Josh Vaisman MAPPCP, CCFP, believes all veterinary professionals deserve to feel fulfilled and energized in their work, each and every day. Through his company, Flourish Veterinary Consulting, he combines more than 25 years of veterinary experience, a master’s in applied positive psychology and coaching psychology, education in positive leadership and positive organizational scholarship, and a passion for guiding leaders to cultivate workplaces in which people thrive. He's also the author of the book, "Lead to Thrive: The Science of Crafting a Positive Veterinary Culture".

Josh has taught the art of practicing positive leadership at hundreds of organizations, conferences, and events. To further his mission of empowering veterinary leaders with practical guidance, in 2024 he began pursuing graduate education in conflict management and applied positive communication at the University of Arkansas - Little Rock.

When he’s not cultivating ways to elevate the veterinary community, Mr. Vaisman spends his time with his wife, Greta, and their many creatures in Firestone, Colorado. To fill his bucket, he’s a soccer-playing, reef-keeping, cookie-eating, beekeeper.

In This Interview: 

- What if the darkest point in your career became the start of something revolutionary?

- Are you surviving in vet med, or actually thriving?

- What if you could diagnose and treat your practice culture with the same precision you use on patients?

- Why vet med needs to teach people skills

- When your team feels like they matter, they stay

Interview Resources:

Website: flourish.vet

FB: facebook.com/flourishveterinaryconsulting

IG: @flourishveterinaryconsulting

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/flourish-veterinary-consulting

At Veterinary Compassion Project we believe that those who dedicate their lives to caring for animals deserve the same compassion and care they give to others. We are committed to raising awareness about the extreme emotional toll that comes with animal caregiving while providing essential support for your wellbeing. Through our resources, community, and guidance, we aim to empower veterinarians and animal care professionals to thrive both personally and professionally.

📍 Visit Us Online: veterinarycompassionproject.com

🔹 VCP Restorative Retreat 2026: veterinarycompassionproject.com/retreat

📞 Join Our Monthly Support Call: veterinarycompassionproject.com/resources

IG: @veterinarycompassionproject

FB: facebook.com/veterinarycompassionproject

YT: youtube.com/@veterinarycompassionproject

More about Dr. Erin Holder: 

At the heart of our mission is Dr. Erin Holder, a compassionate healer and esteemed veterinarian dedicated to supporting animal caregivers. With a passion for holistic care and a deep understanding of compassion fatigue, Dr. Holder leads our efforts to empower those who devote their lives to helping animals.

In 2004, Dr. Holder founded one of the largest integrative veterinary hospitals in North America where she pioneered a holistic approach to animal care. Certified in Veterinary Acupuncture, Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine, Food Therapy, Chinese Tui-Na, Animal Ozone Therapy, and Animal Reiki, Dr. Holder’s hospital provided comprehensive care to a wide variety of animals, including cats, dogs, birds, exotics, and wildlife. Her innovative work was even featured on the debut series of National Geographic Wild’s Unlikely Animal Friends.

After nearly two decades of serving animals and their caregivers, Dr. Holder made the difficult decision to sell her hospital in 2022 to address her own experience with compassion fatigue. In her own personal healing, she immersed herself in studying compassion fatigue—why it happens, how to prevent it, and ways overcome it. She completed certifications in meditation instruction and compassion fatigue training for healthcare professionals, dedicating herself to helping others navigate the emotional toll of veterinary work.

See you on the next one!

Dr. Rebecca Bailey is a leading trauma therapist who specializes in complex case scenarios. With over 30 years of experience in the field, she remains dedicated to the belief that authenticity, common sense, and kindness are the most essential components of effective treatment. A lifelong equestrian and animal lover, Dr. Bailey continues to find that animals—particularly horses—have much to teach humans about curiosity, compassion, and connection.

