We partnered with Mind, Body, Thrive Lifestyle to bring a 4-part series on self-care in veterinary medicine and how veterinary professionals can practice better self-care in their daily lives. If you're suffering and experiencing a mental health crisis, please reach out to a professional.

1. Physical Well-Being

Anna Schozer, DVM, Relief Veterinarian

What is physical well-being? It's not about being a fitness influencer. It's a holistic practice with 4 key areas:

Sleep: Sleep is the foundation. It's the first thing people cut, but it should be the last. Work on your sleep schedule and find ways to truly unplug.

Activity: Cardio is not for everyone. Find movement that fits your lifestyle, whether that's a daily walk or a boxing class. Create a habit you can stick to.

Nutrition: You don't have to become someone who meal preps. Start small: drink more water. You can always do something to improve your nutrition, regardless of where you're starting.

Stress: Stress makes us sleep less, move less, and eat worse. When we're stressed, we focus on controlling our mind and lose control of our physical environment.

How to prioritize it: Recognize when there's nothing left to give. Focus on yourself first, then build accountability. An accountability partner, whether a virtual group, a friend, or a family member, can make all the difference. Don't compare your journey to others.

2. Social Well-Being

Danielle Lambert, CEO, Snout Group

What is social well-being? It starts with realizing social media is a tool for your life, not your whole life.

Act with intention. Every time you log on, have a goal. Connect, learn, or laugh at memes. The moment you drift from that intention, close the app.

Separate work and personal life. You are more than your job. Read that again. Because we are a profession of perfectionists, work can slowly become our only identity. You deserve the ability to rest and leave that headspace when you're off the clock.

Be social on social media. Share others' content, build authentic relationships, and reciprocate. Showing up authentically online can feel vulnerable, but it's how you find your people.

Take breaks. It will always be there tomorrow. Show up when it makes sense, and step away when it doesn't. Being human online is better than performing the perfect version of yourself.

3. Mental Well-Being

Danielle Alleman, DVM, Relief Veterinarian

Mental well-being is a spectrum, not a binary of sick or well. Many of us wait until we're in crisis mode to seek help. We tend to be reactive instead of proactive.

Ask for help before you're in crisis. Therapy is good for everyone at every state of well-being. Shop around for a therapist who fits your needs. If therapy isn't financially accessible, even a trusted third party you can process with is extremely helpful.

Change how you think about productivity. In vet med, we often equate productivity with worth. The truth is: rest is productive. If we don't rest, we can't do our best work. We must sometimes slow down completely to be able to speed up again.

Practice self-compassion. It's not if you'll make a mistake, it's when. Speak to yourself the way you'd speak to a friend who came to you with the same mistake: "You're only human. You didn't intend to do that. Don't be so hard on yourself."

4. Emotional Well-Being

Shena Humbert, LVT, Founder, Not Another Vet Nurse

Vet med is emotionally taxing. We can come straight out of a euthanasia and jump to the next case with no time to process. Over time, those unprocessed emotions can reach a boiling point.

Find a source of joy. In times of stress, engage your senses: a favorite playlist, the smell of something you love, a few moments in the sun. Something that centers you and gives you a moment of presence.

Set healthy boundaries. We're constantly saying yes in vet med. Yes to extra cases, staying late, picking up shifts. Learning to say no, to others and to yourself, takes practice and feels uncomfortable at first. But it gives you back control over your life and wellness. When you say yes to something, think about what you're saying no to.