Barrister, Acting Solicitor, and Holistic Law Consultant Amber Turner BSc (Hons) LLM, opened Gibraltar's first Holistic Law Firm in March 2013. Since then, her international network in the field of law and legal education has grown substantially, with a rising interest in her Holistic approach to Law Practice.
Amber presented her innovative 7-Step Model of Holistic Law Practice as a Guest Speak at Manchester University, together with speakers from the USA, Australia, and the UK. The Conference was attended by a diverse audience of lecturers and students in Law, Psychology, the Social Sciences, Criminology, Mediation and Bioethics.
Amber shares that it is thanks to her clients, that she learned throughout her law practice (since 1998), that "the root causes underlying and importantly causing all legal disputes and conflict, are unhealed trauma and grief". Quoting global Trauma expert Dr Gabor Maté who she met in Bulgaria in 2022, "The essence of trauma is dis-connection... so the real question is how did we get separated and how do we reconnect?"
Adversarial processes which at times are understandably the only viable option available for parties, have historically also at times sustained and even exacerbated the degree of separation between those in conflict, perpetuating trauma and grief. If justice systems are to deliver a whole dissolution of conflict, re-connection and peace for all involved in a dispute, including those with whom the parties are in a meaningful relationship with such as: parents, spouses, partners, children, work colleagues (in what Amber calls 'the ripple effect'), we require a shift to the wider holistic lens.
In combative courtrooms for example, clients who may have suffered a traumatic experience such as a domestic abuse or a sexual offence, can be re-traumatized through zealous cross-examination; and our youth who may be offending as a call for help- re-stigmatized instead of supported. The duality /win- lose model's focus is mainly on retribution: an eye for an eye/ punishment that fits the crime. The results? Clients may re-offend in an ever-decreasing cycle of harm to self and others; or divorce an abusive partner only to attract an even more toxic relationship; children may repeat 'the sins of the father' chained in cycles of intergenerational trauma; addicts may relapse, etc. The global mental health crisis worsens.
Win-win approaches based on the Golden Rule, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" (Matthew 7:12), treating others with the same kindness, respect and understanding that you would want them to show you, provides an opportunity (when safe and appropriate) for both parties to understand why a dispute manifested between them in the first place, and an opportunity for healing their respective traumas. It is a more empowering experience for clients.
Otherwise, Amber reminds, despite a 'legal resolution' at a Tribunal or in Court, the conflict/ separation will continue and so does the consequent pain and harm. If the true cause of the conflict, which may lie in unresolved childhood trauma, has not been acknowledged, nor addressed people are more likely to ignore, and breach Court Orders, inviting protracted litigation. There is a real mental, emotional, physical, spiritual and financial cost to our falling short of wholly dissolving the conflict- not just for the parties, but also for our justice systems and communities.
In her own law practice Amber confirms that her holistic approach builds a strong lawyer-client relationship and has prevented client suicides, aided in the reduction of stress, anxiety and depression, taught core values, life skills and tools which clients have applied both during and after the legal process. It has opened doorways to the healing of intergenerational trauma putting a stop to younger generations repeating their family's harmful patterns leading them to for example, depression, addiction or prison.
The result of applying a holistic approach, is an overall improved quality of life for the lawyer, the client, and those with whom they are in relation with and a reduction of re-incidents of conflict, in both the civil and criminal contexts. As Amber highlights, once the original trauma and grief is fully seen and heard, there is no longer a need for it to show up anymore!
The Holistic Lawyer www.amberlaw.com
Originally published 30 June 2025.
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