She is the author of Safe Kids: Smart Parents and Equine Connections, Polyvagal Principles: A Book of Story, Theory, Practice, and Hope, co-written with Margie McDonald and Jaycee Dugard. She is also the co-author of several peer-reviewed articles on abduction, high-conflict families, and, in collaboration with Dr. Stephen Porges and Jaycee Dugard, the concept of appeasement as a survival strategy.

Dr. Bailey co-founded the Polyvagal Equine Institute to support the application of polyvagal principles in therapeutic and educational settings, using the power of horse-human interaction to foster connection and healing.

Her work continues to bridge neuroscience, trauma recovery, and the healing power of the human-animal bond.

In This Interview: 

- What do horses teach us about healing?

- What Is Polyvagal Theory?

- Healing begins with presence, not perfection

- How horses model what we forget

- How healing can start with something as simple as brushing a horse

- How connection, not isolation - is the real medicine

- Healing for vets begins when you bring that compassion back home to yourself

Interview Resources:

polyvagalequineinstitute.com
IG - @polyvagalequineinstitute
FB - facebook.com/PolyvagalEquineInstitute

VCP Retreat 2026: veterinarycompassionproject.com/retreat/

At Veterinary Compassion Project we believe that those who dedicate their lives to caring for animals deserve the same compassion and care they give to others. We are committed to raising awareness about the extreme emotional toll that comes with animal caregiving while providing essential support for your wellbeing. Through our resources, community, and guidance, we aim to empower veterinarians and animal care professionals to thrive both personally and professionally.

📍 Visit Us Online: veterinarycompassionproject.com

🔹 VCP Restorative Retreat 2026: veterinarycompassionproject.com/retreat

📞 Join Our Monthly Support Call: veterinarycompassionproject.com/resources

IG: @veterinarycompassionproject

FB: facebook.com/veterinarycompassionproject

YT: youtube.com/@veterinarycompassionproject

More about Dr. Erin Holder: 

At the heart of our mission is Dr. Erin Holder, a compassionate healer and esteemed veterinarian dedicated to supporting animal caregivers. With a passion for holistic care and a deep understanding of compassion fatigue, Dr. Holder leads our efforts to empower those who devote their lives to helping animals.

In 2004, Dr. Holder founded one of the largest integrative veterinary hospitals in North America where she pioneered a holistic approach to animal care. Certified in Veterinary Acupuncture, Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine, Food Therapy, Chinese Tui-Na, Animal Ozone Therapy, and Animal Reiki, Dr. Holder’s hospital provided comprehensive care to a wide variety of animals, including cats, dogs, birds, exotics, and wildlife. Her innovative work was even featured on the debut series of National Geographic Wild’s Unlikely Animal Friends.

After nearly two decades of serving animals and their caregivers, Dr. Holder made the difficult decision to sell her hospital in 2022 to address her own experience with compassion fatigue. In her own personal healing, she immersed herself in studying compassion fatigue—why it happens, how to prevent it, and ways overcome it. She completed certifications in meditation instruction and compassion fatigue training for healthcare professionals, dedicating herself to helping others navigate the emotional toll of veterinary work.

See you on the next one!

In this episode, I’m very excited to introduce you to someone special in my life and business… my financial advisor!

Joshua Abrahamson has been part of the Econologics Financial Advisors team since 2018. He graduated from University of Memphis with a Bachelor’s degree in Business. He is also a Registered Financial Consultant® with the IARFC. 

Josh has worked with over 200 private practice owners and associate households nationwide in the last six years at Econologics. He is dedicated to meeting with his clients on a monthly basis to stay in the loop of changes in the business and market climates.

He has intimate knowledge on how to help veterinary practice owners utilize their greatest asset, their business, to create wealth so they may achieve their personal and professional goals to create a more secure and stable financial future. 

Outside of work, his biggest priority is taking care of his kid, a 6 year old German Shepherd named Marley. He loves visiting wineries, traveling and golfing.

In this interview: 

-Meet my own financial advisor, Joshua Abrahamson!

