Contributed by By Sandra L. Gottlieb, Esq.
I’m a big proponent of seeking out mental health professionals who can help us find our path back to being the best versions of ourselves. However, that wasn’t always the case.
When I was younger, I shied away from that kind of help because I was afraid it would mar my career. Maybe the state bar would find out about it or my colleagues at work could learn of my secret worries or members of my family might see me as less than the success I wanted them to be proud of.
When my children were younger and struggled themselves, I immediately sought mental health interventions for them that I would not afford to myself. I was worried about doing it for me but not for them because I wanted them to be healthy.
It’s a strange dichotomy. I never allowed myself the same treatment I expected myself to give to others.
Things shifted when we started our law firm in 1988, and it was essential to provide employees with comprehensive health insurance including coverage to address mental health needs. We have never wavered from carrying that insurance. This is not an easy industry. People can be rude, downright mean, and argumentative. They attack boards, managers, and the attorneys who protect them.
CAI has been one of the leaders in normalizing and discussing mental health. When my peers spoke out bravely by bringing attention to their issues, I was proud of them and the organization I have supported through my entire career as a homeowners association attorney.
When people stood up at our national conventions and told their stories, I saw acceptance not judgment. I was proud. Whenever someone in the CAI family is suffering, we all feel their pain and want to encourage their journey to mental health.
There are simple things we can do to help those who are struggling: a nod of hello; an embrace; maybe an honest, heartfelt question when you see them such as, “How are you doing?” And the most important question one can ask in a community of any kind: “Is there anything I can do to help you?”
What would I say to my younger self? “Do not be so scared to let somebody know you are struggling with your mental health. Don’t be afraid to take care of yourself and your family, including your work family, so each of you can live your best life.”
Note: A version of this article was first published in Managing Mental Health: A Guide to Building Resilience and Finding Balance in Community Associations.
Sandra Gottlieb is founding and managing partner of SwedelsonGottlieb in Los Angeles and is a fellow in CAI’s College of Community Association Lawyers.
>>Read more about CAI’s Managing Mental Health book and how Sandra Gottlieb found support after the Palisades fire last year in “Seize the Day,” Common Ground January/February 2026.
