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Dispelling Five Common Myths About Mental Health
Did you know that almost half of adults have had a decline in their mental health since the start of the pandemic? In fact, mental health problems are on the rise worldwide and across all demographics. This makes Mental Health Awareness Month an especially important reminder to tune in to and talk about our mental […]
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Defining Futile Care and Its Impact on Wellbeing in Veterinary Medicine
As an emergency and critical care specialist, I can wholeheartedly attest to providing futile care to patients whose owners who would not consent to euthanasia or discontinuation of intensive care. I remember one dog in particular who had a collapsing trachea that was stented and then had progression of his disease resulting in laryngeal and […]
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Five Simple Steps for Responding to Negative Online Reviews
There’s nothing that compares to that sick sinking feeling that we experience when we see a 1-star online review. These reviews are often filled with CAPS LOCK words and proclamations starting with “never” (e.g., “never going back…”, “never recommend…”, “never again…”). Many things shared in negative online reviews are exaggerated, over-emphasized, or just plain false, […]
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How veterinary team members can find a mental health provider
One of the most common questions I get asked by my veterinary colleagues and friends is “can you tell me how to find a good therapist?”. I am always so glad when someone asks me this as I firmly believe that every human on this planet can benefit from therapy. And with rates of psychological […]
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If I’m such a successful veterinarian…then why do I feel like a fraud?
I’ve heard it from many veterinarians whom I have spoken to over the years: “I know I’m pretty good at what I do, but I can’t help thinking I’m fooling everyone.” I know this feeling all too well and it has a name: imposter syndrome. This is the feeling of “I will be found out” […]
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Veterinarians thriving!…How do they do it?
So much of the recent news related to veterinary health and well-being has focused on the mental health struggles, psychological stressors, and suicides. Rather than reiterating what we already know, which is that most veterinary care providers are stressed and not coping well with the demands of practice, I’d like to focus on some of […]
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How to prevent burnout among vet techs and nurses who do ‘shift work’
I stopped doing shift work involving swing and overnight shifts a few years ago, but I know plenty of veterinary technicians and nurses (and veterinarians) who continue to do so. Regrettably, there is no way around this when it comes to veterinary emergency and critical care, since emergencies and intensive care extend outside of the […]
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Why most veterinarians don’t recommend going into their profession
A recent headline that came over my Google alerts caught my attention: “Majority of veterinarians don’t recommend the profession”. At first, I was surprised, but when I considered this statement further, I realized that I am one of the mentioned majority. It is not uncommon when someone learns that I am a veterinarian to tell […]
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10 ways to practice gratitude (and how it can change your life)
So often at the beginning of the year we focus on what we want to change about ourselves or lives. However, in doing so we often forget to acknowledge the many amazing things that we already have going for us, the obstacles we have overcome, or the milestones that we have achieved. Gratitude is one […]
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Ten things I wish I’d learned in veterinary school…
With more than a decade passed since I graduated from veterinary school, I have enough years under my belt that I can look back and consider some things that I wish I had learned earlier. While I am confident that my veterinary school prepared me for many things related to medicine and surgery, it left […]
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How pet insurance can help the mental health of veterinarians
It’s not a secret anymore…veterinarians have poor mental health. Approximately 1 in 10 veterinarians report experiencing serious psychological distress and 1 in 3 veterinarians report they have had a previous depressive episode. And what’s more surprisingly to many is that 17% of veterinarians have had suicidal thoughts and 1% have attempted suicide. I continue to […]
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What to say (and not say) to a person who has lost a pet
After the unexpected loss of my beloved Standard Poodle named Faith 2 months ago, it became clear to me that there are many ways that friends, family members, and colleagues try to help a person experiencing grief. The loss of a pet is incredibly painful because we do not simply lose our pet; we also lose […]
