellbeing Part of a Lawyer's Professional Responsibility? The legal profession is notorious for hard work and long hours, often at the expense of lawyers' wellbeing. But is this really serving the best interests of our clients? In this episode, you'll hear from a thought leader at the forefront of the Lawyer Wellbeing movement, who holds that wellbeing is not just a "nice-to-have," but is a critical part of a lawyer's ethical duties to clients. Dean David Jaffe of American University Washington College of Law joined Charise for this episode to discuss how the Lawyer Wellbeing movement is changing the way lawyers work and what the future holds with regard to wellbeing and the legal profession. Whether you’re a practicing lawyer trying to manage your own wellbeing or whether you manage or employ other lawyers, or both, you'll find this episode relevant and useful to the continued health of your practice and the people in that practice. For more information and resources in the show notes, go to: https://happylawmom.com/bonus-wellbeing/ /episode/index/show/happylawyermom/id/25492998

Anxious Lawyering: What It Is & How To Fix It 12/01/2022

Anxious Lawyering: What It Is & How To Fix It Are you anxious while lawyering? Whether you’re a first-year associate or a senior attorney, anxious lawyering might be making your professional life much harder than needed. Unfortunately, it’s the default mode for many lawyers and a major contributing factor to unhappiness and burnout in the legal profession. In this episode, we’ll look at what anxious lawyering looks like and the effects it can have on your practice. Then, I’ll share the four most common causes of anxious lawyering in Lawyer Moms, and - most importantly - how to fix it! For a full transcript and show notes, go to: /episode/index/show/happylawyermom/id/25006332

Family Equality Part 5: How to Take Care of Your Family - and Yourself - at the Same Time 11/01/2022

Family Equality Part 5: How to Take Care of Your Family - and Yourself - at the Same Time Moms often have a very hard time spending money on what they need because they’re so busy taking care of their families. Isn’t putting everyone else first and yourself last just part of being a mom? Actually, it isn’t. Because there’s a way to get what you want AND take care of your family so that everyone wins. In this episode, we’ll look at one of the biggest obstacles to happiness for professionals who are also moms, which is financial inequality. We’re looking at what it is, how it shows up, its deleterious effects, and how to cure it. You’ll learn the skill that dissolves it, so you can be generous to your family AND get what you need and want, so you can enjoy your life and career to the fullest. For a full transcript and show notes, go to https://happylawmom.com/podcast7/ /episode/index/show/happylawyermom/id/22866770

Family Equality Part 4: How to Get the Career You Want – Even When You’re a Mom 10/01/2022

Family Equality Part 4: How to Get the Career You Want – Even When You’re a Mom When humans aren't on the career path they want to be on, it creates unhappiness. But many moms don't go after what they want for the sake of their families. In this episode, we look at the reasons why this isn't actually good for anyone - and we discuss a much better alternative! You'll learn the four steps to creating career equality in your family, so you can enjoy being a mom AND having the career you really want. For a full transcript and show notes, go to /episode/index/show/happylawyermom/id/22254419

Family Equality Part 3: How to Get More Time for Fun 09/01/2022

Family Equality Part 3: How to Get More Time for Fun Lawyer Moms have many demands on their time. That usually means that fun and relaxation are the first things to go. What do you do when everyone else in your family is getting time for leisure except you? You create leisure time equality! In this episode, we discuss the benefits of doing this and also the "how." You'll learn the six steps to creating more time for fun and relaxation - medicine that every Lawyer Mom needs. For a full transcript and show notes click here: /episode/index/show/happylawyermom/id/21854066

Family Equality Part 2: How to Get the Caretaking Support You Want 08/01/2022

Family Equality Part 2: How to Get the Caretaking Support You Want Caretaking can take a lot out of you, especially if you're the default caretaker in the family. A heavy caretaking burden limits your ability to go after things that you enjoy and leads to depleted mothering. In this episode, find out how to change this dynamic by creating caretaking equality. I share with you the 3 steps to that will take you from a never-ending juggling act to real support so you can take a breather. You can find the transcript and full show notes at https://happylawmom.com/podcast4/ /episode/index/show/happylawyermom/id/21733379

Family Equality Part 1: How to Lighten Your Load at Home 07/01/2022

Family Equality Part 1: How to Lighten Your Load at Home Keeping up with the house and feeding and clothing the family can be a heavy burden that impacts time both your work life and your health. In this episode, find out how to lighten your load around the house by creating family equality with regard to housework. I share with you the 6 steps to do that, so that you can spend more of your time doing the things you actually enjoy. /episode/index/show/happylawyermom/id/21595544

Happy at Home: How to Create the Home Life You Want 06/01/2022

Happy at Home: How to Create the Home Life You Want Everyone wants a happy and harmonious home life, and yet that goal eludes many families. In this episode, find out the real reason why so many working moms are stressed out at home, and what turns that around. I share with you the 5 areas of family life that need to be addressed, so that you can transform your home life from hectic to happy. /episode/index/show/happylawyermom/id/21506357

START HERE: The Top 6 Causes of Lawyer Mom Stress - and How to Fix Them 05/01/2022

START HERE: The Top 6 Causes of Lawyer Mom Stress - and How to Fix Them Every lawyer mom eventually finds herself asking: why is lawyer mom life so hard? This episode examines the six most common causes of lawyer mom stress and gives you a fresh take about how to fix those issues. /episode/index/show/happylawyermom/id/21446390

A New Approach to Happiness for Lawyer Moms 04/01/2022

A New Approach to Happiness for Lawyer Moms Welcome to the Happy Lawyer Mom Podcast, a podcast that takes lawyer moms from beyond stressed and barely hanging on to finally getting what they want at work and at home, so that you can be TRULY happy. /episode/index/show/happylawyermom/id/21315845

The Happy Lawyer Mom Podcast

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