We have all been there – talking to someone who seems a bit “crazy” in the conference room – whether it was a client, the client’s family, opposing counsel or even ourselves! This presentation will discuss helpful strategies for talking to people who have slipped into a brief period of irrational thinking or behavior, instances that have increased significantly following the pandemic-related lockdowns.  Much of the material comes from the 2016 book, “Talking to Crazy” by psychiatrist, Mark Goulston, who uses the term “crazy” not a signifier of series mental health issues, but rather to describe an otherwise mentally-healthy person who is acting irrationally. 

We will learn the science behind “crazy” and how to spot various types of “crazy” so that we can effectively and professionally defuse situations when irrationality pops into our law practices and our lives. We will also discuss how the isolation, increased use of social media and overall uncertainty associated with the pandemic exacerbated people’s irrationality in general, making it vital for us to be vigilant for signs of irrationality and proactive in deploying strategies to tamp down the “crazy” as much as our role as attorneys will allow.