Burnout-Free Me

The holiday season of joy and gratitude is coming up fast! And along with it, increased stress and mental breakdowns. 😅😳 Between all the family drama, crazy schedules, work stress, and personal problems, it can feel overwhelming and sometimes, awful. If you're secretly worried about this time of year, don't worry, my friend, I've got you. This week on the Daring DVM Podcast, we’re talking about...

As veterinary professionals, we’re no strangers to feeling overwhelmed by our workload and doing our best to balance it with our social, family, and personal responsibilities. Throughout my veterinary career, I regularly experienced overwhelm. It wasn’t until I figured out what was causing it, that I finally learned to manage this state of anxiety and regain control of my life. In this episode, I...

Do you take on other people’s tasks at work because you know you can do it faster? Do you try to make other people feel comfortable at your own expense? Are you the one who is always in control of your family’s calendar? If you answered yes to these three questions, you might be an overfunctioner. 🤨 In this episode of the Daring DVM Podcast, we are looking at how your own behavior patterns could...

In this episode of the Daring DVM Podcast, we're diving into the importance of setting your own agenda and defining success on your own terms. Too often, we find ourselves chasing goals offered to us by others, and following a suggested career path that may not always serve us best. We continue to work hard, believing that what we are doing will get us to where we want to go, but because we aren't...

Effective communication is essential for building strong relationships, both personally and professionally. By understanding the different types of conversations and how to approach them appropriately, you can improve your interactions with colleagues, clients, friends, and family, leading to greater satisfaction and fulfillment in your life. In this episode of Daring DVM, we explore the nuances o...

Join me in my conversation with Dr. Addie Reinhard, Founder & CEO of MentorVet, on this special guest episode of Daring DVM as we delve into the transformative power of mentorship in combating veterinary burnout. Discover how mentorship and coaching can provide invaluable support, helping you navigate the challenges of your veterinary career and prioritize your mental health and wellbeing. In...

Last week I discussed the topic of functional freeze, how this plays out in your life, and how it can trick you into believing you are burned out.  This is important to know because if you are tired of going through the motions,  if you are struggling to regain joy, purpose, connection and meaning in your work and in your life,  if you are always exhausted, even after you take a break and you want...

Are you actually burned out? Maybe not. Many of the people I coach, when asked to describe what they mean when they say that they feel “burned out”, actually end up describing something else.  They will tell me that they feel as if they are just going through the motions. They no longer derive joy, satisfaction or purpose from their career or in their lives. They are constantly exhausted, even whe...

When we prolong decisions we end up with multiple unmade decisions hanging over us. These unmade decisions are left nagging in the back of our minds. And over time, these unmade decisions can lead to overwhelm, exhaustion and burnout. This week as we explore the reasons why we leave decisions unmade, how this drains our energy, why it makes future decision-making more difficult, and why this kind...

What if the reason you are experiencing such high levels of daily stress isn't due to what you think..? What if you have a sneaky, silent saboteur? One that you may not even recognize as being a part of your life... The truth is, many veterinarians and high-achieving professionals fall victim to this personality trait. Yet we often don't even realize what we are doing. In this week's episode, we a...

It’s no secret that veterinarians and veterinary professionals suffer from higher rates of anxiety, pessimism, and poor mental health compared to other professions. And most of us think we know why… but most of us are wrong. A lot of the clients I work with, on top of feeling anxious (or even burned out or borderline depressed), have a lot of confusion and shame about why they feel that way. They...

Dr. Jennifer Edwards is a veterinarian and a life and leadership coach. And what I admire about her is that she embraces her own path of personal growth and transformation, as well as helping her clients do the same. With a passion for fostering consciousness in veterinary leadership, she empowers professionals to transform their challenges into stepping stones for success. Dr. Jennifer is deeply...

