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As veterinary professionals, we are conditioned to believe that the next surgery, the next certification, or the next "thank you" from a client will finally make us feel successful. But for many of us, that feeling of "enoughness" never arrives. Instead, we find ourselves stuck in the High Achiever’s Loop—a cycle of perfectionism and overworking that leads straight to burnout.

In this episode, DVM and leadership coach Dr. Jennifer Edwards joins us to deconstruct why our drive for excellence so often turns into a pattern of self-sacrifice. Jennifer draws on 25 years of practice ownership and her expertise in energy work to explain how our early identity patterns shape our current leadership styles. We explore why achievement only provides temporary relief from anxiety, the difference between "fixing" yourself and shifting your patterns, and how to reclaim your clarity and ease without losing your professional edge.

Watch the Video Version of this Episode
https://youtu.be/3xTZVxTpNgU

Resources
Follow Dr. Jennifer Edwards on social media: www.linkedin.com/in/drjenniferedwards, https://www.instagram.com/drjenniferedwards/, https://www.facebook.com/drjenniferedwards/
Visit Dr. Jennifer Edwards’ website: www.drjenniferedwards.com

Thank you to our sponsor Hill’s Pet Nutrition
For more information about Hill's products and nutritional philosophy, please visit HillsPet.com or HillsPet.ca.

Veterinary Leadership Collective
Leadership doesn't have to be lonely. Join Dr. Marie Holowaychuk's facilitated peer coaching community for veterinary practice owners, managers, medical directors, and team leads. Learn more and join the waitlist: revivingvetmed.com/collective.

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For more practical pointers and tangible tips related to veterinary mental health and wellbeing, subscribe to our e-newsletter: https://revivingvetmed.kartra.com/page/newsletter

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To access Reviving Veterinary Medicine’s free resources including handouts, posters, meditations, and quizzes, please visit: https://revivingvetmed.com/resources

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Behavioral euthanasia is one of the most emotionally complex and least supported aspects of veterinary medicine. It sits at the intersection of medical ethics, human safety, and the human-animal bond, often leaving veterinary teams grappling with moral injury. In this episode, we’re joined by Valerie Bogie, an animal trainer and Veterinary Social Worker, to discuss how we can better support both the pet owners and the professionals providing the care.

Drawing from her 20 years of experience and her work as the Director of Human Support Services at Insight Animal Behavior Services, Valerie explores how behavior science and social work principles can protect our mental health. We discuss the "Pain Connection", the fact that up to 80% of behavior cases have an underlying medical cause, and how a thorough workup can provide the "why" that alleviates a team’s moral distress. We also dive into the "Person-in-Environment" framework to help mitigate judgment and burnout, and the practicalities of "Emotional CPR" for teams after a heavy case.

Valerie also shares insights into the "invisible labor" clients perform before reaching a crisis point and how a supportive, non-judgmental response from the veterinary team can shape a professional’s own sense of identity. This conversation offers an essential perspective for anyone in veterinary medicine who wants to navigate behavioral loss with more compassion, less shame, and a stronger commitment to team longevity.

Watch the Video Version of this Episode
https://youtu.be/QfHV6bKjEUM

Resources
Connect with Valerie Bogie on social media: www.instagram.com/valerie_bogie, www.facebook.com/valeriebogievsw, www.linkedin.com/in/valerie-bogie/

Visit Valerie’s website: https://linktr.ee/valeriebogievsw

Valerie’s additional resources: https://revivingvetmed.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Behavioral-euthanasia-resources-for-Reviving-Vet-Med-show-notes.pdf

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For more practical pointers and tangible tips related to veterinary mental health and wellbeing, subscribe to our e-newsletter: https://revivingvetmed.kartra.com/page/newsletter

Online Resources
To access Reviving Veterinary Medicine’s free resources including handouts, posters, meditations, and quizzes, please visit: https://revivingvetmed.com/resources

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Burnout is a universal challenge in veterinary medicine, but does the practice environment change the experience? In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Emily Li, an Emergency and Critical Care specialist based in Melbourne, Australia.

Emily’s interest in mental health was forged on the front lines of emergency medicine during the COVID-19 pandemic. Driven by her own lived experience and the challenges she saw in the clinic, she dedicated her Master’s thesis to comparing burnout drivers among general practitioners and emergency veterinarians across Australia.

During this episode, we discuss how workplace structures and workload predictability impact both groups. We also explore what surprisingly does not differ between general practice and ER burnout, and why Emily believes systemic changes, rather than just individual resilience, are the only way forward for the profession. Emily shares a grounded, evidence based perspective on the real drivers of exhaustion and highlights the importance of the person in environment fit.

Watch the Video Version of this Episode
https://youtu.be/ycynLHKEEHc

Resources
Follow Dr. Emily Li on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-li-b59309137/

Read Dr. Li’s papers: A comparison between veterinary small animal general practitioners and emergency practitioners in Australia Part 1 (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10993158/) and Part 2 (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10932987/)

Thank you to our sponsor Hill’s Pet Nutrition
For more information about Hill's products and nutritional philosophy, please visit HillsPet.com or HillsPet.ca.

