Health and Wellbeing Resources
Health and Wellbeing Resources
We recognize that stress, depression, burn out, and other concerning mental health issues are commonplace and under-appreciated within the animal health and welfare fields and the affiliated professions. While this is a serious issue that is highly individual and often multifactorial in nature, requiring help and solutions of many types, we aim to have this page serve as a repository/library of mental health resources, studies, and articles for those working with animals. Our hope is to bring this endemic problem further out into the light, to remove any potential stigma, and to let our friends and colleagues know that they are not alone and that help is available.
Be well and don’t forget to care for yourself, too. We will continue to add to this page as well as create other ways to connect with and support those in our community.
Veterinary Specific Resources
After a Suicide: A Guide for Veterinary Workplaces is a free guide to help support veterinary workplaces in the aftermath of an employee’s death by suicide. Developed by experts in veterinary medicine, suicide prevention, and survivors of suicide loss in the veterinary medical community, the guide includes:
- best practices for how workplace leaders and staff should respond in the immediate aftermath of a suicide;
- guidance on helping the workplace community grieve and cope in the short- and long-term;
- tips on working with the media and community partners;
- important information on how to safely memorialize employees and to identify and support members of the community who may be vulnerable and reduce the risk of suicide contagion.
The Guide was developed by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) and the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) in partnership with the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA), Veterinary Hospital Managers Association (VHMA), and the Veterinary Medical Association Executives (VMAE).
What’s MightyVet?
Our mission is to nurture and evolve the veterinary ecosystem for the common good of pets, families and the veterinary professionals entrusted with their care. Our vision is to help educate veterinarians, students, techs and anyone who surrounds them about the challenges and opportunities that those drawn to be a part of the most compassionate and trusted profession in the world can bring. They don’t teach this stuff in school (although, we feel they should), and we hope with some transparency and foresight, we can be a catalyst to help change that.
Email: info@mightyvet.org
Vets4Vets
A confidential support group for veterinarians.
What can Vets4Vets help me with?
- Tough work situations
- Difficult school circumstances
- Stress
- Depression
- Emotional unrest
- Physical challenges
- Addiction
Or… if you just need to talk to somebody.
What about support staff?
Support4Support was started because a group of DVMs were seeing their support staff struggling with similar challenges. Support4Support is a confidential support group for veterinary support staff.
Who is Vets4Vets?
We are from all areas of the veterinary profession. We’re here to help colleagues.
Vets4Vets support team members are experienced, active and retired, veterinarians. Support4Support team members are experienced veterinary technicians and veterinary support staff educators. All team members care about you and all colleagues.
Professional therapists with years of experience supporting veterinarians and veterinary support staff complete the teams.
For more information visit the Vets4Vets webpage on VIN.
Contact: vets4vets@vinfoundation.org
Printable/downloadable Brochure
Thrive in Five
https://vinfoundation.org/resources/thrive-in-five-new-veterinary-graduate-toolkit/
Going from being a veterinary student to a real life animal doctor can be overwhelming. The VIN Foundation Thrive in Five Toolkit helps new veterinary school graduates thrive as veterinarians in their first five years out of veterinary school.
This toolkit combines our most helpful resources for new veterinary school graduates into your one-stop-shop toolkit. As with all of the VIN Foundation resources, these are all available to you at no cost. Take look around, and if you need help or have suggestions, our door is always open.
24/7 Crisis Centers
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
1-800-273-TALK (8255)
www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Since its inception, the Lifeline has engaged in a variety of initiatives to improve crisis services and advance suicide prevention. No matter what problems you are dealing with, we want to help you find a reason to keep living. By calling 1-800-273-TALK (8255) you’ll be connected to a skilled, trained counselor at a crisis center in your area, anytime 24/7.
Multnomah County Mental Health Crisis Line
(503) 988-4888
https://multco.us/mhas/mental-health-crisis-intervention
The Mental Health Call Center is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week by a highly-educated, well-trained staff. The call center offers:
- Crisis Counseling by phone, with translation services for non-English speakers
- 24/7 mobile crisis outreach for in-person assessment
- Referral to low-cost or sliding-scale agencies
- Help finding mental health providers, including those who have culturally linguistically specific services
- Information about non-crisis community resources
Clackamas County Crisis Line
(503) 655-8585
http://www.clackamas.us/behavioralhealth/
Washington County Crisis Services
(503) 291-9111
http://www.co.washington.or.us/HHS/MentalHealth/GettingHelp/crisis-services/
Clark County
(360) 696-9560 or 1-800-686-8137
Please also visit Oregon.gov to search all county resources…http://public.health.oregon.gov/PreventionWellness/SafeLiving/SuicidePrevention/
Counselors and Therapists - General
Listing of these individuals is not an endorsement. It is up to an individual to determine if someone is a good fit for them, but we do hope this is a good starting point!
