Wellbeing

Found 29 articles

  • A love of the outdoors is helping equine vet John Pate fight depression. As part of his recovery, he has applied to join the Fjällräven Polar 2019 expedition
  • Mind Matters and Vetlife offer vital support within the veterinary profession for those in need. Find out more about them here, as well as relevant contact information
  • Vet Jackie Brearley describes what got her through a period of burnout and reflects on how she has come to regard it as a positive experience
  • Brian McErlean is a vet in Western Australia who lost colleagues to suicide and got involved in a suicide prevention programme
  • Stress at work is inevitable for vets, but what isn’t inevitable though is the way we respond to it
  • Understanding compassion satisfaction and how to promote it in ourselves and teams in veterinary practice will help improve everyday wellbeing. Beckie Mossor, president-elect of the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America, provides an introduction to improving compassion satisfa...
  • Mental health struggles put a premature end to her first time at university, but Arabella White describes how working in local government gave her the confidence to try again
  • Vet student Legend Thurman describes how she struggled with imposter syndrome and how success coaching, her faith and yoga helped her improve all aspects of her life
  • Early career RVN, Hannah Campbell, is improving the welfare of brachycephalic dogs and educating owners on health issues
  • New graduate Tuppence Mellish is the only vet and the youngest member of a team that is aiming to cross the Northwest Passage in a rowing boat this summer
  • Olivia Oginska is a clinical wellbeing coach who helps vet professionals to get the most out of life
  • After two years in practice, Sharon McGeeney was burned out and emotionally fatigued, and considered leaving the profession. Instead, by working part time she has regained her love of vet work, although she initially felt guilty that she wasn’t able to continue with full-time practice life
  • Lucy Squire and her colleagues at Bristol Veterinary School describe the ‘Mental Wellbeing Toolbox’ they have developed as part of the solution to the mental wellbeing difficulties currently facing the profession
  • Ruth Cawston, co-founder of Veterinary Spoonholders UK and British Veterinary Chronic Illness Support, offers some advice to vets who may be anxious about their future career following the diagnosis of a chronic health condition
  • Dan Makin knows firsthand how important it is to work in a supportive environment and says that everyone deserves a safe, open and inclusive veterinary workplace
  • At 16, Alex Gorman was told by his teachers that, with chronic pain and depression, he wasn’t physically able enough to complete a veterinary degree. Twelve years later, he has proved that you don’t have to fit the typical vet student stereotype to succeed
  • Vet Helen Wilkie found that exercise helped to bring her team together during Covid-19 and is now encouraging others to join in her ‘Vet Month of Movement’ and raise money for Vetlife
  • Despite suffering a variety of injuries over the past two years, Steven Impey has continued work as a locum vet. He says that being honest and open about your limitations can allow you to apply your skills in practice
  • If you feel you’ve reached a point in your career where a rethink or reboot might be needed, coaching or mentoring could help you find a way forward. But how do you find someone to support you? Experienced veterinary coach Jenny Guyat offers some advice to help you make the right choice
  • Vet student Holly Sutton has found that exercise helps her mental and physical health, as well as giving her resilience and the strength to overcome worries and uncertainties