Thank you to our sponsor Co-Vet
For a free trial of Co-Vet, please visit https://www.co.vet/. And follow Co-Vet on social media: Instagram: @covet.ai, Facebook: @coVetAIApp, LinkedIn: @CoVet

Newsletter
For more practical pointers and tangible tips related to veterinary mental health and wellbeing, subscribe to our e-newsletter: https://revivingvetmed.kartra.com/page/newsletter

Online Resources
To access Reviving Veterinary Medicine’s free resources including handouts, posters, meditations, and quizzes, please visit: https://revivingvetmed.com/resources

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Email: podcast@revivingvetmed.com

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Medical error is one of the most challenging and least discussed realities in veterinary medicine, yet it has profound implications for the mental health and career longevity of the professionals involved. In this episode, Dr. Rochelle Low, veterinarian and Global VP of Quality and Patient Safety at Mars Veterinary Health, joins us to explore why patient safety is actually a vital pillar of team wellbeing.

Drawing from her research on the "Second Victim" experience and her 2025 global study of over 64,000 safety events, Rochelle shares how a systems-based approach can shift the focus from individual shame to collective learning. We discuss the emotional trajectory teams face after an adverse event, why errors are often rooted in system design rather than personal failure, and the specific types of support, like peer connection and psychological safety, that help professionals recover and stay in the field.

Rochelle also reflects on a personal medication error case and how an immediate, supportive leadership response shaped her own professional identity. This conversation offers a powerful and practical lens for anyone in veterinary medicine who wants to move past "blame and shame" to build a culture that truly protects both our patients and our people.

Watch the Video Version of this Episode
[Link pending]

Resources
Connect with Dr. Rochelle Low on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rochelle-low-53ab0091/

Read Dr. Low’s research papers:

Veterinary healthcare needs to talk more about error: For the wellbeing of our patients and medical teams: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9708451/

Patient safety events cause harm across a variety of veterinary care settings: a global retrospective analysis: https://avmajournals.avma.org/view/journals/javma/263/7/javma.24.08.0523.xml

Personal resilience, good leadership, and a psychologically safe culture play a mitigating role on the impact of patient safety events: https://avmajournals.avma.org/view/journals/javma/263/3/javma.24.09.0620.xml

Thank you to our sponsor Scribenote
See how Scribenote works: https://www.scribenote.com?utm_campaign=RVM&utm_source=rvm-podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_content=MARK-402

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Newsletter
For more practical pointers and tangible tips related to veterinary mental health and wellbeing, subscribe to our e-newsletter: https://revivingvetmed.kartra.com/page/newsletter

Online Resources
To access Reviving Veterinary Medicine’s free resources including handouts, posters, meditations, and quizzes, please visit: https://revivingvetmed.com/resources

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Email: podcast@revivingvetmed.com

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In this bonus episode, Dr. Sonja Olson guides you through a meditation designed to cultivate equanimity and radical acceptance; powerful tools for maintaining emotional balance, compassion, and clarity amidst the challenges of veterinary practice and caregiving roles.

This 10-minute meditation offers practical strategies to reduce reactivity, stay grounded in difficult interactions, and nurture resilience in both your professional and personal life. Through gentle guidance, you’ll explore ways to bring kindness and calm to yourself, your patients, your colleagues, and even those you find challenging.

Take a few minutes to pause, breathe, and reconnect with a sense of balance. Perfect for your breakroom, office, or anywhere you need a moment of calm. Share this meditation with a colleague who could use the support, and check out additional thoughts and teachings from Dr. Sonja Olson on her YouTube channel.

Resources
Visit Sonja’s website: https://www.sonjaolsondvm.com

Visit Sonja’s YouTube channel @KindfulMomentswithDrSonja: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1KtsXn4EfTgAs_vDh4rxxQ

Newsletter
For more practical pointers and tangible tips related to veterinary mental health and wellbeing, subscribe to our e-newsletter: https://revivingvetmed.kartra.com/page/newsletter

Online Resources
To access Reviving Veterinary Medicine’s free resources including handouts, posters, meditations, and quizzes, please visit: https://revivingvetmed.com/resources

Questions, Suggestions, or Sponsorship Opportunities
Email: podcast@revivingvetmed.com

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Psychological safety is essential in veterinary medicine, yet many professionals report experiencing aggression, bullying, discrimination, or sexual harassment at work.

In this episode, Dr. Jolanda Jansen, communications advisor, researcher, and co-owner of St. Anna Advies in the Netherlands, talks about her 2025 study examining harassment and transgressive behavior in Dutch veterinary clinics. Nearly 70 percent of respondents reported experiencing at least one form of misconduct in a single year.

We discuss why younger professionals and support staff are particularly vulnerable, the role clients and colleagues play, and what practical steps leaders and teams can take to create safer, more respectful workplaces. This conversation offers insight and actionable guidance for anyone committed to strengthening culture and wellbeing in veterinary medicine.

