Telehealth therapy available for all California and Washington D.C. Residents.
Building Your Legal Career Without Losing Yourself
Therapy for junior and mid-level associates who want to excel in their legal careers while protecting their health, relationships, and personal priorities.
You worked hard to get here. You landed the offer, you’re billing the hours, and you’re proving yourself every day.
But the reality of being an associate? It’s a high-wire act. Billable targets shape every personal plan. The unspoken “always available” rule makes it nearly impossible to unplug. Even on the rare night you make it home for dinner without needing to log on after, there’s a part of you waiting for the phone to buzz. Friends outside the profession don’t quite get it and colleagues are often too busy managing their own caseloads to compare notes. Some days it feels exciting and fast-paced, other days it feels like you’re carrying it all alone.
And in a culture where the standard is sky-high and leadership is still dominated by a certain mold, the pressure to overdeliver, never show a crack, and keep emotions hidden is constant. It’s the old rule of thumb: it’s okay to cry at work, as long as the door is closed and you’ve touched up your mascara before the next meeting.
“Is this really sustainable? Am I supposed to feel this drained all the time?”
I’m Yael, a former lawyer turned therapist who knows exactly what it’s like to be a junior associate — late nights, endless billables, and the pressure to look like you’ve got it all under control. I passed the California Bar and practiced as a litigator, so I understand the pace, the unspoken rules, and the way one that one Friday afternoon email can wipe out your entire weekend.
Now I work with associates who are hardworking, sharp, and capable—but also exhausted, second-guessing, or wondering how long they can keep this up. Therapy with me is practical, direct, and no-fluff. It’s the one place you don’t have to prove yourself or keep your game face on.
Maybe it’s time to talk to someone who’s been there.
What I Help With
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Protecting Your Time in an Unpredictable Schedule
Late-night emails, last-minute assignments, and shifting deadlines make it hard to plan your life outside of work. Together, we figure out how to anticipate peak demand periods, set realistic boundaries, and carve out space for what matters most, without damaging your professional reputation.
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Breaking Out of the “Yes” Cycle
Billable goals and firm politics make it tempting to say yes to everything, but especially when you feel lucky to have been let into such a prestigious space. There’s an added pressure to overdeliver, stay agreeable, and prove you belong. We focus on identifying when you’re saying yes out of habit or people-pleasing and replacing it with responses that are strategic and sustainable. You’ll still meet expectations, but without running yourself into the ground.
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Rebuilding a Life Outside of Work
It’s easy for the firm to become your entire identity, especially when you’re surrounded by peers who live and breathe the job. We put systems in place that allow you to maintain friendships, nurture relationships, and have time for rest and hobbies, so you can feel like yourself again without losing your career momentum.
How Therapy Helps
Early in your career, the pressure to prove yourself is constant, billables, responsiveness, and performance are the unspoken currency. Therapy gives you a place to step back, get honest about what you want, and learn tools that help you succeed without burning out.
We’ll focus on how to:
Manage the stress of long hours and impossible expectations without running on fumes
Spot perfectionism and imposter syndrome before they take over your decision-making
Set boundaries around time and energy that fit your firm’s culture (and don’t sabotage your reputation)
Build sustainable habits outside of work so you’re not living in survival mode
My approach is direct, practical, and tailored to you. Every session ends with a concrete step to practice in real time — like experimenting with how you respond to a partner’s late-night request, carving out protected time on your calendar, or reframing self-criticism after feedback. That way you’re not just talking about change, you’re testing it in the actual situations that matter.
Why Work With Me
I’ve been where you are. I went through law school, practiced, and know exactly what it’s like to navigate the pressure to perform while trying to have a life outside the office. I know the long hours, the unspoken rules, and the constant push to prove yourself.
I’m not here to hand you generic advice or nod along while nothing changes. I’ll ask the hard questions, help you see the patterns keeping you stuck, and give you specific tools and next steps to test out between sessions. You’ll leave knowing exactly what you’re working on — whether that’s setting boundaries with billables, practicing ways to unplug after work, or learning how to make career choices that line up with your priorities.