Forging a Supportive Community for Compassionate Veterinarians–The New #SquadGoals
Doctors who treat more than one species sure do have their work cut out for them! But what good are we to others when we are not nourished ourselves? Taking care of ourselves isn’t always about candle-lit bubble baths, face masks, and expensive spa days…not that these indulgent luxuries don’t do the trick. But, prioritizing one’s wellness should NOT be a privilege reserved for the elites.
Saving the lives of those who don’t speak “human” is no tiny undertaking, and dealing with concerned “helicopter guardians” requires an unimaginable level of patience that warrants the highest recognition for veterinarians. We don’t need a study to prove that the profession comes with a heavy toll on mental and emotional health. From watching loving guardians say goodbye to their companions to serving massive industries that commodify, view, and treat animals as mere objects, veterinarians find themselves embroiled in a deeply entrenched system of inconsistent ethics and morals that can conflict with their own beliefs. Why treat a sick dog and nurse them back to health when a chicken who is unwell on a factory farm is sentenced to death without a second thought? We celebrate the familial bonds that wild elephants share while we are all part of a system that separates families in the production of animal-based foods? Why love, respect, and cherish one, while commodifying, oppressing, and causing suffering to another? Veterinarians are forced to grapple with these enormous moral inconsistencies imposed on them by our current systems.
The solution? Challenge the status quo, lead the charge to dismantle oppressive systems that cause harm to other living beings, and create the change we desire in our profession and the world. Simple right? Easier said than done! But with community, grit, dedication, and perseverance we can make our vision for a kind world a reality. But we shouldn’t let that come at the cost of our well-being. Instead, we must make our collective health a priority, for our own sake and for all those in our lives.
Our Honor is proud and excited to support and mobilize future and aspiring veterinarians to accomplish this goal of liberating all beings from oppression, exploitation, and harm whilst ensuring that our physical, mental and emotional wellness is intact (or as intact as possible in the moment). With our Future Veterinarian Wellness Hub, we hope to do just that! Not only will we offer support groups, which by no means is a stand-in for professional therapy, but we will also curate a fun, enlivened space where members can learn nourishing, simple, affordable recipes, celebrate the culinary and cultural diversity in plant-based eating, participate in giveaways for opportunities to win exciting, tasty, prizes, virtual events that include hands-on activities, which have proven positive impacts on mental health, and SO much more!
Find joy in your creativity!
If you’ve been successfully enticed, please join our growing network of students who are courageously challenging oppressive systems and changing the world for the benefit of all living creatures. We’d LOVE to have you on board!
Image Courtesy: The Gentle Barn
