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October 2023
THE TRUSTED ADVISOR Work Hard, Play Hard, and Prioritize Mental Health
How We Care for Our Clients and Ourselves
Nick: I’m licensed in multiple states, and most require you to take a continuing education course after you pass their bar exam. About a decade ago, instructors began spending at least an hour or two focusing on mental health in the legal profession. High-pressure work can lead to burnout, insomnia, depression, substance abuse, and other health problems. Unfortunately, many lawyers reach 35 or 40 and leave the profession because of the stress.
A devastating personal injury is one of the biggest challenges a person can face. We frequently see the toll it can take on our clients and have learned their physical and mental recoveries are equally important. Attorneys who ignore their mental well-being also face dire consequences. Getting more comfortable discussing and treating our mental health is essential to helping our clients and balancing our lives. Zac: Your mental health impacts every aspect of your life. Our brains are incredibly powerful; when we’re not mentally healthy, our physical health tends to suffer. Likewise, poor physical health can significantly impact how we think and feel. It’s as essential to take care of your mental health as much as your physical well-being. One of our guiding principles at Norden Leacox is “work hard, play hard.” We try to live by it because our work is stressful and demanding and involves long hours. If you don’t take time for yourself, you’ll break down and burn out. We need breaks to be healthy and remain able to help our clients. Getting outdoors is how I prefer to relieve stress. I’m often surfing, paddleboarding, biking, or playing tennis. I also enjoy nature by getting out on the water on a boat. Time away from the office also helps me decompress and return to work at my best. Even a weekend trip somewhere new can do wonders for my mental status.
Nick Downhill Skiing
I try to ensure that won’t happen to me. Like Zac, I like clearing my mind with exercise. When I’ve missed a few days, my wife often says, “Nick, you’re getting grumpy. You need to go to the gym!” We take our work incredibly seriously, but we can’t let it consume every aspect of our lives, or we’ll stop being effective. Regarding our clients, several in the past few months were diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). They had flashbacks and avoided circumstances that reminded them of their accidents. We always encourage clients to seek mental health care when we think they might need it and have seen incredible results. People who were too afraid to drive can get behind the wheel again and resume normal lives. How we feel shouldn’t be a deep dark secret we have to hide, and seeking help should have no more stigma than going to the doctor for back pain. I hope we can reach a point as a society where we can talk about our mental health more openly and recognize it matters just as much as our physical health.
We also have a lot of conversations about mental health with our clients. While we generally focus on the physical impacts of an injury, the mental effects can be even more devastating. People worry about taking time away from work and caring for their families. The financial strain can be enormous. Sometimes, our clients face permanent disabilities, which can be a real emotional struggle. Those mental health injuries need treatment as much as physical ones.
– Zac Leacox &Nick Norden
Zac Wakeboarding
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From Applicant to Arrested: THE FUGITIVE WHO APPLIED FOR A POLICE JOB
Even most criminals need traditional employment to pay the bills, but Zyeama Johnson looked for work in all the wrong places. Perhaps Johnson imagined her previous experience with law enforcement would give her a leg up in her application to the Hudson County Sheriff’s Office in New Jersey in 2022. But unfortunately for her, all of Johnson’s past and future involvement with the police would be on the wrong side of the law.
perform a background check before hiring — or that this office specializes in resolving outstanding warrants. When processing her application, the Hudson County Sheriff’s Office discovered the active bench warrant in Pennsylvania. The routine investigation also found 10 additional active bench warrants in Jersey City, New Jersey; Johnson had allegedly failed to appear on traffic charges.
the fugitive on the spot. It gave the standard interview question, “Where do you see yourself in five years?” a new meaning. After taking Johnson into custody, the police proceeded to search her property. Incredibly, they found two credit cards in her possession they believed were stolen. Police added credit card theft charges to Johnson’s already considerable rap sheet. To make matters worse for her, the sheriff’s office also contacted Johnson’s former employer, the United States Postal Service, which launched its own investigation into her conduct. As of October 2022, Johnson was being held in a Hudson County jail awaiting extradition to Pennsylvania for the most serious charge against her. It’s unclear why she thought applying for a law enforcement position with outstanding warrants was a wise career move, but at least she made her would-be coworkers’ jobs easy that day.
Johnson was looking for a legal way to earn a living when she applied for a job as a security guard at the sheriff’s
Most employers in this situation would probably move on to the next applicant, but the sheriff’s department decided to call Johnson in for an “interview” instead. Unsurprisingly, they had no intention of hiring her and arrested
office. But her past money- making ventures allegedly involved fraud, and she had failed to appear in a Pennsylvania court on the charges. Presumably, Johnson did not realize a police station would
Unlock the Secrets of a Calming Bedtime Routine
Does it always seem like your kids get a burst of energy right before bedtime? After a jam-packed day, your child’s pent-up stress and energy will likely spike when it’s time to head to bed. The key is implementing a consistent bedtime routine to help them transition into sleep mode. Try therapeutic techniques to soothe your child for a full night of shuteye.
the dryer so they’ll have them nice and warm when it’s time to lie down. Additionally, you can give them a warm drink with a straw, as the warmth not only relaxes them but the straw also encourages sucking motions, which are incredibly soothing for children.
Create gentle movements.
Squeeze ’em tight (add pressure).
Repetitive and rhythmic movements like rocking back and forth generate vestibular input for the nervous system. This will help your children feel comfortable and ready to sleep! You can try these motions by rocking them on a yoga ball for a few minutes, reading a bedtime story in a rocking chair, or sitting with them in a porch swing or hammock right before bed.