"Hearing is physiological. Listening is a choice". - Roland Barthes (translated) Active listening is a skill that can dramatically improve both your personal and professional life. Yet many of us don't know how to do it well. We may think we are listening, but when it comes down to it, we are often missing the point. So how do you become a pro at listening? It all starts with your nervous system a...

"Seek first to understand, then to be understood." - Dr. Stephen R. Covey Communication is one of the most important skill sets we can develop in our lives. Our communication styles and abilities affect how we interact with the world, and they build the foundation of ALL our relationships! But how many of us truly know how to listen? Really, really listen? Active listening is a skill that can dram...

Today we are taking a look at a fascinating brain structure - the amygdala! This little brain region is so interesting because it does way more than just control our fight, flight or fright response. Yet for many of us, we only know it as the fear center of our brain. Our amygdala actually plays a very important role in our reward pathways and helps us to make decisions through the lens of motivat...

This week I'm sharing a simple and effective tool to help you process and regulate your emotions. The RULER technique is based on the work of Dr. Marc Brackett. It is an evidence-based approach to social and emotional learning and is an acronym for the five skills of emotional intelligence (Recognizing, Understanding, Labeling, Expressing, and Regulating). Using this tool helps in understanding th...

Daring DVM Special Guest Interview with Dr. Alexandra McLaughry. Dr. Alexandra McLaughry is a veterinarian, a practice owner, and innovator. She is the owner of BarburVet in Portland OR, and has grown a thriving practice in which they are only open four days a week! Dr. Alexandra and her husband created the practice management software, VetBadger, which is one of the secrets to them being able to...

Affect labeling is one of my favorite tools to use. It's simple. It's easy. And it's so darn powerful! This week I'm sharing some of the science behind affect labeling and why it works. We'll also cover a simple 3 Step Process that you can use to teach yourself how to do this.  Want to feel more empowered and in control of your life? Then you're gonna wanna learn this simple, effective tool!   Lin...

If you want to attract future veterinary professionals to the industry, then you need to be willing to make changes that invite them in. This week we are discussing the importance of veterinary leadership and how these roles simply cannot just be enjoyed for the privileges and authority that they bring.  If you are in a leadership position within our industry, you have a responsibility to make cha...

In this episode Dr. Amy discusses the importance of having a growth mindset and why this is integral to changing careers.  Topics covered Why the ability to rethink things is a necessary human skill What is a growth mindset and why it matters Four types of mindsets through a nervous system lens How to use your mindset to your advantage when making a career pivot Guilt, shame, grief and regret asso...

In this episode, we review the categories of the values assessment test and how they each affect your wellbeing.  VIA Character Survey - Free online values assessment  Topics covered: The two types of happiness Why you cannot "pursue" happiness and what to do instead How wellbeing relates to your core values The 6 categories of core values and what they mean in your life 3 ways to think about your...

This week we discuss the 2 main types of identity and how they are tied to the stories we tell about ourselves AND to our nervous system patterns. And we discuss how to separate your nervous system patterns from your identity because... You are not your survival pattern! Your survival pattern is just an adaptation to help you cope in life. And did you know, that your survival pattern can actually...

Do you know your core identity? The values that make you you? When you describe yourself to other people, do you tell them what you do? Or do you tell them who you really are? Sometimes it can be tricky to separate ourselves and our identity from our labels or the roles we play in this life. But it's part of the work required to live a stress-free life. This week we explore the difference between...

Today we are talking about hypoarousal and hypoactivation of your nervous system. And seeing at what regulation and resilience look like when compared to our hyperactivated and hypoactivated states. This is the next episode in our mini-series designed to help you uncover your different nervous system states and to start identifying your core values that will help you create a life of intention and...

Today we are talking about hyperarousal and hyperactivation of your nervous system. We are also discussing the Window of Tolerance, and how this tool is useful in determining where you are on your scale of arousal. This is the next episode in our mini-series designed to help you uncover your different nervous system states and to start identifying your core values that will help you create a life...