Raina Hassan, MS, LPC
(541) 659-7359
Robin Kellett, LPC, LLC
EMDR therapy and work with many people who have had trauma, grief/loss, vicarious trauma
(978) 394-0880
Tiffany McClean, DNP, PMHNP, LPC
Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner
(503) 967-3045
Taylor Miller, DVM, LPC-Intern
thoughtfullifecounseling@gmail.com
Phone: (541) 263-5097
Katie Playfair, LPC, NCC
(503) 610-6162
Carol Walnum, MA, MBA, LPC, Jungian Analyst, IAAP
Counseling Services of NE Portland, Oregon
(503) 287-1526
Counselors and Therapists - Pet Loss and Grief
Listing of these individuals is not an endorsement. It is up to an individual to determine if someone is a good fit for them, but we do hope this is a good starting point!
Catherine Beckett LCSW, PhD
(503) 319-8998
Athena Phillips, LCSW
http://www.traumacenternw.com/our-team/athena
(503) 819-4181
Keith Campbell, PhD
(503) 221-7074
Elliot Geller, LCSW
https://www.amha-or.com/elliot-m-geller-lcsw-cgp
(503) 224-1433
Kate Davis, LCSW
(503) 265-9390
Georgena Eggleston, MA
(503) 309-3966
Nate Wilson-Traisman, LMFT
http://portlandoregontherapy.com/
(541) 705-4979
Local Mental Health Agencies
For assistance finding a therapist, please visit the sites below:
Psychology Today Therapist & Counselor Search: http://therapists.psychologytoday.com/rms/
About the Psychology Today search: A comprehensive and easy-to-use search tool for finding detailed professional listings for Psychologists, Psychiatrists, Therapists, Counselors, Group Therapy and Treatment Centers in the United States and Canada.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Behavioral Health Treatment Services Locator: http://findtreatment.samhsa.gov/locator
LifeWorks Northwest— http://www.lifeworksnw.org
Cascadia Behavioral Healthcare— http://www.cascadiabhc.org
Morrison Child & Family Services— http://www.morrisonkids.org
The Dougy Center— http://www.dougy.org
Multnomah County Mental Health & Addiction Services— https://multco.us/mhas
National Alliance on Mental Illness—http://www.nami.org
Mental Health Coverage in Oregon
Affordable Health Care Act Mental Health Coverage:
https://www.healthcare.gov/coverage/mental-health-substance-abuse-coverage/
Mental Health care is required coverage in all health insurance plans sold through the healthcare exchanges. Also, here’s a PDF that shows that Mental Health treatment is not only required by the ACA on the National level, but it’s also something that’s required at the State level here in Oregon (at least in group plans). If you are unsure what your plan covers, please take a look here: http://www.cms.gov/CCIIO/Resources/Data-Resources/
Financial Wellness and Student Debt Management
Student Loan Planner
Mint makes staying on top of your finances a cinch. Be the masterof your money so you can get more out of life.
vinfoundation.org/studentdebtcenter
The VIN Foundation Student Debt Center is made up of four sections:
1. The Cost of Education Map is a realistic look at the cost of veterinary schools, taking into consideration resident, non-resident, and private tuition along with living expenses and student loan interest.
2. My Student Loans helps you make sense of your student loans. Getting to and through veterinary school often results in a complex student loan portfolio. Upload your National Student Loan Data System file into the My Student Loans tool to get a breakdown of your loan types, a weighted average interest rate, and an estimate of your monthly interest accumulation.
3. The Student Loan Repayment Simulator is an interactive program giving detailed repayment cost comparisons based on anticipated income, family information, total loan amount and repayment plan. A forgiveness planning module also helps those utilizing income-driven repayment understand and plan for estimated tax consequences due to forgiveness.
