Course Offerings
Mindfulness in Veterinary Medicine:
an Introductory 6 week course
This course serves as an introduction to Mindfulness for the busy practitioner. The content relates core mindfulness topics and tools to common things that veterinarians and veterinary staff face in everyday practice (e.g. challenging clients, staff interactions, workload, burnout, emotional aspects of the job, self-judgement).
The sessions will include brief practices such as a body scan, mindfulness of breathing, kindness meditation, awareness of sensations and emotions. Topics to be covered will include:
Mindfulness of the Body: The body as home base, a link to the present moment (vs thought/worry)
The Storytelling Mind: The mind on autopilot- how to step off the wheel
Mindfulness of Emotions: Becoming aware as emotions arise, not identifying with them and working to RESPOND instead of REACT
Cultivating Kindness to Self and Others: Working with the judging mind: we go into this profession caring deeply about our patients but often lack the ability to extend that same level of kindness to ourselves
Willingness to Be with Things as They Are: Saying ‘YES’ to what is here and now, instead of getting caught up wishing things were different- becoming more available to the present moment
By the end of the course, group members will have a solid foundation in general mindfulness practices, as well as the tools and context to help relate them to the everyday challenges we face in veterinary medicine.
Mindfulness for Veterinary Well-being
An hour long session which includes a basic overview of mindfulness as it relates to the veterinary field. This session includes:
A brief introductory mindfulness practice
Discussion of the challenges and frustrations faced in veterinary practice which can lead to things like compassion fatigue and burn out
How mindfulness can help us be more present for ourselves, clients and patients
Come join us for connection and possibility as we discuss opportunities to move through our busy days with more space and less reactivity.
Mindfulness for Animal Welfare
An hour long session which provides an overview of the core concepts of mindfulness practice as they relate to the unique challenges faces by those of us working in animal welfare.
Includes a brief guided mindfulness practice
Mindfulness as a way to create space for the emotional component of our work, allowing us to show up with more presence and less reactivity for the animals and communities that need us the most
Opportunities to insert ‘mindful moments’ throughout our busy days to balance the overwhelm
Individual Clinic Mindfulness Sessions
Interested in bringing a mindfulness session into your clinic? Don’t hesitate to reach out! While we have curriculum developed for lunch-and-learn hour long sessions, they can be catered to fit the specific needs of your clinic. Let us know what particular challenges your staff may be facing and we can work on something to offer for the whole team!
Examples of specific focus points include:
Improving Client Interactions: learning how to show more compassion and less reactivity to challenging clients
Interpersonal Relationships within the Team: helping co-workers to recognize each other’s humanity and interact with more kindness
Managing Challenging Emotions within the Clinic: providing tools for staff to help manage difficult emotions around sensitive subjects such as euthanasia, ICU cases and end of life care for beloved patients
Interested in upcoming intro courses or scheduling a clinic session for your staff? Please don’t hesitate to reach out!