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.

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You Worked Hard to Get Here

A woman wearing a white blouse and tan pants standing outside in an urban setting with modern glass buildings in the background.

You landed the offer. You’re billing the hours. You’re proving yourself every day.

But the reality of being an associate is a high-wire act. Billable targets shape personal plans. The unspoken expectation to always be available makes it nearly impossible to unplug. Even on nights you make it home without logging back on, part of you is still waiting for the phone to buzz.

Friends outside the profession don’treally understand it. Colleagues are often too busy managing their own caseloads to compare notes. Some days the pace feels energizing. Other days it feels isolating and relentless.

In a culture where standards are sky-high and leadership still follows a narrow mold, the pressure to overdeliver, hide stress, and never show a crack is constant. The message is subtle, but clear. Keep it together. Handle it quietly.

At some point, the question surfaces.

Is this actually sustainable? Am I supposed to feel this drained all the time?

A smiling woman with shoulder-length wavy brown hair, wearing a plaid blazer and black top, sitting in front of tall green grass plants.

I am a former lawyer turned therapist who knows exactly what it is like to be a junior associate. Late nights. Endless billables. The way a single Friday afternoon email can erase an entire weekend.

I passed the California Bar and practiced as a litigator, so I understand the pace, the unspoken rules, and the pressure to always look like you have everything under control.

Now I work with early-career lawyers who are capable, driven, and sharp, but also exhausted, second-guessing, or quietly wondering how long they can keep this up. Therapy with me is practical, direct, and grounded. It is the one place you don’t have to perform or prove yourself.

If you're looking for therapy for early-career lawyers and associates, this work is designed to meet you where you are.

Maybe it’s time to talk to someone who’s been there.

I’m Yael

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What I Help With

  • A woman sitting at an office desk in a dimly lit room, working on a computer with some papers, a coffee cup, and a telephone on the desk.

    Protecting Your Time in an Unpredictable Schedule

    Late-night emails, last-minute assignments, and shifting deadlines make it hard to plan anything outside of work. We focus on anticipating peak demand periods, setting realistic boundaries, and carving out space for what matters without damaging your professional reputation.

  • A woman sitting at a desk, appearing stressed with her hand on her forehead, surrounded by papers and a laptop, in a home office setting.

    Breaking Out of the Yes Cycle

    Billable goals and firm politics make it tempting to say yes to everything, especially when you feel lucky to be in such a prestigious, albeit competitive, environment. We work on recognizing when yes is driven by fear or people-pleasing and replacing it with responses that are strategic, thoughtful, and sustainable.

  • A woman walking her dog on a wooden bridge surrounded by green trees.

    Rebuilding a Life Outside of Work

    When work becomes your entire identity, everything else shrinks. We put systems in place that allow you to maintain relationships, protect downtime, and feel like a person again without losing career momentum.

How Therapy Helps

A woman with curly black hair wearing an orange blazer and earrings, sitting at a table with a notepad and pen, surrounded by greenery.

Early in your career, billables, responsiveness, and performance often feel like the only currency that matters. Therapy gives you space to step back, get honest about what you want, and learn tools that help you succeed without burning out.

We focus on how to:

  • Manage the stress of long hours and constant pressure without running on fumes

  • Spot perfectionism and imposter syndrome before they drive every decision

  • Set boundaries around time and energy that fit your firm’s culture

  • Build sustainable habits outside of work so life does not feel like survival mode

My approach is direct, practical, and tailored to you. Every session ends with a concrete step to practice in real time. That might mean testing a new way of responding to a partner’s request, protecting specific blocks of time on your calendar, or reframing self-criticism after feedback.

You aren’t just talking about change. You’re testing it in the situations that actually matter.

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Why Work With Me

A woman with brown hair wearing a red turtleneck sweater and plaid pants sitting on a gray couch, smiling and writing in a notebook with a pen.

I’ve been where you are. I went through law school, practiced, and navigated the pressure to perform while trying to have a life outside the office. I understand 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 identify the patterns keeping you stuck, and give you specific tools to use between sessions.

You’ll leave therapy knowing exactly what you’re working on, whether that’ setting boundaries around billables, learning how to unplug after work, or making career decisions that align with your priorities.

Learn more about Yael and her approach to therapy for lawyers.

More About Yael

You don’t have to wait until burnout forces a change. Therapy can help you build a career that challenges you without consuming you.

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • I work with both junior and mid-level associates who are navigating workload pressure, burnout, and career decisions.

  • Yes. Many clients enjoy aspects of their work, but struggle with sustainability. Therapy helps you adjust how you work without giving up what you value.

  • Yes. All sessions are provided via secure telehealth for clients in California and Washington, D.C.

  • Work is often the entry point, but we also address relationships, identity, and life outside the firm so change is actually sustainable.