- Navigating the financial fog post-grad

- Been practicing for years but haven’t built a financial plan yet?

- You’re not failing - it’s just that no one taught you this part

- Big decisions don’t have to mean big stress

- How more and more vets are finding their way back to private practice

- What they don’t tell you about selling your business

- Your work is unique and so is your worth

Interview Resources: 

Econologics Financial Advisors: https://econologicsfinancialadvisors.com/about-us/meet-our-team/josh-abrahamson/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-abrahamson-rfc-b2487413b/

At Veterinary Compassion Project, we believe that those who dedicate their lives to caring for animals deserve the same compassion and care they give to others. We are committed to raising awareness about the extreme emotional toll that comes with animal caregiving and providing essential support and community for their wellbeing. Through our resources, community, and guidance, we aim to empower veterinarians and animal care professionals to thrive both personally and professionally.

📍 Visit us online: https://www.veterinarycompassionproject.com

🔹 VCP Restorative Retreat 2026: https://www.veterinarycompassionproject.com/retreat/

📞 Join Our Monthly Support Call: https://www.veterinarycompassionproject.com/resources/

IG: instagram.com/veterinarycompassionproject

FB: facebook.com/veterinarycompassionproject/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@VeterinaryCompassionProject

More about Dr. Erin Holder: 

At the heart of our mission is Dr. Erin Holder, a compassionate healer and esteemed veterinarian dedicated to supporting animal caregivers. With a passion for holistic care and a deep understanding of compassion fatigue, Dr. Holder leads our efforts to empower those who devote their lives to helping animals.

In 2004, Dr. Holder founded one of the largest integrative veterinary hospitals in North America where she pioneered a holistic approach to animal care. Certified in Veterinary Acupuncture, Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine, Food Therapy, Chinese Tui-Na, Animal Ozone Therapy, and Animal Reiki, Dr. Holder’s hospital provided comprehensive care to a wide variety of animals, including cats, dogs, birds, exotics, and wildlife.

After nearly two decades of serving animals and their caregivers, Dr. Holder made the difficult decision to sell her hospital in 2022 to address her own experience with compassion fatigue. In her own personal healing, she immersed herself in studying why compassion fatigue happens, how to prevent it, and ways overcome it. She completed certifications in meditation instruction and compassion fatigue training for healthcare professionals, dedicating herself to helping others navigate the emotional toll of veterinary work.

See you on the next one!

Dr. Katie Kangas is well known for empowering pet parents across the globe with actionable knowledge, holistic care and beneficial products, helping pets to be more resilient to disease and live better quality lives.

She owns and operates Integrative Veterinary Care, a private practice offering holistic and integrative health care options for dogs and cats. While the practice is physically located in San Diego, California, Dr. Kangas meets with clients via telemedicine across the globe.

In addition, she is principal partner of Share Your Bowl, LLC, a business focused on education and Dr. Katie’s Remedies, a new line of truly natural products to enhance the well-being of pets.

Her areas of expertise include gut health, dental health, nutrition and functional medicine, with an approach focusing on preventative health and supporting natural healing or wellness through many holistic options in combination with traditional veterinary medicine.

She is the author of hundreds of articles published in veterinary journals and pet magazines, a frequent guest on pet focused podcasts and radio shows, as well as an in-demand speaker presenting locally, nationally and internationally.

In This Interview:

- Feeling like “This isn’t what I signed up for…” Sound familiar?

- Feeling stuck in your vet career? You’re not out of options

- Even healers need healing

- The body keeps the score—and healing starts from within

- What do you have to lose by just trying?

