When lawyer Luc Bélanger (LLL ’99) graduated from the University of Ottawa Faculty of Law, he hadn’t yet let the pressure get to him. Then came the bar and its tough exams, and with that, major anxiety attacks. It would then take nearly 20 years to get his performance anxiety, a constant companion he now calls his “friendly giant,” under control.
In November 2019, on the eve of a conference in Toronto on agriculture and agri-food law he was supposed to speak at, the anxiety got the better of him. Insomnia, nausea, vomiting: he was getting worse by the hour, to the point where he had to withdraw from the event. Having to go through this made him relive a series of events that opened his eyes about what had been inside him for so long.
“That was when I realized that I had to begin reflecting, to accept what was happening in me and to speak to the people around me,” says Bélanger, a civil law graduate who had studied at a time when the topic of mental health was taboo. In addition to opening up to his family and his circle, he has chosen since January 2020 to speak to the next generation of lawyers in the classrooms where he himself studied. He’s made presentations to many ministries and is involved in a mental health working group that’s part of a steering committee of heads of federal organizations.
Tools for facing anxiety
Bélanger, chair of the Canada Agricultural Review Tribunal since July 2017 and of the Council of Federal Tribunal Chairs between January 2020 and January 2022, has had his share of stress at work and in life. The pandemic also added additional challenges in managing the daily operations of an administrative tribunal. Early in his career, already the father of three young children, he worked for six years on class action suits pitting the federal government against tobacco companies. These suits led to the largest production of documentary evidence at the time, and his rise through the public service meant packed schedules and frequent travel.
Performance anxiety quickly became commonplace for him, and that’s why he sought help from a mental health professional. Today, when he meets Faculty of Law students and young alumni, he sometimes invites his psychologist to join him. For him, it’s a way to destigmatize mental health problems and seeking out support.
Over the years, Bélanger and his therapist have agreed that for him, as for so many others, balance is based on three basic pillars: sleeping well, exercise and avoidance of excess, with the latter referring particularly to eating well and limiting alcohol consumption. When one of these pillars becomes unstable, his wellness is seriously affected. He also tries to set aside time to recentre when he pushes himself and makes an effort to stay in the present, even during a storm.
Making vulnerability his ally
Bélanger’s approach with the new generation also points out that showing one’s vulnerability isn’t a weakness and that one can master one’s anxiety. This is also the message he tries to spread within his own work teams, where it’s important to him to freely share his life experience and show empathy towards each team member.
“When you’re not well, you’ve got to listen to your body and soul, you’ve got to speak about it, you’ve got to open up,” he says. “There will always be someone to listen to us no matter the time of day. It takes a lot of strength to be able to speak about our vulnerability and to say what we feel.”
In his presentations at uOttawa, Bélanger never misses an opportunity to highlight the importance of showing your listening skills, compassion and empathy. And since what is non-verbal may also reveal a lot in cases of psychological distress, he also recommends knowing how to recognize the clues.
“Pay attention to the behaviour of those around you,” he advises. “If someone suddenly starts to always dress the same, to not come to faculty events, to miss classes, to not answer messages ... these are signs that could indicate that something might be happening.”
Resources
Joining to promote mental health, the University of Ottawa and the Alumni Association have undertaken a number of wellness initiatives for our community. Need help but don’t know where to start? These links will take you to resources that may be very useful for you.