MMI launches new programme of webinars examining mental and physical health issues for vet professionals

The RCVS Mind Matters Initiative (MMI) is launching a new series of webinars, which examine some of the mental and physical health and wellbeing issues that can affect veterinary professionals.

Each of these sessions is delivered by people who have expertise in the issues discussed, and many of the sessions will include practical tips and advice on how members of the professions can support their colleagues’ mental wellbeing, manage their own mental health, and help to create healthier working environments.

The webinars take place across August and September 2021 and are hosted by The Webinar Vet, a leading provider of veterinary CPD training. The times and details of the different sessions are:

• Chronic Illness in Practice: The Missing Piece of the Puzzle by Claire Hodgson – Wednesday 11 August from 12:30pm to 1:30pm: This webinar will give you an introduction into what it is like to live with chronic illness, how you can support colleagues who are living with physical ill-health, and how you can build a supportive and inclusive workplace environment.
• Managing Stress with the Right Brain by Mark Tabachnik – Monday 16 August from 12:30pm to 1:30pm: This webinar will use several techniques from coaching and mental fitness to give individuals more options to better manage their own responses to stressful situations.
• StreetVetting: The Power of Pets and Companionship by Jade Statt – Tuesday 17 August from 12:30pm to 1:30pm: This webinar will look at the life-changing work of StreetVet, a network of mobile veterinary practices providing free veterinary care to animals within the homeless community in cities across the UK, and how the remarkable bond between humans and animals brings hope and purpose to the most vulnerable in society.
• ADHD and the Vet World with Tasha Walsh – Monday 13 September from 12:30pm to 1:30pm: This webinar will explore the traits of ADHD and the impact of being neurodiverse whilst working in the veterinary world. Learn how to spot if your client potentially has ADHD, the impact for your clients and their pets if ADHD is present, and useful organisational and calming strategies for yourselves and your clients.
• Taming your Inner Perfectionist by Olivia Oginska – Tuesday14 September from 12:30pm to 1:30pm - This webinar will explain the phenomenon of perfectionism and provide readily applicable tools to manage its negative impact.

For anyone who is not able to listen to the sessions live, links to the webinar recordings will be made available on the Mind Matters Initiative website after the event.

Lisa Quigley, Mind Matters Initiative Manager said: “We are really pleased to offer an incredible programme of webinars for our colleagues working in all areas of veterinary practice. We want to thank our amazing speakers for being part of our webinar series and offering us their time, expertise, and insight.

"MMI is passionate about helping the veterinary profession to be as welcoming as possible, which means making sure we all know how we can best support our colleagues and make our working environments inclusive. Every webinar in this series will be a valuable and informative insight into some of the issues that impact on veterinary mental health and wellbeing, and I encourage as many people as possible to attend the sessions.”

You can find the full listings for the upcoming Mind Matters Initiative webinars on its dedicated events page.