- Want to start feeling better? Start with what brings you joy

- You can’t pour from an empty cup

Interview Resources:

intvetcare.com

shareyourbowl.com

Follow: @intvetcare @shareyourbowl @dr.katiekangas

VCP Monthly Zoom Call: https://www.veterinarycompassionproject.com/resources/

At Veterinary Compassion Project we believe that those who dedicate their lives to caring for animals deserve the same compassion and care they give to others. We are committed to raising awareness about the extreme emotional toll that comes with animal caregiving while providing essential support for your wellbeing. Through our resources, community, and guidance, we aim to empower veterinarians and animal care professionals to thrive both personally and professionally.

📍 Visit Us Online: https://www.veterinarycompassionproject.com

🔹 VCP Restorative Retreat 2026: https://www.veterinarycompassionproject.com/retreat/ 

📞 Join Our Monthly Support Call: https://www.veterinarycompassionproject.com/resources/

IG: instagram.com/veterinarycompassionproject

FB: facebook.com/veterinarycompassionproject/

YouTube: youtube.com/@veterinarycompassionproject

More about Dr. Erin Holder: 

At the heart of our mission is Dr. Erin Holder, a compassionate healer and esteemed veterinarian dedicated to supporting animal caregivers. With a passion for holistic care and a deep understanding of compassion fatigue, Dr. Holder leads our efforts to empower those who devote their lives to helping animals.

In 2004, Dr. Holder founded one of the largest integrative veterinary hospitals in North America where she pioneered a holistic approach to animal care. Certified in Veterinary Acupuncture, Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine, Food Therapy, Chinese Tui-Na, Animal Ozone Therapy, and Animal Reiki, Dr. Holder’s hospital provided comprehensive care to a wide variety of animals, including cats, dogs, birds, exotics, and wildlife.

After nearly two decades of serving animals and their caregivers, Dr. Holder made the difficult decision to sell her hospital in 2022 to address her own experience with compassion fatigue. In her own personal healing, she immersed herself in studying why compassion fatigue happens, how to prevent it, and ways overcome it. She completed certifications in meditation instruction and compassion fatigue training for healthcare professionals, dedicating herself to helping others navigate the emotional toll of veterinary work.

See you on the next one!

Dana Croschere is an award-winning producer who found her life’s calling after going through one of the darkest seasons of her life. She endured two failed spine surgeries as she desperately tried to heal from chronic pain, and it led her on a journey of self-healing that forever changed her life.

Her most recent film, LOVE HEALS, was created as a result of that journey, and it helped her realize her gift as a Storyteller and Producer. As the film is now helping millions around the world, Dana and her partner Krisanna decided to dedicate their lives to creating films that spread love and hope.

Dana spent time over the last 15 years volunteering at various ranches, immersing herself in the transformative world of equine-assisted therapies and witnessing the healing power that was present in these sacred connections with horses. As she navigated her own healing journey, Dana has always felt drawn to creating a film about the healing power of horses, and RESCUED HEARTS is her dream come true.

In This Interview:

- Rescued Hearts Film

- When Science Meets Synchronicity

- Moving from Heartbreak to Purpose

- Exploring the Power of Heart-Centered Healing

- How Rescued Hearts Changed Everything and Why It's the Perfect Fit for the VCP Retreat

- How Self-Awareness and Healing Modalities Can Transform Your Life

- Addressing the Past to Heal the Future

Interview Resources:

LiveWildFilms.com

RescuedHeartsFilm.com

LoveHealsFilm.com

VCP Retreat 2026: https://www.veterinarycompassionproject.com/retreat/

At Veterinary Compassion Project we believe that those who dedicate their lives to caring for animals deserve the same compassion and care they give to others. We are committed to raising awareness about the extreme emotional toll that comes with animal caregiving while providing essential support for your wellbeing. Through our resources, community, and guidance, we aim to empower veterinarians and animal care professionals to thrive both personally and professionally.

