Mental Health Awareness Week 2025

For Mental Health Awareness Week, Valerie Charbit, Chambers’ Wellbeing Director, shared her approach to maintaining mental health and discussed her tips and advice on maintaining well-being in the demanding life of a criminal and regulatory barrister.

1. What steps do you take to prioritise your mental well-being in your daily life as a barrister?

I take 4 steps which include:

Task Organisation: I maintain lists for both work and home, including separate long-term and short-term goals, as well as a daily to-do list. While this approach may not suit everyone, it helps keep me focussed and on track.
Work events: I limit my work-related events to a maximum of two per week, ensuring I have enough time for my family and personal life as well.
Physical Well-being: I look after my physical health by exercising early in the morning, four times a week, which helps keep my mind calm and allows me time to reflect.
Professional Development: Recently, I began meeting with a supervisor once a month, a practice inspired by a project funded by Chambers to reflect on my work and goals as well as exploring the stressful aspects of the work I do.

2. How can the Bar better support employees’ mental health and reduce stigma?

Open conversations about the pressures within the profession are important, along with ensuring support is accessible through chambers, circuits, specialist bar associations and using the Bar Council’s resources at wellbeingatthebar.org.uk.

3. What role does kindness play in maintaining your mental health?

I believe Kindness is the key to better working relationships in the legal profession and better mental health. It also creates communities – the theme of this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week – Kindness is catching and it is not just altruistic but actually benefits the giver too.

4. Which Mental Health charity have you been supporting this year?

I have supported the vital work of the Coroners’ Court Support Service (coronerscourtssupportservice.org.uk) which provides crucial support to bereaved families attending inquests. In places like the West London Coroner’s Court, volunteers are exceptionally well-trained, offering both practical assistance and compassionate emotional support to families and witnesses during difficult times.

5. What’s one thing you’ve found particularly helpful in managing stress or anxiety before a big case?

Preparation is key, pacing yourself, planning work and allowing enough time to do the work so you reach the end of the case. Not forgetting being kind to yourself and others throughout the case!

Valerie has represented the Criminal Bar Association as wellbeing director, served as a wellbeing lead for the South Eastern Circuit, and she was a longstanding member of the Bar Council’s Wellbeing Working Group. She is co-founder of the Kindness Project, which aims to foster a culture of kindness and support within the legal community: [Valerie Charbit Profile]