Keynote Message

In the last decade interest in researching mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) interventions has increased. Interventions that utilize MBSR have shown to be effective in reducing symptoms of depression & anxiety. MBSR has also be shown to be effective in treating physical conditions such as chronic pain and heart disease. Sources of stress that impact negatively on veterinarians include giving bad news, managing adverse events, interacting with difficult clients, working in teams, and balancing work and home life. But it is thought that handling ethical dilemmas is the worst stressor, and research indicates that veterinarians face ethical dilemmas three to five times per week (Bartram & Baldwin 2010).

This session explores how over 1000 participants from the veterinarian industry engaged on a mindful journey towards becoming more psychologically adept at managing the stress associated with working within the veterinarian industry. The session describes how Mike Scanlan, a pioneer in delivering high volume, low intensity MBSR courses collaborated with Anthony Chadwick, the founder of 'The Webinar Vet 'and Lizzie Locket from Mind Matters to develop and deliver the 8-week MBSR course. The session explores the findings of the research carried out over the 8 weeks and highlights that the benefits are wider than mere stress reduction.