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WSVMA DVM: Masterclass Webinar – Trauma in the Veterinary World: A Challenge and an Opportunity for Growth and Positive Change

September 9, 2022

Join us Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2022, at 12 pm for our webinar – Trauma in the Veterinary World: A Challenge and an Opportunity for Growth and Positive Change with Dr. Sonja Olson and sponsored by Heartstorming Wellness. Veterinary medicine is a deeply meaningful profession that allows caregivers the opportunity to support animal health, mitigate animal suffering, and support animal guardians in responsible stewardship and care. The field is also one that is highly emotional and rife with both vicarious trauma and moral stressors. The goal of this conversation is to “name it to tame it.” We will collectively build awareness and language to describe our individual and community experiences and build practices to more skillfully navigate the amazing and challenging professional landscapes of veterinary medicine. The goals are to fortify the individual practitioner in their well-being and to contribute to the veterinary industry’s shift toward a healthier, more sustainable practice culture for our caregivers.

Dr. Sonja Olson grew up mostly in Maryland with her human and animal family members. She graduated from Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine with a focus on exotic animal and conservation medicine. Her professional path led to over 25 years of practicing clinical small animal and exotic emergency medicine in both private and corporate practice environments in Virginia and in Florida. The myriad of opportunities to teach, mentor, and lead that arose during these years was deeply fulfilling. Additionally, there developed an increased awareness of the far-reaching need for veterinary well-being awareness and skills. This combination fostered Sonja’s passion to better understand, and then support, the holistic health of the veterinary caregivers. Dr. Olson’s full-time role currently is as Wellness Educator for the BluePearl Health & Well-being Team working alongside veterinary social workers to create and train on well-being concepts and initiatives as well as foster conversations that promote a more compassionate, healthy community and culture. She is certified as a Mental Health First Aid Trainer as well as a Compassion Fatigue Educator through The Figley Institute. Her book Creating Wellbeing and Building Resilience in the Veterinary Profession: A Call to Life was published in February 2022.

All monthly webinars are free for members. They’re recorded and made available on-demand, accessible through the WSVMA website under CE Events/DVM Masterclass. Recorded webinars provide a link to take an exam at the end so that credit can be received for non-live CE.

Whether you can join us live or later, don’t miss this important webinar. Register online at the WSVMA website. See the full Masterclass calendar here. We’re bringing timely topics in a convenient format meant to benefit you and your practice.

 

Posted September 9, 2022