Watch the Video Version of this Episode
https://youtu.be/vv8TWIYS_IE

Resources
My Workplace Is Not a Safe Place: Transgressive Behavior and Workplace Harassment in Veterinary Clinics in the Netherlands: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12474498/

Connect with Jolanda Jansen on social media:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/anna-advies and https://www.linkedin.com/in/jolandajansen/

Instagram: @stannaadvies and Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stanna.advies/

Visit Jolanda’s website: www.anna-advies.nl

Register for our 4-week online program Becoming a Veterinary SuperCommunicator: https://revivingvetmed.kartra.com/page/supercommunicator

Thank you to our sponsor Hill’s Pet Nutrition
For more information about Hill's products and nutritional philosophy, please visit HillsPet.com or HillsPet.ca.

Newsletter
For more practical pointers and tangible tips related to veterinary mental health and wellbeing, subscribe to our e-newsletter: https://revivingvetmed.kartra.com/page/newsletter

Online Resources
To access Reviving Veterinary Medicine’s free resources including handouts, posters, meditations, and quizzes, please visit: https://revivingvetmed.com/resources

Questions, Suggestions, or Sponsorship Opportunities
Email: podcast@revivingvetmed.com

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Stress is an inevitable part of veterinary medicine, but understanding how our brains respond can transform the way we manage it. In this episode, Dr. Sonja Olson, a veterinary wellness coach, former emergency veterinarian, and certified neuroinformed and mindfulness coach, shares her expertise on neuro-informed stress management.

We explore what happens in the brain and nervous system during chronic stress, how neuro-resilience can be cultivated, and practical, science-based strategies to regulate the nervous system in real time. Sonja also discusses the role of social connection, environment, and daily practices in building long-term resilience, helping veterinary professionals thrive both personally and professionally.

This conversation offers evidence-based guidance and actionable tools for anyone in veterinary medicine looking to reduce stress, improve wellbeing, and foster a healthier, more sustainable career.

Watch the Video Version of this Episode
[Link pending]

Resources
Connect with Dr. Sonja Olson on social media:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sonja-a-olson-dvm

Instagram: @sonjaolsondvm and Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sonja.olson.754

Visit Sonja’s website: https://www.sonjaolsondvm.com

Pre-orders Sonja’s book (due to be published August 2026): www.routledge.com/9781032753928

Thank you to our sponsor Scribenote
See how Scribenote works: https://www.scribenote.com?utm_campaign=RVM&utm_source=rvm-podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_content=MARK-402

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Newsletter
For more practical pointers and tangible tips related to veterinary mental health and wellbeing, subscribe to our e-newsletter: https://revivingvetmed.kartra.com/page/newsletter

Lunch & Learns
To learn more about the Lunch & Learn sessions offered by Reviving Veterinary Medicine, please visit: https://revivingvetmed.com/lunch-and-learns-for-veterinary-teams/.

Questions, Suggestions, or Sponsorship Opportunities
Email: podcast@revivingvetmed.com

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Thriving in veterinary medicine is not just about clinical skill. It also requires managing stress, sustaining energy, and aligning your career with your values. In this episode, we speak with Dr. Amy Grimm, a veterinarian, certified coach, and founder of Burnout-Free Me. Her work empowers high-responsibility professionals to break free from hustle culture and create sustainable success without sacrificing health, relationships, or wellbeing.

Amy shares her personal journey through burnout, the early warning signs veterinarians often overlook, and evidence-informed strategies for nervous system regulation and stress management. You will learn how mindset shifts and integrating life beyond the clinic can support long-term fulfillment and resilience.

Whether you are a practice owner, team member, or emerging professional, this conversation offers practical tools, actionable insights, and inspiration to feel more balanced, engaged, and energized in your veterinary career.

Watch the Video Version of this Episode
[Link pending]

Resources
Please visit Dr. Amy Grimm’s website: https://daringdvm.com/

Sign up for her newsletter: https://burnoutfreeme.kit.com/welcome

Access her Burnout Fix Resource: https://burnoutfreeme.kit.com/burnoutfix

Listen to the Burnout Free Me podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/daring-dvm/id1685789557

A Compassionate Calling: What It Really Means to Be a Veterinarian: https://acompassionatecalling.com/

Now available on Audible: https://www.audible.ca/pd/A-Compassionate-Calling-Audiobook/B0G1ZGBQLM?source_code=ASSGB149080119000H&share_location=pdp

Thank you to our sponsor Hill’s Pet Nutrition
For more information about Hill's products and nutritional philosophy, please visit HillsPet.com or HillsPet.ca.

Newsletter
For more practical pointers and tangible tips related to veterinary mental health and wellbeing, subscribe to our e-newsletter: https://revivingvetmed.kartra.com/page/newsletter

Additional Resources
To learn more about Reviving Veterinary Medicine’s offerings including coaching, lunch & learns, critical incident group debriefing, and online programs, please visit our website: https://revivingvetmed.com/

Questions, Suggestions, or Sponsorship Opportunities
Email: podcast@revivingvetmed.com

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