Whether you are a doctor, a nurse, a real estate broker, or another licensed professional, losing your professional license can have a devastating impact on your life. From financial difficulties to relationship strain, the loss of your license can be extremely difficult to cope with.
If your licensing board has filed a complaint against your license, this is certainly stressful, but there may be ways to keep your license by working with an attorney. If, on the other hand, your professional license has already been revoked or suspended, there are many ways to proactively deal with the uncertainty that accompanies this.
Below, we’ll tell you more about how to cope during this difficult time and when it may be time to hire a license defense lawyer.
First Steps After You Lose Your License
If you have recently lost your license or your license is being threatened, you are likely experiencing stress, anxiety, and a wide range of other unpleasant emotions that can get in the way of your ability to think rationally. Before you panic, it’s important to remember that, in some cases, lost licenses can be recovered by taking the proper steps.
Start by contacting a license defense lawyer and setting up a consultation to discuss your case. A good license lawyer will have a thorough understanding of cases like yours and may be able to help you.
Practice Self-Care
While losing your license is certainly an extremely difficult experience, by establishing healthy behaviors, you’ll be better able to cope with the uncertainty. It is not uncommon for someone who loses their license to momentarily lose their sense of professional identity, suffer from reduced self-confidence, and become restless without a purposeful daily routine or social network at work. These are major losses, and grieving these losses is both normal and healthy.
Rather than ignoring your feelings or getting angry with yourself for being upset, allow yourself to feel the difficult emotions you are confronted with.
Talking with friends or your partner, writing down your feelings, or seeking out a therapist are all good ways to make sure you stay in touch with how you feel. Making time for leisure activities you enjoy and spending time with friends and family are also great ways to keep your spirits up during tough times.
Prioritize Your Health
When we’re physically healthy, we tend to feel better about our lives. We also have more energy and are less likely to get depressed. Eating healthy, making sure you aren’t over- or under-eating, getting enough rest, and exercising every day may be challenging at first, but all of these things can add structure and positivity to your life.
Exercising for just 30 minutes per day will help you establish a routine, alleviate stress, and increase levels of feel-good brain chemicals that can help you cope.
It’s also a good idea to avoid mood-affecting foods like caffeine and alcohol. If you lost your license due to an addiction issue, attending rehabilitation, therapy, or taking other steps to recover may be able to help you get your license back.
To learn more about this, contact us for a free consultation.
Look to the Future
Although it may feel like you’ll never get over the loss of your license, the reality is that you will get through the situation. While the obstacle may feel insurmountable at the moment, in reality, it is a temporary setback you will recover from.
When you are feeling overwhelmed, try to imagine yourself in the future when your lost license is no longer an issue in your life. Imagine, and be grateful for, all of the best parts of your life that are still a part of your daily existence.
Once you have adjusted to your loss of license, it could be a good idea to volunteer, seek out new friendships, and, depending on your situation, take classes, begin networking, or join professional organizations to help you explore new employment opportunities.
Begin the Process of Rehabilitation
Generally, if you wish to try to regain your license, after a period of 1 to 3 years, typically, or as dictated in your case, you may seek to Petition for Reinstatement of your License. In order to successfully position yourself for a petition for reinstatement, you will want to take steps to demonstrate you are qualified for licensure. This can include, expungement of any criminal convictions, ongoing drug and alcohol treatment, counseling, community service, further educational endeavors, sustained employment, payment of restitution, the mere passage of time, and developing a network of people who can support you and testify in person or write letters on your behalf about your rehabilitative efforts.
It is never too early to position yourself to make a Petition for Reinstatement, and S J Harris Law can assist you with this.
Get in Touch with S J Harris Law
No matter what type of professional license you’ve lost, license defense attorney Scott J Harris may be able to help you keep your license, even when it seems impossible. If you are being investigated by a licensing agency or board, our experienced team may be able to help you retain your license with restrictions, get your license reinstated after suspension or revocation, or find another strategy that is right for your case.
If you are worried about the state of your license, get in touch with us for a free consultation. We can tell you more about steps you may be able to take to get your license back and explain your rights. Contact us today for a free consultation and see what we can do for you.