Just like you would swaddle a baby, you should wrap your kids up like tiny burritos! When you add pressure that squeezes them tight, your child’s tactile and proprioceptive senses are activated, which creates a sense of calm and relaxation. You can also do this with weighted blankets, tight cuddles, or by tucking them in nice and snug with pillows placed around them to add more pressure.
want to cut these harsh lights, but you should also add comforting ones! Unwind in dim lighting as the day ends, and place lava lamps or a night light in your children’s rooms to help soothe them. Also, adding a white noise machine or playing calm music can do wonders! Combine these therapeutic methods to create the perfect bedtime routine that will have your energetic kiddos in bed without a hitch.
Turn the screens off.
We already know that looking at screens harms our sleep, so why would that be any different for children? Decrease screen time as the day advances and completely turn off any screens at least two hours before bedtime. Not only do you
Get them warm and cozy.
Warmth is another element that can increase calm and signal bedtime! Put their blankets in
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The Revenge of the Ronin Unveiling the Historic Massacre of Kira Yoshinaka
Never has there been a tale of revenge so blood-filled and epic as the 47 Ronin. Honorable and loyal to the end, these samurai warriors proved their dedication to their master in an incident that would become immortalized in Japanese literature, theater, and film. So, what led these samurai on a vengeful rampage?
were able to lower Kira’s guard. At this point, one of the ronin had reached his 80s and could not participate in the vengeful plan. However, the remaining 46 men raided Kira’s estate on an early January morning in 1703. They fearlessly battled Kira’s samurai and decapitated Kira. The ronin then carried his head in a basket for miles to their deceased lord’s grave.
It started in April 1701, when nobleman Asano Naganori, also known as the lord of Ako, was treated with complete disrespect and arrogance by Kira Yoshinaka, a court official. After holding back his anger, Asano finally snapped. Asano revealed his sword and attacked Kira in the middle of the palace’s main hall. Although Kira lived to tell the tale, Asano broke court rules and was ordered to kill himself. Following the court’s ruling, Asano ended his life on April 21, 1701. After his demise, Asano left behind his faithful 47 samurai, whose status was lowered to ronin (samurai with no leader). Crushed by his death, the
Authorities were intensely conflicted on how to treat the
vengeful massacre. While it broke the shogun’s rules, the act followed the respected samurai warrior code. Yet, in the end, all 46 men were ordered to kill themselves via self-disembowelment, hara-kiri . The ronin ranged in age from 15 to 77 years old. After their deaths, the ronin became legends and were buried alongside their master, Asano Naganori. You can visit this famous site at Sengakuji Temple in Tokyo.
ruthless men created a plan. The 47 Ronin laid low for two years by dispersing and living in “retirement.” The years passed, and the men
Have a
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Ingredients
• 2 shots espresso (or 1/2 cup freshly brewed coffee)
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice • 1 tsp vanilla extract • Whipped cream for topping (optional)
• 1 cup milk of choice • 3 tbsp pumpkin purée • 1–2 tbsp maple syrup
Directions
1. In a small pot on medium heat, heat milk until simmering but not boiling. 2. Make your espresso (or coffee) and pour into a large mug or Mason jar. Add pumpkin purée, maple syrup, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla and stir until well combined. 3. With a milk frother, froth the heated milk until foamy. Then, pour into your pumpkin espresso mixture and top with whipped cream. For decoration, you can sprinkle more cinnamon or pumpkin spice on top!
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Inside This Edition
2 1 Why We Prioritize Mental Health Criminal’s Job Hunt Backfires: Arrested During Interview! Tips to Soothe Your Energetic Kids Before Bedtime
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The Legendary Tale of the 47 Ronin Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte The Troubling Saga of Sherri Papini’s Disappearance!
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THE SHOCKING TRUTH BEHIND SHERRI’S KIDNAPPING REVEALED
Sherri Papini vanished out of thin air in November 2016. The day she went missing, her husband, Keith Papini, came home expecting to see his wife and kids but found the residence eerily empty. Keith called the children’s day care to ask when his wife picked them up, but they informed him she never did. While the kids were safe, Sherri was missing. Three weeks passed before Sherri was finally found alone on a freeway nearly 146 miles from her home on Thanksgiving Day. She was cut and bruised, her long hair chopped short, and her back branded with a Bible verse. When the police questioned Sherri, she was hesitant and frightened. She claimed two Hispanic women abducted her, took her to an unknown location, chained her up, and tortured her before planning to traffic her. The story horrified the
community and made many Hispanic women fear wrongful persecution.
In 2023, Sherri Papini was charged with false statements and mail fraud and sentenced to 18 months in prison for her long-winded lies that wasted police resources and federal financial assistance. Her story resulted in numerous innocent Hispanic women being wrongly questioned by authorities. But now, these women can rest easy knowing the case is finally closed.
At the time, male DNA was found on Sherri’s clothing, despite her insistence no men were involved in her kidnapping. Years later, in 2020, the authorities used genetic DNA technology to track down the man, Sherri’s ex-boyfriend, James Reyes. This was when Sherri’s tale began to fall apart. Reyes was questioned by police, who exposed the truth about Sherri’s vanishing act. He revealed that Sherri told him her husband, Keith, was abusing her, and she needed his help to escape. She convinced him to brand her, but all her other injuries were self-inflicted. Reyes had no idea about Sherri’s fabricated story involving two Hispanic kidnappers. At first, Sherri stuck with her story when questioned again but eventually admitted it was all a hoax.
4 NordenLeacox.com | 407-801-3000
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