Bar in Brief > Community as Essential Self Care

Add connection with a voluntary bar association to your 2026 self-care plan

COLUMN > A Note From the WSBA Executive Director

BY TERRA NEVITT

This new year, I want to shine a light on a health crisis that is particularly endemic in our profession: loneliness. We are trained to be independent problem solvers, competitive critical thinkers, and even combative advocates as we often find ourselves in adversarial positions.¹ Add to that the shift to virtual work, the impact of social media, and the deep divides in our national culture, and it’s no wonder that, as a profession, we rank highest on the “loneliness scale.”²

Lawyers are among the most impacted by a broad societal problem referred to in a 2023 report by U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy as a “loneliness epidemic.” That report details the very real health impacts linked with loneliness, including increased risk of heart disease, stroke, depression, and anxiety (just to name a few).³ The WSBA’s own research indicates that Washington legal professionals are regularly impacted by stress. According to a preliminary survey report from the WSBA’s Well-Being Task Force⁴ (look for the full report soon at wsba.org), almost 60 percent of respondents are burned out from their work regularly or occasionally (that leaps to 80 percent for new practitioners); and an equal amount report feeling nervous, on edge, worried, or panicked on a monthly basis (that jumps to 84 percent for new practitioners).

What’s the connection between stress, burnout, and loneliness? According to Bree Buchanan, a leader in legal well-being, “social isolation results in an unfulfilled need to belong or feel connected to others which, in turn, leads to poor mental and physical outcomes.”⁵ Put another way, “while loneliness, poor-quality relationships, and social negativity can aggravate stress responses and influence long-term health outcomes, being more socially connected can buffer against maladaptive stress responses and the negative health effects of stress.”⁶

In other words: Being a part of a community is critical self-care for any human, and perhaps we legal professionals need more help than most!

Years ago, my young family and I relocated from Bangkok to Bellingham. I had a 2-year-old and a brand-new job. Sometime during my first month in town, I attended a lunch meeting of Whatcom Women Lawyers. It was a small but mighty group that met over bagels to share challenges, laugh, and plot solutions. As the lunch was ending, one of the women approached me and said, “We’re both lawyers and mothers of young kids, we should be friends.” Erin Glass did become my good friend, and many other friendships blossomed from that connection. It was brave, and vulnerable, and incredibly generous what she did, and I am certain that my time in Bellingham would not have been as rich and joyful had she not reached out for connection that day.

The WSBA is deeply committed to member well-being, but I have come to accept the reality that the State Bar is not in the best position to foster true community. It’s a structural reality that a statewide organization operates at a certain altitude; and it’s also a reality that trust and change happen at a local, human level.

And that’s where our voluntary bars come in. Voluntary bars—county bars, affinity bars, and specialty bars—are places of professional connection and uplifting. They support pro bono efforts that directly serve the most vulnerable people in their communities and give us a sense of purpose. They create space, safety, and rapport for colleagues with shared identities. They allow practitioners to pool knowledge and tackle systemic barriers in their own communities. They provide networking, mentorship, advocacy, resources, and skill-building opportunities, and so much more. In sum, they provide members with opportunities to bond over shared purpose and social events. They make a profession that can sometimes feel adversarial, hierarchal, competitive, and perfectionistic feel … supportive and welcoming.

We are fortunate in Washington to have a rich tapestry of voluntary bar associations, and many are vibrant and thriving. Some, however, are struggling to survive—membership is declining and engagement is low. Traditions are collapsing because of lack of participation. Leaders who have stewarded their associations in isolation for years are saying they will hold on one more association election cycle to see if anyone steps up to take over their terms … or they are going to dissolve their long-standing organizations.

Voluntary bars are not alone in this trend. Rates of volunteerism and engagement have dramatically declined across America since the pandemic.⁷ But we are uniquely positioned as legal practitioners to tip the “loneliness scale” in our own profession, and the first step is easy. Join. Attend. Volunteer. Reach out. There is a county bar or an affinity bar that is waiting to welcome you. They are holding CLE, networking, pro bono, and social events (many even offer free food and drinks!).

On the eve of the new year, I’m asking you to make a tried-and-true resolution but with a new focus. Make your health a priority, starting with that most foundational need: Human connection. Community does not happen by accident. It happens when every person takes an intentional step to join, and we are all better off for it.

Thank you for helping us build a more resilient legal profession.