In this episode of The Wellness Esquire, Ariella sits down with Jennifer Kupferman — attorney turned psychotherapist — for a conversation that challenges one of the most uncomfortable questions in the legal profession:

Do you actually believe you deserve help?

Not help because you’re falling apart.
Not help because you’ve failed.
But help to perform better. To focus more clearly. To feel calmer. To avoid burnout before it happens.

Jennifer brings her unique dual perspective as both a lawyer and a trained psychotherapist to explore how high-achieving attorneys often normalize stress, dismiss support, and quietly operate in survival mode. She introduces the concept of somatic therapy — a body-based approach to healing and regulation — and explains how stress isn’t just mental. It lives in the nervous system.

Together, Ariella and Jennifer unpack:
• Why lawyers struggle to ask for help
• The difference between coping and actually regulating
• How chronic stress impacts performance and decision-making
• What somatic therapy is (and what it isn’t)
• How small, practical shifts can improve clarity, stamina, and resilience

This episode is not about crisis. It’s about optimization, sustainability, and self-permission.

If you’ve ever thought, “I should be able to handle this on my own,” this conversation is for you.

Because the real question might not be whether help works —
It might be whether you believe you deserve it.

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We encourage you to check out Jennifer's website: www.jcoppertherapy.com

And here's a link to her New York Law Journal author's page (where she's a regular contributor) which includes a list of her articles: https://www.law.com/author/profile/jennifer-kupferman%20/

Her LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-kupferman-bb207a5/

About The Wellness Esquire

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The Wellness Esquire is a podcast, Substack, and concept by Ariella Cohen Coleman exploring well-being, identity, and sustainability in the legal profession.

You can find more resources on legal well-being and innovation at The Wellness Esquire. Let’s continue building a legal community that values both excellence and humanity.

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