Fall is beautiful in Connecticut!  Leaves are changing, the air is crisp, and there are apple cider donuts around every corner. However, for law students, Fall is also when coursework and extra-curricular activities begin to pile up and deadlines start to feel more imminent than the first hard frost.  

The American Bar Association designates October 10th as Law Student Mental Health Day to align with World Mental Health Day, recognized by the World Health Organization. This day recognizes stress, anxiety and substance abuse issues among the legal community, and is an opportunity to promote and educate about resources available to students and lawyers facing these issues.

UConn Law and the American Bar Association have an ongoing commitment to raise awareness, eliminate any stigma regarding help-seeking and self-care, and support a culture of well-being in law school and beyond.

UConn Law - Law Student Mental Health Day Featured Programs  (all on October 10th) :

Breakfast Break - stop by our firm sponsored breakfast break in partnership with CCD on Law Student Mental Health Day (10/10) hosted by Carmody, Torrance, Sandak and Hennessey LLP from 9-11am located at the library patio. Representatives from this firm will be handing out breakfast items from Dunkin’, so please stop by, grab a cup of coffee, and introduce yourself!

Mental Health Committee/Student Affairs Tabling -  10/10 from 12:30-2pm on the library patio to promote the importance of caring for our mental health and combating the stigma surrounding mental health in the legal profession.

Guest Speaker Heidi Alexander - Join us in the evening of 10/10 for our guest speaker, Heidi Alexander, from 5-6pm in JMB. Heidi is Massachusetts’ first Director of the Supreme Judicial Court Standing Committee on Lawyer Well-Being and is the President of the Institute for Well-Being in Law.

Year round, UConn Law offers various resources to help you recognize mental health concerns as well as resources available to help you focus on your well-being.  The UConn Law Office of Student Affairs staff is located in One Stop on the second floor of the library. Students can also book an appointment to talk with our On-Campus Mental Health Counselors through the UConn Law Student Portal.  

The following initiatives available to UConn Law students are offered in partnership with Student Health and Wellness at UConn-Storrs.

• BeWell - offers free and confidential mental health support 24/7/365 by calling (833) 308-3040. This service can also be accessed outside of the U.S by calling +44-20-8987-6588 for in-the-moment support from a counselor, regardless of your location, to help you manage your concerns.  
• On-campus Mental Health Counselor, Corrine, offers one on one counseling. Please email her at                       corrine.ochsner@uconn.edu to set up a time to meet!
• Togetherall -completely anonymous online peer-to-peer mental health support community available free to UConn students 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Togetherall provides access to an online community and a wealth of useful resources, including self-help courses covering topics such as anxiety, sleep, depression and more. Register with your UConn email at: https://account.v2.togetherall.com/register/student
• Headspace - The City of Hartford partnered with the app Headspace for a self-care and mental wellness initiative. You can download it for free (expires 5/31/25)
• Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers Connecticut - offers free and confidential peer support, support groups and other mental health resources to all attorneys, judges and law students in Connecticut.