📍 Visit Us Online: https://www.veterinarycompassionproject.com

🔹 VCP Restorative Retreat 2026: https://www.veterinarycompassionproject.com/retreat/ 

📞 Join Our Monthly Support Call: https://www.veterinarycompassionproject.com/resources/

IG: https://www.instagram.com/veterinarycompassionproject

FB: https://www.facebook.com/veterinarycompassionproject/

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0zXWwEO6ZDjOQ7YeC8ZYuV?si=Q2jVYLdzSqy_qLROQTOIQw

More about Dr. Erin Holder: 

At the heart of our mission is Dr. Erin Holder, a compassionate healer and esteemed veterinarian dedicated to supporting animal caregivers. With a passion for holistic care and a deep understanding of compassion fatigue, Dr. Holder leads our efforts to empower those who devote their lives to helping animals.

In 2004, Dr. Holder founded one of the largest integrative veterinary hospitals in North America where she pioneered a holistic approach to animal care. Certified in Veterinary Acupuncture, Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine, Food Therapy, Chinese Tui-Na, Animal Ozone Therapy, and Animal Reiki, Dr. Holder’s hospital provided comprehensive care to a wide variety of animals, including cats, dogs, birds, exotics, and wildlife.

After nearly two decades of serving animals and their caregivers, Dr. Holder made the difficult decision to sell her hospital in 2022 to address her own experience with compassion fatigue. In her own personal healing, she immersed herself in studying why compassion fatigue happens, how to prevent it, and ways overcome it. She completed certifications in meditation instruction and compassion fatigue training for healthcare professionals, dedicating herself to helping others navigate the emotional toll of veterinary work.

See you on the next one!

Dr. Judy Morgan DVM, CVA, CVCP, CVFT has over 40-years-experience as an integrative veterinarian, acupuncturist, chiropractor, food therapist, best-selling author, international speaker, podcast host and owner of Dr. Judy Morgan’s Naturally Healthy Pets. Her goal is to change the lives of pets by educating and empowering pet parents worldwide in the use of natural healing therapies, and minimizing the use of chemicals, vaccinations, and poor-quality processed food.

Dr. Judy Morgan also has a long list of stunning accomplishments in and around the pet industry including: 

- 2018 Woman of the Year in the Pet Industry

- 2019 Pet Age Woman of Influence

- 2019 IAOTP Veterinarian of the Year

- 2019 Veterinarian Hero Award Nominee

- 2021 IAOTP Empowered Woman of the Year

- 2022 Game Changer Award Winner 

- 2023 People's Choice Award Winner

- 2024 IAOTP Holistic Veterinarian of the Decade

In This Interview:

- What drew Judy to veterinary medicine? 

- The common passion for helping animals amongst aspiring veterinarians

- Navigating tough conversations

- What do you wish someone prepared you for?

- Owning your own clinic

- Why you have to be willing to say “No"

- The challenges of owning your own practice

- Shifting out of negativity and into gratitude

- The VCP Retreat

- Scholarships opportunities

Interview Resources:

NaturallyHealthyPets.com

DrJudyMorgan.com

FB:  https://www.facebook.com/JudyMorganDVM

IG: @drjudymorgan

YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/@DrJudyMorgan

VCP Restorative Retreat 2026: https://www.veterinarycompassionproject.com/retreat/

Check out Dr. Judy’s most recent best-selling books, Raising Naturally Healthy Pets: A Guide to Helping Your Pets Live Longer and Keeping Your Pets Naturally Healthy: Holistic Care and Nutrition for Dogs and Cats available on DrJudyMorgan.com or on Amazon.

At Veterinary Compassion Project we believe that those who dedicate their lives to caring for animals deserve the same compassion and care they give to others. We are committed to raising awareness about the extreme emotional toll that comes with animal caregiving while providing essential support for your wellbeing. Through our resources, community, and guidance, we aim to empower veterinarians and animal care professionals to thrive both personally and professionally.

