Mental Wellbeing and Positive Psychology for Veterinary Professionals

Book excerpt: Mental Wellbeing and Positive Psychology for Veterinary Professionals Explore practical strategies for mental wellbeing across the veterinary professions Mental Wellbeing and Positive Psychology for Veterinary Professionals: A Pre-emptive, Proactive and Solution-based Approach delivers a practical, hands-on guide to mental health and resilience for individual members of the veterinary professions and for those managing entire practices. Divided into 6 sections, the text offers valuable tools, including meditation, mindfulness, and positive psychology, to help readers grapple with the mental challenges presented by veterinary practice. The author has also included a series of case studies and anecdotes from her experience in counselling members of the professions, including a new-graduate vet, a specialist surgeon, and a head nurse, as they encounter issues like anxiety, compassion fatigue, fear of failure, imposter syndrome, and grief. By learning in advance about the common hurdles they will face during their careers, the reader will discover how to prepare for these in positive and proactive ways. Readers will also find: A thorough introduction to effective strategies for dealing with the difficulties of the veterinary professions, including mindfulness, empathy, and emotional intelligence Comprehensive explorations of meditation, including body scan meditation, breath meditation, imagery, and mini-meditations Practical discussions of specific challenges faced by veterinary practitioners, including moral injury, client complaints, burnout, imposter syndrome, and a loss of confidence Fulsome case studies, including a veterinary nurse’s journey to mental wellbeing Dr. Laura Woodward is well positioned to write on the topic, as both a working veterinary surgeon and an accredited counsellor and has crafted a text that is perfect for veterinarians, veterinary nurses, and practice managers. Mental Wellbeing and Positive Psychology for Veterinary Professionals will also benefit veterinary students, student veterinary nurses, and teaching staff seeking a comprehensive resource for veterinary mental health.