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When Burnout Overwhelms You, What Comes Next?

Alyson Evans, RVT, CVT, Elite FFCP, CCFPSix months ago, I wrote about my experience with burnout. I thought then that I had reached my lowest low, but I was wrong. Here’s what has been happening since then.

I have been doing nail trims and anal sac expressions in my neighborhood for the last three years. Recently, one of my neighbors had asked on our community Facebook page if someone in the veterinary field could answer a question. Her dog was limping, and she didn’t know what to do. One of the neighbors offered her some doggy aspirin she had bought at the pet store. I quickly advised against giving unprescribed medications to her pet.

The conversation turned into a bullying session. One of my neighbors told me I shouldn’t try to act like a veterinarian. I have never felt so disrespected in the 15 years I have been in this career.

I shut down.

The next thing I knew, I was in my closet, crying, repeating to myself, “I don’t care, I don’t care anymore. Why should I care about others’ pets if I am going to be treated like crap? I’m done.”

I may have been improving with burnout, but I had just hit a whole new level of compassion fatigue.

I had a full weekend’s worth of nail trims to do and was going to make a little more than $200 in five hours. I didn’t care about the extra money anymore and canceled all appointments for the foreseeable future.

In tears, I explained to my husband why I had given up making extra money on the side. It was clear he wanted to help but didn’t know what to say or do. I knew I needed professional help.

Now I’m in the process of finding a therapist I can connect with. Until then, my family and I have adopted the following tools to help reduce stress:

–Simple Habit, a meditation app. My son uses it to fall asleep and settle down. He will ask to meditate to go to sleep now.

–A “coming home” routine: The spouse who is home first allows the second spouse to “finish coming home.” This gives them some quiet transition time to put their bags down, change clothes, and relax. When they’re ready to engage with the other spouse to prepare for the evening, they come out of the bedroom or wherever they choose to decompress.

–Boundaries with kids: I explain to my son that I need time to talk with his dad and ask him to sit quietly and watch a short show or play ABCmouse, a reading app. I also set timers in the house called, “Time to get ready for bed,” “Time for bed,” and “Quiet time is over.”

–Communication: When I start to feel like I’m getting anxious, I communicate how I am feeling and what I need to be able to come back down to earth.

Most of all, we continue to remind each other to slow down, be present, engage, and take time to listen to one another. My husband and I are working to improve our communication with our 3-year-old son so we can help him become an emotionally intelligent person, something his dad and I still work on ourselves.

We make time to have difficult conversations, and when we get into arguments, we try to make it a conversation, being mindful of raised voices, body language, and facial expressions. When necessary, we call each other out in a respectful way, in the moment, to help the other become aware of what they are doing.

The Fear Free way of thinking has helped me in so many aspects of my life. I use the techniques with my own son when he has doctor appointments as well as in everyday life. I communicate with him, making sure he knows what is coming up next, where we are going, what the doctor will do next. He is better behaved and calmer when things are explained to him, in most settings. I think that most children would respond to situations in a calmer manner when a Fear Free or Considerate Approach is taken.

In a work setting, my current team is emotionally intelligent, and all know the battle that I am fighting, which helps. Openly discussing things with your team can not only help you to become stronger but also to be seen with more respect and empathy than if you suffer in silence to spare everyone else’s feelings. Maybe someone on your team is suffering as well and doesn’t have the courage to speak up. Sharing your battles may give them strength to seek help for theirs. I wish more practice managers and owners would spend a day, at least, in a Fear Free certified hospital.

The most important message I want to send is that the battle of burnout is ongoing, and it’s not one you can win on your own. It doesn’t fix itself overnight or with a couple of therapy sessions.

Here is a quote I read frequently from Rachel Ashwell’s book “Painted Stories”:

“There is a time for taking action and creating work, and there is also a time for rest and seeking new ideas. Learning when you need space will help you to build a more sustainable creative practice.”

Check out our Fear Free on the House page for resources on wellness, quick tips, and more!

This article was reviewed/edited by board-certified veterinary behaviorist Dr. Kenneth Martin and/or veterinary technician specialist in behavior Debbie Martin, LVT.

Does Misery Really Love Company?

Dr. Marty BeckerOne of my first memories as a child was of my father, R.J. Becker, walking slowly back into our southern Idaho farmhouse, supported by my mother, Virginia. He slowly turned his head and looked at me and I didn’t see my dad.

R.J. was a farmer, rancher, and dairyman. Why all three? He broke the back of our 160-acre farm to make farm payments, pay loans for seed and fertilizer, make repairs to aged farm equipment, and have enough for necessities and a few niceties. He was strong of build. There are black-and-white photos of my older brother, Bob Jr, and I holding onto his Popeye biceps as if they were chin-up bars. Athletic, he could make a baseball smoke, throw a football 50 yards, and do Herculean feats of lifting. He could carry a 100-pound haybale in each hand. Folks in our Castleford, Idaho, community nicknamed him Charles Atlas (look it up). But everyone also knew dad was weak. Weak of mind.