📍 Visit Us Online: https://www.veterinarycompassionproject.com

🔹 VCP Restorative Retreat 2026: https://www.veterinarycompassionproject.com/retreat/ 

📞 Join Our Monthly Support Call: https://www.veterinarycompassionproject.com/resources/

IG: @veterinarycompassionproject

FB: facebook.com/veterinarycompassionproject

YouTube: youtube.com/@veterinarycompassionproject

More about Dr. Erin Holder: 

At the heart of our mission is Dr. Erin Holder, a compassionate healer and esteemed veterinarian dedicated to supporting animal caregivers. With a passion for holistic care and a deep understanding of compassion fatigue, Dr. Holder leads our efforts to empower those who devote their lives to helping animals.

In 2004, Dr. Holder founded one of the largest integrative veterinary hospitals in North America where she pioneered a holistic approach to animal care. Certified in Veterinary Acupuncture, Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine, Food Therapy, Chinese Tui-Na, Animal Ozone Therapy, and Animal Reiki, Dr. Holder’s hospital provided comprehensive care to a wide variety of animals, including cats, dogs, birds, exotics, and wildlife.

After nearly two decades of serving animals and their caregivers, Dr. Holder made the difficult decision to sell her hospital in 2022 to address her own experience with compassion fatigue. In her own personal healing, she immersed herself in studying why compassion fatigue happens, how to prevent it, and ways overcome it. She completed certifications in meditation instruction and compassion fatigue training for healthcare professionals, dedicating herself to helping others navigate the emotional toll of veterinary work.

See you on the next one!

Lynn Thomas is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, receiving her Master’s of Social Work from the University of Utah in 1995. She first developed a program integrating horses as a primary treatment component while serving as Executive Director of Aspen Ranch. Lynn co-founded Eagala, the Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association, in 1999 and co-founded and presently serves as CEO of Arenas for Change (ARCH), an organization focused on a values-based community learning and supporting one another in facilitation concepts that increase emotional safety.

Thanks to the work over the years of Lynn and her team, involving horses in psychotherapy sessions has gone from a little-known approach to a widely accepted and credible mental health option, backed by research.

With Lynn’s experience, vision, and passion for the impact horses have on well-being, she co-founded Horses for Mental Health (HMH) in 2021 to build momentum, expand the movement, and uplift programs worldwide to impact and strengthen global mental health through horses.

In This Interview:

- The transformational power of being in the heart field with horses

- What is Horses for Mental Health?

- How taking better care of ourselves helps our communities

- Why we need to bring awareness to the struggles we're facing

- Why work with horses for your mental health? 

- Horses for Mental Health resources to support your mental health journey

Interview Resources:

Arenas for Change: arenasforchange.com

Horses for Mental Health: horsesformentalhealth.org

YouTube: YouTube.com/@horsesformentalhealth

VCP Restorative Retreat 2026: https://www.veterinarycompassionproject.com/retreat/

At Veterinary Compassion Project we believe that those who dedicate their lives to caring for animals deserve the same compassion and care they give to others. We are committed to raising awareness about the extreme emotional toll that comes with animal caregiving while providing essential support for your wellbeing. Through our resources, community, and guidance, we aim to empower veterinarians and animal care professionals to thrive both personally and professionally.

📍 Visit Us Online: https://www.veterinarycompassionproject.com

🔹 VCP Restorative Retreat 2026: https://www.veterinarycompassionproject.com/retreat/ 

📞 Join Our Monthly Support Call: https://www.veterinarycompassionproject.com/resources/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/veterinarycompassionproject

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/veterinarycompassionproject/ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0zXWwEO6ZDjOQ7YeC8ZYuV?si=Q2jVYLdzSqy_qLROQTOIQw

More about Dr. Erin Holder: 

At the heart of our mission is Dr. Erin Holder, a compassionate healer and esteemed veterinarian dedicated to supporting animal caregivers. With a passion for holistic care and a deep understanding of compassion fatigue, Dr. Holder leads our efforts to empower those who devote their lives to helping animals.

