We recently came across an absolute gem. You would have to be closely related to an ostrich not to have noticed some issues within the profession with mental health and burnout. Vet, and RCVS Council Member, Dr Tshidi Gardner has set about looking to change the fortunes of people within the profession through coaching self care. This includes a free (yes, FREE – usually this kind of thing costs a fortune!) Self Care series released during the recent lockdown.
“Self Care is the act of having compassion for oneself and taking the time to check in and avoid becoming overworked & overwhelmed. Acts of self care include but are not limited to good sleep hygiene, eating well, exercising regularly and practicing mindfulness or meditation. If you are in the healthcare or veterinary industry you are generally committed to seeing everyone else’s needs over your own and as a result can sometimes struggle to commit to self care.
Coping strategies, resilience and prioritizing self care are all skills that can be trained and honed through practice and awareness. Burnout and compassion fatigue can result in inattentive, cynical and exhausted veterinary professionals which can seriously compromise your ability to react in an emergency. It is not your fault, you are probably so exhausted from the constant demand with insufficient rest and recuperation time.
This Free Self Care Series looks at all these aspects for veterinary professionals and dives into different areas of our personal needs.Don’t miss out on this insightful training & resources to help build your resilience to stress thus promoting better coping strategies.”
Please have a look at the link, and share it far and wide. We are hoping to catch up with Tshidi shortly for a video chat so pop back soon and see what she can add!
