Mental Wellbeing and Positive Psychology for Veterinary Professionals - A Pre-Emptive, Proactive and Solution-Based Approach

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.

List of contents

Foreword xvi
 
How the Book and Ideas Were Developed xxii
 
How to Use This Book xxiv
 
Part 1 Strategies 1
 
Mindfulness 3
 
What Does 'Mindfulness' Mean? 3
 
Paying Attention to the Present Moment 3
 
Non-judgement 3
 
Mindful Living 4
 
Mindfulness: How to Do It 6
 
An Introduction to Mindful Meditation 8
 
Mindful Meditation: Paying Attention, on Purpose 9
 
Mindful Meditation: Non- judgement of Emotions 11
 
The Case for Mindfulness versus I'm Already Too Busy 15
 
Mindfulness in the Veterinary Practice 17
 
Mindfulness and Management 20
 
Emotional Intelligence 21
 
The Five Competencies of Emotional Intelligence 21
 
Self- awareness 23
 
How Do I Become More Self- aware? 24
 
Self-regulation 25
 
Motivation 27
 
Empathy 29
 
Social Skills 29
 
Empathy 31
 
The Three Types of Empathy 31
 
Leadership and Empathy for Line Managers 34
 
The Evidence- based Case for Leadership: Empathic Concern versus Empathy Alone 39
 
Acceptance and Proactivity 39
 
How Do I Do It? 40
 
What's Not Helpful 40
 
What Is Helpful 41
 
The Empathy-Profitability Link 42
 
Secular Buddhist Concepts 45
 
Basic Elements of Secular Buddhism 45
 
The Four Noble Truths 45
 
The Nature of Impermanence 48
 
Attachment 49
 
Positive Psychology 50
 
The Three Circles of Control 50
 
Reference 52
 
Part 2 How to Meditate 53
 
How to Meditate: Part 1 55
 
Introduction 55
 
Gain Control of Your Mind 57
 
Mindful Drinking 58
 
Mindful Breathing 58
 
Mindful Body Scan 58
 
Loving Kindness Meditation 59
 
Hand- on- Heart Meditation 61
 
How to Meditate: Part 2 63
 
Observe an Emotion 63
 
Anger 63
 
Anxiety 65
 
How to Meditate: Part 3 67
 
How to Meditate: Part 4 69
 
Opening Shutters Meditation 69
 
The Fortress 71
 
The Heavy Bucket 71
 
Climbing Up the Branches of a Tree 72
 
Conveyor Belt Meditation 72
 
Part 3 Difficulties and Applying Strategies 75
 
Anxiety 77
 
Fear of Failure 80
 
The Dalai Lama Advises 81
 
How Do I Stop Fearing Fear? 81
 
Disputing Irrational Beliefs and Doing Our Cognitive Homework 82
 
Change Your Language in Order to Change Your Thought Process 83
 
Exercises for Attacking Shame 83
 
Imagery and Role Play 84
 
Desensitisation 84
 
Loss of Confidence 86
 
Perfectionism 88
 
Imposter Syndrome 93
 
Feel Like a Fraud? 93
 
What Can I Do? 94
 
Recognise Your Expertise 95
 
Remember What You Do Well 95
 
Talk About It 95
 
Compassion Fatigue 96
 
What are the Symptoms of Compassion Fatigue? 98
 
How Do I Prevent or Recover from Compassion Fatigue? 99
 
References 101
 
Lack of Assertiveness 102
 
Empathy 104
 
Motivation 105
 
Social Media and Doom Surfing 106
 
How Do I Stop Doom Surfing? 108
 
References 110
 
Yearning, Striving and Wishing Things Were Different 111
 
'Letting Go' of Striving 111
 
What is Striving? 111
 
Blissful Happiness 113
 
Moral Injury 116
 
What Can We Do About Moral Injury? 118
 
Moral Courage 119
 
References 120
 
Identity 121
 
When Being a Veterin

About the author

Laura Woodward, MVB; CertVR; CertSAS; Dip Couns; MRCVS is the Founder of a counselling and mindfulness practice for veterinary professionals and also a surgical veterinarian at the Hampstead Village Vet Hospital in London in the United Kingdom. She is also a mindfulness teacher, a positive psychologist, and is training to be an equine psychotherapist.

The Author has assigned a 50% of their Royalty to Vetlife and the rest to providing free of charge therapy for Veterinary nurses. 

Report

"The UK's leading veterinary service providers are also backing the book which is set to become the definitive industry guide to mental health issues."
- Business Mondays (Oct 23)
 
"Mental Wellbeing and Positive Psychology for Veterinary Professionals is full of insightful and informative information to help any and all veterinary professionals throughout their career, no matter what stage they are currently at."
- Veterinary Practice, Improve International (Oct 23)

Product details

• Authors: Laura Woodward, Laura (Hampstead Village Vet Hospital Woodward
• Publisher: Wiley, John and Sons Ltd
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 26.10.2023
• EAN: 9781394200627
• ISBN: 978-1-394-20062-7
• No. of pages: 336
• Subjects: Natural sciences, medicine, IT, technology > Medicine > Veterinary medicine; Veterinärmedizin, Tierarzt, psychische Gesundheit, Mental Health, veterinary medicine, Health & Social Care, Gesundheits- u. Sozialwesen, Spezialthemen Veterinärmedizin, Veterinary Medicine Special Topics, Praxismanagement i. d. Veterinärmedizin, Veterinary Practice Management