They knew because there were many times when he was so depressed, he couldn’t get out of bed for months at a time. My brother and I milked the cows before and after school. Neighbors pitched in to help us harvest our crops and take our steers to market. Then the switch would flip, and Dad would be manic. Mania meant excessive drinking, philandering, gambling, wanting to sell the ranch, and constant threats of splitting up our family through divorce. I remember a pastor cautioning that Dad might take his life with depression but would ruin his life with mania.

Back to when dad looked at me. When he turned his head, I could see where the hair had been cut short on the sides of his head and I could see circles burned into his scalp. I only learned later in life that he’d had shock treatments to try and jump-start his brain out of depression. To get out of the darkness, he was willing to fry his brain (this isn’t much of an exaggeration as the shock treatments of the day were not microdoses and were not done under anesthesia like they are today).

The treatments turned Dad into sort of a zombie. No short-term memory, no joy, a 1000-yard stare. Manic depression is hereditary. Dad’s father, brother, and sister all committed suicide. So did Dad. I’ve had suicidal thoughts as well. My Mom’s genetics gave me a Mensa brain, photographic memory, creativity, and a can-do spirit. Mom’s seemed to define me until my 40s when the “dark clouds,” as Dad used to call them came rolling in.

I’ve always felt that God has played favorites with me. I’ve been married for 43 years to the love of my life, Teresa. I have a great family. I love where I live, love what I do, and feel blessed. But I also have manic depression. My lows aren’t as low as Dad’s; I’ve never been bedridden or had to have shock treatments. Nor are my highs. No excessive drinking, gambling, or risky behavior; just a propensity to spend too much money or give too much money away. In some ways, mania has been a great blessing.

Mania allows you to think that nothing is impossible, and creative ideas can come at you like a summer hailstorm. I know that Fear Free came out of mania. I knew it was something that had to be successful because it helped all stakeholders. The only “no” I knew was “no problem.”

People in our community growing up were either heartbroken for R.J. Becker or scared of him. They didn’t want to see the strongman weak. They also didn’t want to see the strongman intoxicated and angry. Dad? He hated himself, even during the periods when he wasn’t depressed or manic. He was embarrassed. Felt weak and worthless. Even though through his efforts he put all four of his children through college; a physician, an attorney, and a veterinarian. His suffering and shame ended when he mouthed a shotgun just after his 80^th birthday.

I’ve taken a different route. Dad wouldn’t take his medication because he didn’t need it. I always take mine because I know I have to have it. Dad would only talk about his problems with a minister. I trust boarded psychologists and therapists. Dad covered up his mental illness. I share mine with the world because I know that I can help others be successful in treating their mental illness.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had people say, “You have depression? You have everything!” Yes, I’ve got a successful relationship with God, Teresa, my family, my friends and neighbors. Yes, I’ve had a very successful career by all measures. Yes, I’ve seen the world (89 countries) and live in a beautiful log home on a drop-dead gorgeous horse ranch in the mountains of northern Idaho. Yes, I’m part of something that’s changing the world for animals, literally and figuratively, with Fear Free. I do have everything. Except for the right brain chemicals to be happy, healthy, and alive.

In 2020, at age 66, I had my first serious suicidal thought. It was right at the start of COVID, and as I drove home from the airport in Spokane, Washington, to our ranch in Bonners Ferry, Idaho, I looked over at a frozen lake I’d driven by hundreds of times and thought, “I think I’ll just drive over the railroad tracks, onto the thin ice of the lake, and sink.” Blessedly, because of my faith, family, and the mental strength I’ve developed from therapy, my next action after this sinking feeling was to stop the pickup, call my doctor, and make an appointment.

I hope that this message serves to let you know that if you’re depressed, anxious, or suffer any other mental health issue, you’re not alone. To let you know that there are dozens of crazy-happy people you know who are so sad and depressed inside. To paraphrase an old drug message, “Just Say Know.”

If you are in the U.S. and suffer from depression or suicidal thoughts of any sort, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (800-273TALK; 800-273-8255; suicidepreventionlifeline.org). It’s available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. No matter what problems you are dealing with, people on the other end of the line will help you find a reason to keep living. You can find resources outside the U.S. here.(https://www.drmartybecker.com/this-and-that/merry-christmas-and-support-for-those-who-arent-merry/)

This article was reviewed/edited by board-certified veterinary behaviorist Dr. Kenneth Martin and/or veterinary technician specialist in behavior Debbie Martin, LVT.

