Dr Neil Brener
20th February 2009 by: David Lillywhite
Deborah Jeff, Head of Family Law at Seddons, recently collaborated with Dr Neil Brener, a leading psychiatrist and resident consultant at The Priory, regarding some literature for our website on the emotional impact of divorce . It’s something few practitioners take the time to understand since their client’s psychological well-being is something that can take a backseat amid the flurry of the divorce and financial settlement.
At Seddons, Deborah has pioneered a more holistic approach to the service we provide, developing a network of contacts to whom we can refer our clients should they find the stress of their separation affecting their health.
Realising how useful this knowledge of mental health issues was for our service to family clients, Deborah arranged for a talk by Dr Brener to members of the firm including solicitors and support staff to provide a whistle-stop overview of mental health and explain more about some of the cases and patient archetypes he encounters on a daily basis. Dr Brener also took us through how to recognise the early signs of there being a mental health problem and the kind of questions to ask clients and colleagues to help identify and pinpoint any potential issues. We were also given a brief introduction to the types of treatment available to patients before Dr Brener took questions from the floor. These focused predominantly on mental health in the workplace and Dr Brener gave us a brief summary of the current difficulties faced by HR staff in drafting a workable mental health policy that effectively provides guidance for employers when confronted with an issue among their staff.
Dr Brener’s talk not only succeeded in raising awareness around the firm about the issue of mental health but it was also a timely reminder to our solicitors of the tell-tale signs that indicate a client might be experiencing emotional difficulties and thus require a greater deal of support. By recognising the wider needs of our clients at a much earlier stage we can provide a more supportive, comprehensive service, referring them to appropriate medical professionals when there are signs that this will help them through their legal matter.
At Seddons, Deborah has pioneered a more holistic approach to the service we provide, developing a network of contacts to whom we can refer our clients should they find the stress of their separation affecting their health.
Realising how useful this knowledge of mental health issues was for our service to family clients, Deborah arranged for a talk by Dr Brener to members of the firm including solicitors and support staff to provide a whistle-stop overview of mental health and explain more about some of the cases and patient archetypes he encounters on a daily basis. Dr Brener also took us through how to recognise the early signs of there being a mental health problem and the kind of questions to ask clients and colleagues to help identify and pinpoint any potential issues. We were also given a brief introduction to the types of treatment available to patients before Dr Brener took questions from the floor. These focused predominantly on mental health in the workplace and Dr Brener gave us a brief summary of the current difficulties faced by HR staff in drafting a workable mental health policy that effectively provides guidance for employers when confronted with an issue among their staff.
Dr Brener’s talk not only succeeded in raising awareness around the firm about the issue of mental health but it was also a timely reminder to our solicitors of the tell-tale signs that indicate a client might be experiencing emotional difficulties and thus require a greater deal of support. By recognising the wider needs of our clients at a much earlier stage we can provide a more supportive, comprehensive service, referring them to appropriate medical professionals when there are signs that this will help them through their legal matter.
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