In 2004, Dr. Holder founded one of the largest integrative veterinary hospitals in North America where she pioneered a holistic approach to animal care. Certified in Veterinary Acupuncture, Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine, Food Therapy, Chinese Tui-Na, Animal Ozone Therapy, and Animal Reiki, Dr. Holder’s hospital provided comprehensive care to a wide variety of animals, including cats, dogs, birds, exotics, and wildlife.

After nearly two decades of serving animals and their caregivers, Dr. Holder made the difficult decision to sell her hospital in 2022 to address her own experience with compassion fatigue. In her own personal healing, she immersed herself in studying why compassion fatigue happens, how to prevent it, and ways overcome it. She completed certifications in meditation instruction and compassion fatigue training for healthcare professionals, dedicating herself to helping others navigate the emotional toll of veterinary work.

See you on the next one!

Angie Arora, MSW, RSW, is a social worker supporting the human needs that arise from human-animal relationships, specializing in veterinary wellbeing, pet loss, and equity issues within veterinary medicine. As a Veterinary Social Worker and Certified Compassion Fatigue Specialist, she provides trauma-informed support, coaching, and psycho-educational training to veterinary professionals and organizations to improve professional quality of life by addressing issues of burnout, secondary traumatic stress, and compassion fatigue.

She served on the inaugural Board of Directors for the International Association of Veterinary Social Work and is actively involved in other relevant veterinary medicine initiatives including blendVET, the International Association of Veterinary Social Work and the Canadian Collective for Equity in Veterinary Medicine. Her current organizational clients include the Toronto Zoo, King Animal Hospital, ACCT Philly, as well as several veterinary practices across North America.

In This Interview: 

- The hidden gift of grief

- Changing the landscape of veterinary wellness

- The rude awakening that is unresolved traumatic stress and burnout

- The telltale signs of compassion fatigue

- The unspoken trauma of being in the veterinary field

- The power of holding space and being heard

- Reconnecting to Self and cultivating inner safety

- What is veterinary social work

- How stressful experiences shape us and show up in our practice

- The healing energy of community

- Boundaries as an expression of self compassion

Interview Resources:

More about Angie: https://www.angiearora.com/

Follow Angie: @veterinarywellbeingcoach

VCP Restorative Retreat 2026: https://www.veterinarycompassionproject.com/retreat/

At Veterinary Compassion Project we believe that those who dedicate their lives to caring for animals deserve the same compassion and care they give to others. We are committed to raising awareness about the extreme emotional toll that comes with animal caregiving while providing essential support for your wellbeing. Through our resources, community, and guidance, we aim to empower veterinarians and animal care professionals to thrive both personally and professionally.

📍 Visit Us Online: https://www.veterinarycompassionproject.com

🔹 VCP Restorative Retreat 2026: https://www.veterinarycompassionproject.com/retreat/ 

📞 Join Our Monthly Support Call: https://www.veterinarycompassionproject.com/resources/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/veterinarycompassionproject

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/veterinarycompassionproject/ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0zXWwEO6ZDjOQ7YeC8ZYuV?si=Q2jVYLdzSqy_qLROQTOIQw

More about Dr. Erin Holder: 

At the heart of our mission is Dr. Erin Holder, a compassionate healer and esteemed veterinarian dedicated to supporting animal caregivers. With a passion for holistic care and a deep understanding of compassion fatigue, Dr. Holder leads our efforts to empower those who devote their lives to helping animals.

In 2004, Dr. Holder founded one of the largest integrative veterinary hospitals in North America where she pioneered a holistic approach to animal care. Certified in Veterinary Acupuncture, Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine, Food Therapy, Chinese Tui-Na, Animal Ozone Therapy, and Animal Reiki, Dr. Holder’s hospital provided comprehensive care to a wide variety of animals, including cats, dogs, birds, exotics, and wildlife.