Dr. Marty Becker, “America’s Veterinarian,” is the founder of Fear Free, which works to prevent and alleviate fear, anxiety, and stress in pets by inspiring and educating the people who care for them. This includes veterinary and other pet professionals as well as pet parents through FearFreeHappyHomes.com and animal shelter and rescue group staff and volunteers through FearFreeShelters.com.

Veterinary Profession Burnout: A First-Person Account

Editor’s Note:Alyson Evans is a Fear Free Certified veterinary technician, a certified Compassion Fatigue coach, and the hospital manager at Briargate Boulevard Animal Hospital in Colorado Springs, Colorado. This first-person piece is part of an email to Fear Free Education team staff describing her own experience working in the field, in the currently overwhelmed veterinary industry. We thought that many of you might relate to it, so we asked if we could share it.

I thought I was happy and handling my stress well, but I wasn’t. I was hiding stress from my team and taking it out on my husband and son. Not a healthy way to cope. Burnout is a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress. It occurs when you feel overwhelmed, emotionally drained, and unable to meet constant demands.

I received some personal coaching about burnout and had some one-on-one time with a coach. It was eye-opening to me and confirmed that I was suffering from burnout. “Suffering” is a difficult word to stomach, especially when talking about yourself.

Here is perhaps an even harder pill to swallow: As women, we let ourselves get into a position of burnout. Men don’t typically experience burnout as much as women do. We are raised and taught to be the primary caregivers for our children and family. We put ourselves last and think that we need to be more like men to succeed.

Once I realized I had allowed myself to take on all of these roles, I said right then: “No more.” I set boundaries at home with my 3-year-old son and my husband. I want to raise my son to know that women are not just caregivers; they are individuals who need boundaries and that he needs to be a partner in any relationship he is in, work or personal.

I told my team that although I seemed happy and upbeat at work, I would go home and keep thinking about all of them. How would I get them pay increases if we didn’t hit our quarterly goals? How could I show more appreciation? Would more of my team quit? How would I find replacement team members given the national shortage of veterinary professionals?

One of my exercises was to fill out a pie chart. Out of 100 percent of the day, how much of that time was spent thinking about work? How much was spent caring for my son? How much time did my husband receive? Then, how much for me? Out of the time spent with my son and husband, how much time was I actually present: No phone on me, not multitasking, but actually engaging with them? This was so difficult, and at this point I burst into tears.

I spent 80 percent of my day thinking about work, from the time I woke up to hours after I had left. I gave 15 percent to my son and 5 percent to my husband, leaving 0 percent to myself.

Having the visual of the pie chart led me to set new rules or boundaries in my home. When my son and I get home from school and work, we spend 30 minutes outside together listening to children’s music and drawing with chalk on our driveway (both adults and kids need to be able to transition from work/school to home). Once we do that, we go inside and I call my husband to see when he will be home so I can make dinner or start prepping dinner for him to make. (We make a weekly dinner menu to take that added daily stress off our plate.) When he arrives home, we each have 30 minutes to send any necessary texts and then phones go on chargers in our bedroom so we can engage, be present, eat together, and talk during dinner. Once our son is in bed, we take 30 minutes to check Facebook or do whatever we want before spending quality time together.

A big part of combating burnout is owning your share of it and how you got there. If there have been a lot of euthanasias, speak up and let your supervisor know that emotionally, you need a break. (I just did four in two days and needed to tap out for the last one of the day). It is okay to admit that and to speak up when it is to the point of emotional breakage, but if you are someone who just dodges euthanasias and puts that strain on your co-workers, then that is not fair to your team members. We must own what is happening to us and reflect on what we are allowing to cause the burnout.

Support staff should check in on doctors who have done multiple euthanasias, as they should with each other. Management needs to do so as well. If management is also a trained tech, have them take a euthanasia or two if they can, to lighten the emotional load that their team carries.

For management teams: When you hear a team member say “I’m so burned out,” take that seriously and pull that member aside to talk. Have that conversation, because if it really is burnout, they need some time to be away from work to focus on themselves, talk with a coach or therapist, and get support. Having wellness conversations with team members is important in this field and is the only way we can keep our team mentally healthy.

Alyson Evans, CVMA CVA, RVT, CVT, CCFP, Hospital Manager, Briargate Boulevard Animal Hospital, Colorado Springs, Colorado

Check out our Fear Free on the House page for resources on wellness, quick tips, and more!

This article was reviewed/edited by board-certified veterinary behaviorist Dr. Kenneth Martin and/or veterinary technician specialist in behavior Debbie Martin, LVT.

Caring for Caregivers: The Three Areas Crucial to Mental Wellbeing

Caring for Caregivers: The Three Areas Crucial to Mental Wellbeing

In this webinar presented by Natalie Marks, DVM, CVJ, you will learn about the variables that place veterinarians at high risk for mental health challenges and how to assess your own wellbeing. Dr. Marks will identify concerning signs in our own health and others as well as the three areas crucial to mental wellbeing: compassion satisfaction, compassion stress, and compassion fatigue. She will also provide realistic strategies to help veterinarians take care of themselves physically and mentally.

