I am a former BigLaw lawyer with ten years of experience in mergers and acquisitions, financial transactions, privacy, and cybersecurity. But this isn't my LinkedIn profile where success is only highlighted. Yes, I have a record of awards, publications, and conference presentations. I have a law degree and an MBA — but the story I wish to share isn't that one.

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I want to share my story with mental health, to remind you that you can stick to a life purpose to become the best version of yourself; to remind you that self-care isn't selfish or irrational in the corporate realm; to explain how to address mental health at work, and to train leaders on managing psychosocial risks.

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I turned into a writer and now advocate for mental health at work because at some point I felt like the corporate world didn't have a place for me.

 

The truth is, the system didn't break me — it lost me.

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After nearly a decade in the legal profession, working in international law firms where performance was measured in billable hours, rankings, and colors, I experienced what many professionals silently live through: sustained success alongside deteriorating mental health. This is not a story about burnout, but about mental illness in environments designed for uninterrupted productivity.

 

My approach is constructive.

 

My career gave me purpose, belonging, and identity. It also masked distress until my body intervened. Multiple hospitalizations, medication changes, and mounting pressure revealed a structural gap: organizations are often unprepared to respond when mental illness affects performance. Policies exist. International guidance exists. But implementation, language, and culture lag behind lived reality.

 

As a lawyer, I turned to research. I studied regulatory frameworks, WHO and UN guidance, and occupational health standards addressing psychosocial risks at work. What I found was hopeful: mental health at work is not an abstract aspiration but a compliance, safety, and governance issue — one that can be addressed through concrete, humane practices.

 

I believe mental health belongs on corporate agendas, not as a wellness trend, but as a core condition for participation, dignity, and sustainable performance.

 

People living with mental illness are capable, creative, and professional.

 

No one should feel forced to quit in order to survive. We all need a job to survive.