After nearly two decades of serving animals and their caregivers, Dr. Holder made the difficult decision to sell her hospital in 2022 to address her own experience with compassion fatigue. In her own personal healing, she immersed herself in studying why compassion fatigue happens, how to prevent it, and ways overcome it. She completed certifications in meditation instruction and compassion fatigue training for healthcare professionals, dedicating herself to helping others navigate the emotional toll of veterinary work.

See you on the next one!

Sheva Carr joins us in this very special Veterinary Compassion Project interview with Dr. Erin Holder.

Sheva is a visionary, humanitarian, creator, author, speaker, Doctor of Oriental Medicine, expert HeartMath trainer and coach, and has taught hundreds of online courses in her role as founder and CEO of Heart Ambassadors. Sheva speaks to people all over the world on how to access heart intelligence and peace of mind in order to receive the benefits of the heart’s impact on their relationships, health, performance, creativity, contribution, legacy, social change, and the building of a global culture of peace.

In This Interview: 

- Sheva's Story: The Road to HeartMath

- Sheva's Story: From Loss and Grief to Love and Gratitude

- What is HeartMath?

- A Brief Meditation for Heart Coherence 

- Why Veterinary Compassion Project?

- What is Heart Ambassadors?

- The Driving Stress in Veterinary Medicine and Why We Need to Talk About It

- What Happens When Profit Takes Priority Over Care?

- Why Do So Many in Veterinary Medicine Face the Darkness of Suicide?

- Connecting To Our Heart As the Vehicle For Connecting to Others

- Continuing Education Resources from HeartMath

Interview Resources:

Heart Ambassadors: https://pages.heartambassadors.com/

HeartMath: https://www.heartmath.org/

VCP Restorative Retreat 2026: https://www.veterinarycompassionproject.com/retreat/

At Veterinary Compassion Project we believe that those who dedicate their lives to caring for animals deserve the same compassion and care they give to others. We are committed to raising awareness about the extreme emotional toll that comes with animal caregiving while providing essential support for your wellbeing. Through our resources, community, and guidance, we aim to empower veterinarians and animal care professionals to thrive both personally and professionally.

📍 Visit Us Online: https://www.veterinarycompassionproject.com

📞 Join Our Monthly Support Call: https://www.veterinarycompassionproject.com/resources/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/veterinarycompassionproject

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/veterinarycompassionproject/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@VeterinaryCompassionProject

More about Dr. Erin Holder: 

At the heart of our mission is Dr. Erin Holder, a compassionate healer and esteemed veterinarian dedicated to supporting animal caregivers. With a passion for holistic care and a deep understanding of compassion fatigue, Dr. Holder leads our efforts to empower those who devote their lives to helping animals.

Dr. Holder graduated with honors from the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine in 2002 where she received the Lerner Family Wildlife Conservation Award and the Bird Fanciers Scholarship for her dedication to wildlife conservation. Her groundbreaking research on cheetahs and early renal disease detection won international acclaim and was published in the Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine.

In 2004, Dr. Holder founded her integrative veterinary hospital where she pioneered a holistic approach to animal care. Certified in Veterinary Acupuncture, Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine, Food Therapy, Chinese Tui-Na, Animal Ozone Therapy, and Animal Reiki, Dr. Holder’s hospital provided comprehensive care to a wide variety of animals, including cats, dogs, birds, exotics, and wildlife. Her innovative work was even featured on the debut series of National Geographic Wild’s Unlikely Animal Friends.

After nearly two decades of serving animals and their caregivers, Dr. Holder made the difficult decision to sell her hospital in 2022 to address her own experience with compassion fatigue. In her own personal healing, she immersed herself in studying compassion fatigue. She completed certifications in meditation instruction and compassion fatigue training for healthcare professionals, dedicating herself to helping others navigate the emotional toll of veterinary work.

See you on the next one! 🩵

There is so much chronic illness in the US that cannot be explained and justified with physical ailments and symptoms alone. There is undoubtedly a connection of the emotions with the physical body, a mind-body connection.