4. WikiDebt is a resource library for all things dealing with educational debt specific to veterinary students and veterinarians. Search various student loan topics or explore the available categories. All of the content has been created directly from student loan repayment questions that have been asked by your veterinary colleagues.
Inclusion
Center for Equity and Inclusion
For a comprehensive collection or Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging resources, please visit: http://portlandvma.journeycare.online/edi
References for Reading and Watching
VIN Rounds: Dealing With Your and Your Colleagues’ Stress and Depression (video)
A letter from PVMA Member Dr. Timothy McCarthy (members only)
TED Talks regarding mental health:
Depression, the secret we share – Andrew Solomon
The power of vulnerability – Brene Brown
How to make stress your friend – Kelly McGonigal
Getting stuck in the negatives (and how to get unstuck) – Alison Ledgerwood
How to practice emotional first aid – Guy Winch
A new plan for anxious feelings: escape the custard! – Neil Hughes
Helpful articles and academic journals:
- A cross-sectional study of mental health and well-being and their associations in the UK veterinary profession. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. December 2009;44(12):1075-85.
- Cohen, SP. Compassion fatigue and the veterinary health team. Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract. 2007;37:123–134.
- Bartram DJ, Baldwin DS. Veterinary surgeons and suicide: a structured review of possible influences and risk. Vet Rec. 2010;166:388–397.
- Cohen, SP. Compassion fatigue and the veterinary health team. Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract. 2007;37:123–134.
- Mitchener KL, Ogilvie GK. Understanding compassion fatigue: keys for caring veterinary healthcare team. J Am Anim Hosp Assoc. 2002;38:307–310.
- Nolen, RS. When caring too much is an occupational hazard. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2006;228(11):1653.
- Reeve CL, Rogelberg SG, Spitzmuller C, Digiacomo N. The caring-killing paradox: euthanasia-related strain among animal shelter work. J Appl Soc Psych. 2005;35(1):119–143.
- The distinct role of performing euthanasia on depression and suicide in veterinarians. J Occup Health Psychol. April 2014;19(2):123-32.
- Rogelberg SG, Reeve CL, Spitzmüller C, et al. Impact of euthanasia rates, euthanasia practices, and human resource practices on employee turnover in animal shelters. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2007;230(5):713–719.
- Reeve CL, Rogelberg SG, Spitzmuller C, Digiacomo N. The caring-killing paradox: euthanasia-related strain among animal shelter work. J Appl Soc Psych. 2005;35(1):119–143.
- 2015 AVMA Article about the high rate of suicide in veterinarians.
Medical/Physical Health Resources
Chiropractic Care & Sports Medicine
University of Western States
healthcenter.uws.edu/chiropractic-care
Campus Health Center
(503) 255-6771
2900 NE 132nd Ave
Portland, Oregon 97230
East Portland Health Center
(503) 808-7979
12615 NE Halsey Street
Portland, Oregon 97230
Gresham Health Center
(503) 512-1040
1304 NW Civic Drive
Gresham, Oregon 97030
PVMA Monthly Wellness Days
In May 2021, the PVMA was approached by Stephanie Whitchurch, the owner of Discover Balance Wellness Center in Vancouver, WA about ways in which she could support the veterinary community. Stephanie had become aware of the mental health challenges and high rate of suicide that exists in the veterinary profession and offered her professional services and facility to provide wellness care to our members, one Sunday a month.
With great gratitude, the PVMA worked with Stephanie to support this program and connect our community to these wellness day offerings. These events are an opportunity for metro area veterinary professionals to receive complimentary wellness services and enjoy a well-deserved day of self-care with colleagues.
A variety of services are available (vary for each date), including acupuncture, mineral bath, float, sauna, reiki, massage, yoga, and more. PVMA Wellness Days are ongoing and hosted one Sunday a month in Vancouver, WA.
We welcome additional support of this program. If you are a wellness service provider and would like to get involved, please contact the PVMA office at 503- 228-7387.
Mental Health First Aid & Suicide Prevention Training
Mental Health First Aid Training:
https://www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org/
https://namior.org/mental-health-first-aid/
Banfield ASK- https://www.vetfolio.com/pages/ask-assess-support-know
AVMA QPR Training- https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/wellbeing/qpr-suicide-prevention-training
CONTACT
©2024 Portland Veterinary Medical Association