Brought to you by Virox Animal Health, Makers of Rescue

Helping Pets & Families Adapt to Disruption

Watch an Artist Draw Your Pet!

Watch an Artist Draw Your Pet!

In this fun webinar, John LaFree of Canine Caricature Pet Portraits gives away two pet caricature portraits. One was done prior to the webinar, and the other is drawn during the webinar, where John will be telling us how he got into this business as well as the off-the-wall requests he’s gotten for pet portraits.

Check out Canine Caricature Pet Portraits here: https://caninecaricatures.com/

Alone in the Wilderness

Course Overview

Are you the only person in your clinic who has a passion for Fear Free? It’s easy to get discouraged and frustrated when we are surrounded by obstacles. This course provides tools to achieve your Fear Free goals even when you feel like you are all alone in your work. Learn how to get buy-in, implement strategies from the ground up, and encourage your colleagues to join your heart’s work of protecting the emotional welfare of our treasured animal patients.

This course, approved for 1 RACE CE hour, was written by Monique Feyrecilde BA, LVT, VTS (Behavior).

This course consists of five lessons:

Lesson 1: The essence and importance of Fear Free Practice
Lesson 2: Understanding the dynamics of change
Lesson 3: Implementing change within your practice
Lesson 4: Addressing common push-back topics
Lesson 5: Thrive where you’re planted, or transplant to a new garden

Stand-Up Comedy with Dr. Kevin Fitzgerald

Stand-Up Comedy with Dr. Kevin Fitzgerald

We invite you to join us for the second installation of our Fun Webinar series to break up your stressful weeks with something to look forward to! These webinars are for our human clients and intended to give you a mental break, learn something new and fun, or cater to your own emotional and mental wellbeing.

We’ve been told laughter is the best medicine, so we’ve asked comedian Dr. Kevin Fitzgerald to fill our prescriptions. Best known for his 11 seasons on the popular Animal Planet television series “Emergency Vets”, Dr. Kevin Fitzgerald practices small animal medicine at VCA Alameda East Veterinary Hospital in Denver, continues to do research, has authored over a hundred peer-reviewed scientific articles, and is on multiple boards for different Denver-area veterinary and zoo associations. In addition to his veterinary career, Dr. Fitzgerald has been performing stand-up comedy since 1986, opening for and working with performers such as Joan Rivers, Bob Hope, Kevin Nealon, Brian Regan, and Norm McDonald.

At-Home Fitness Tips with Dr. Evan Antin

At-Home Fitness Tips with Dr. Evan Antin

Welcome to our first installment of our Fun Webinar series to break up your stressful weeks with something to look forward to! These webinars are for our human clients and intended to give you a mental break, learn something new and fun, or cater to your own emotional and mental wellbeing.

Join us for fun and fitness with Dr. Evan Antin, Instagram’s most-followed veterinarian with over 1.3 million followers. Dr. Antin will be sharing his journey in becoming a veterinarian and some of his favorite at-home workout tips for humans, and then set aside time for Q&A.

Dr. Antin went viral after being featured in People Magazine’s “Sexiest Man Alive” issue in 2014, and again in 2016 & 2017. Dubbed “the sexiest veterinarian,” he took the Internet by storm.

He will be launching his first book “World Wild Vet” in October 2020 with his publisher Henry Holt (under Macmillan). This book covers Dr. Antin’s life from young wildlife/animal super-enthusiast all the way to his veterinary and wildlife conservation work around the world.

Dr. Antin originally hails from Kansas City, Kansas, where he grew up spending the majority of his childhood in search of native wildlife including snakes, turtles, and insects. He went on to study evolutionary and ecological biology at the University of Colorado at Boulder and spent multiple semesters abroad in Australia and Tanzania to learn more about their respective ecosystems and fauna.

In addition to his love for cats and dogs, Dr. Antin’s passions lie in exotic animal medicine and interacting with exotic animals in their native habitats around the world. For more than a decade, Dr. Antin worked with wildlife in locations such as Central America, Australia, New Zealand, South America, Eastern and Southern Africa, South East Asia, and a variety of North American ecosystems.

Healthy Practice, Healthy People

Healthy Practice, Healthy People

Studies show that workplaces with fully engaged employees are more productive, more profitable, can change and adapt more quickly, and have lower attrition rates. A healthy culture is good for business and enhances employee satisfaction and morale. Veterinary professionals play essential leadership roles in the intentional development of a culture that determines the success of the practice.

Presented by Laurie Fonken, Ph.D., LPC, this webinar will help you:

Define the terms “culture” and “organizational culture”
Identify parts of your culture that are by default and by design
Know the difference between implicit and explicit elements of culture
Leave with one idea to take back to your practice

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