Self-compassion for veterinary professionals
As highly committed veterinary professionals, we give a lot of ourselves to care for our patients, clients, colleagues, and communities. For those who devote their lives to the service of others, the physical, emotional, and spiritual demands can lead to exhaustion. Although the natural response to growing expectations and an increasing workload may be to work harder, taking care of ourselves is just as important. In fact, developing a healthy self-compassion practice is key to being able to provide complete and compassionate care for others.
This session explores common personality traits of veterinary professionals, and current trends and challenges in the veterinary profession that can impact wellbeing. Participants will gain insight into their personal and professional tendencies, and come away with tools and ideas to implement a self-compassion practice into their lives.
Laurie Fonken, Ph.D., has been a counselor and consultant in the areas of health and wellbeing for 35 years, working with private and public institutions, in government and higher education, and for nonprofit organizations. As the owner of Whole Vets LLC, she offers educational training, workshops, presentations, and consultation to veterinary professionals in strengthening wellbeing through the practice of healthy resilience, engagement, and compassion satisfaction. She has worked with national and state veterinary medical associations, professional veterinary organizations, and corporate and private practices.
Previously, she was the director of counseling and wellness programs at Colorado State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences from 2008-2020. In this role, she provided support and counseling services to students, interns, and residents, and oversaw the college’s wellness curriculum. Fonken also has served on the board of directors of the Veterinary Hope Foundation, a nonprofit organization supporting veterinary mental health through education and other programs.