Feeling lost, numb, dreading your day, and overall burned out? Dr. Caitlin Vaughn, a veterinary professional and founder of Unlocking Vet Med, believes that sharing our stories gives us strength, and most importantly you don’t have to feel this way.

Dr. Vaughn shares her road through the veterinary profession and her personal experience with burnout that led to her inspiration for coaching and helping other veterinarians in the same position. She makes the comparison of negative thoughts as a habit. If you can start new and break old physical habits… you can use those same tools to change your thought habits. 

Vets are generally compassionate people that can get stuck in an echo chamber of negativity, or a negative thought loop. One bad experience or even a prediction of a bad experience in your day can perpetuate more negativity. Dr. Vaughn explains that to break these negative loops we have to acknowledge our thoughts and be mindful.

How to Stop Negative Thought Loops

1. Be Mindful: notice and acknowledge the thought.
2. Thank the thought: negative thinking can be your brain trying to protect you.
3. Move on: say “not now” and release that thought.
4. Experiment: how can you change your experience? What can you do to try and prevent the negativity you feel coming?
5. Notice the change: Did this work? Do you feel better? How can you do more of this?

Most of all, Dr. Caitlin Vaughn encourages others to have hope. Change happens on the other side of hope, you have to believe that it can happen. Burnout is becoming a global discussion, you are not alone and you need to speak up!

To learn more about Dr. Caitlin Vaughn or her company, Unlocking Vet Med check out her website or find her on LinkedIn.