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On-Demand Webinar:

Veterinary Medicine Unscripted – Being vs Doing in Veterinary Medicine

Recorded: May 15, 2020

Dr. Leann Benedetti

DVM, ACC, ATC, BSc
The Veterinary Coach

Dr. Leann Benedetti has been practicing Veterinary Medicine for 24 years. She obtained her Bachelor of Science in Toxicology in 1992, and graduated from the Ontario Veterinary College in 1996. Her career started in mixed animal practice, then focused on small animal medicine and surgery with special interests in dermatology, dentistry, and internal medicine. In 2004, she started Georgian Bay Mobile Veterinary Services, one of the first mobile veterinary practices in Ontario. In 2010, together with her husband and her team, she designed and built Georgian Bay Veterinary Hospital and Mobile Services to complete the ‘package’ of veterinary services she could offer to her patients and clients. The last 16 years has been dedicated to building her practice into what it is today.

While still in practice, her last five years included becoming a Trained, Certified, Credentialed Professional Coach. This Journey provided her new perspectives and resources that are highly relevant to helping veterinary professionals deal with the many difficult and challenging issues we face.

Her Overarching Objective is Increasing Resilience, Fulfilment, Overall Happiness & Well-Being for both individuals and our entire Veterinary Community. She believes that a ‘Wholistic’ approach to our Personal and Professional lives is the key.

All of the above experience and knowledge has culminated in the creation of ‘The Veterinary Coach’ – Coaching Veterinary Professionals for ‘Wholeness’.


Overview:

There is an ever-increasing awareness that many of those working in Veterinary Medicine are struggling with a myriad of mental health issues and maintaining their overall wellness. Sadly, too many are losing the battle…choosing to leave the profession, or worse, decide their life is not worth living. Over the last 25 years ‘We’ as a profession have seen significant changes and advances in absolutely every area of practice. All of which come with multiple significant benefits, and have also presented unique and often complicated ethical, moral, mental, and emotional challenges to us all.

By nature, we are highly intelligent, driven people that spend years of training in school, and then graduate and continue to perfect our competency in the tangible and measurable skills required in our jobs. I would argue that the vast majority, if not all, of our training and continuing education has traditionally focused on increasing ‘Performance’, ‘The Ability to Do’, and to ‘Do Better’. While this is admirable, somewhere along the way ‘We’ seem to have forgotten the importance of knowing, learning about, nurturing, and honoring our ‘Being’. ‘We’ need help ‘Being’ Healthier, Stronger, Happier and more Resilient. Then we can THRIVE-Individually and as a Community.

This one-hour lecture will highlight that ‘We’ need to focus our attention on how to ‘Be’ our best selves-using an evidence based, scientifically proven approach. Positive Psychology and Character Science provides that platform. There is well documented scientific evidence that defining, measuring and developing ‘Character’ and ‘Character Strengths’ is possible, worthwhile, AND increases happiness, resilience, mental health and overall well-being