Veterinary Technician Week carries deep personal meaning for me. I spent 15 years on the clinic floor as an unlicensed technician and veterinary assistant, working tirelessly to provide care before moving into IT for a 40,000-square-foot specialty emergency hospital. Although I loved the work, the emotional weight became overwhelming. Burnout, severe depression, and suicidal thoughts took hold. I knew I could no longer sustain this career.
In 2023, I made the difficult decision to leave the profession. Getting my yoga teacher certification gave me the clarity I needed—both to heal myself and to see that I could use the lessons I learned to help others. I knew I couldn’t change the industry from the inside, but I could offer wellness tools to prevent others from reaching the same dark place I did.
A Crisis of Burnout and Compassion Fatigue
During my time in the field, I lost two colleagues to suicide, which made me painfully aware of the industry’s mental health crisis. Many veterinary professionals feel isolated and overworked, without the support they need. Long hours, low pay, and emotional exhaustion lead to burnout—often before people even realize it’s happening.
Veterinary professionals give everything to their work, often at the expense of their own mental health. Burnout and compassion fatigue are not just occasional setbacks; they are constant companions for many.
Changing jobs or hospitals wasn’t a solution—the underlying issues have always existed, and they are worse now than ever. Many professionals in this field can’t simply change careers. They feel trapped, committed to work they love, but with few paths out that offer comparable compensation or fulfillment. Not to mention already crippling student debt.
The veterinary profession demands emotional energy day after day, yet it offers few resources to manage compassion fatigue. Self-care is often treated as indulgent or impossible. Without systemic change, burnout will continue to drive talented people out of the field.
Earning my yoga teacher certification allowed me to step away from the profession. It also gave me the tools to heal and recognize that I could help others still in the field.
A Path to Healing
Yoga Science; meditation, breathwork, and mindfulness became lifelines for me, offering emotional reset and a new perspective. I now use these tools to support veterinary professionals struggling with burnout. The industry must invest in wellness programs that prioritize mental health and create sustainable work environments.
Building a New Future for Veterinary Technicians
Celebrating Veterinary Technician Week isn’t enough. We need real change—mental health support and wellness programs integrated into veterinary practices. Clinics need to embrace self-care and make tools like mind-body practices part of everyday work.
I’m now focused on building wellness programs tailored to the unique challenges veterinary professionals face. My mission is to provide the tools and practices that saved me—so others can avoid the same burnout and heartbreak.
This week is a reminder of the critical work veterinary technicians do. But it’s also a call to action: we must do more to support them, before it’s too late. They deserve an industry that nurtures both their passion and their well-being.
