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Mental Health Help for Vet Teams

Mental Health Help for Vet Teams
Aug 05, 2025
By Farms.com

Online mental health support for veterinary professionals

The Veterinary Hope Foundation is offering a new round of virtual support groups to promote mental wellness among veterinary professionals. These six-week programs provide a safe space to connect with peers, share personal experiences, and access emotional support. 

Each group includes up to eight participants and meets once per week in a private online setting. The sessions are designed to reflect the realities of working in veterinary care and are guided by professionals familiar with the industry’s mental health challenges. 

The groups are organized based on professional roles, types of practice, and years of experience to foster deeper connections. By doing so, participants can relate more easily to each other's challenges and support one another more effectively. 

Upcoming Group Start Dates: 

  • Veterinarian Specialists: Late Career Group – Tuesdays at 8 PM ET, starting August 5 

  • Veterinarian Owners Group – Wednesdays at 9 PM ET, starting August 6 

  • General Veterinarian Support Group – Wednesdays at 8 PM ET, starting September 17 

  • Vet Technicians and Teams Group – Thursdays at 8 PM ET, starting September 18 

These groups are not a replacement for clinical mental health care, but rather a supportive tool for those in the profession. If someone is in crisis, they are urged to call or text 988 to reach trained counselors available 24/7. 

Participants can expect guided conversations, practical wellness strategies, and a supportive peer community. This initiative reflects a growing recognition of the unique mental health needs within veterinary practice. 

Learn more and register at: Veterinary Hope Foundation Support Groups 

Photo Credit: istock-dusanpetkovic


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"Small resource issues can become larger welfare problems when multiple stressors interact across finishing barns."

Meet the guests: Dr. Anna Johnson / anna-johnson-05028a14 is the Morrill Professor of Animal Behavior and Welfare at Iowa State University. She earned her Ph.D. in Animal Sciences from Texas Tech University and completed her master's degree in Applied Animal Behaviour and Welfare at the University of Edinburgh. Her research focuses on practical solutions that improve farm animal welfare, including sow productive lifetime, animal-human interaction, environmental enrichment, and Precision Livestock Farming.

Emma Coursey / emma-coursey-183810241 is pursuing a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine after earning a bachelor's degree in Animal Science from Iowa State University. Her academic interests include swine health, production, and animal welfare, with research experience evaluating welfare resources in commercial finishing pigs.