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Prior Presentations

Jun 30, 2017 - The Pacific Veterinary Conference -  Long Beach Convention Center in Long Beach, CA 

  • Review of Compassion Fatigue and Burnout

     Attendees learned the definitions, symptoms, and signs of compassion fatigue, burnout, and secondary traumatic stress. Stress and the impact of the autonomic nervous system on these conditions was discussed. Compassion fatigue is a normal consequence of working in a caring profession that deals with traumatized patients and clients.

  • Assessment Tools for Compassion Fatigue and Burnout

     Attendees took the Professional Quality of Life (ProQOL) test and discussed their resultant scores for compassion fatigue, compassion satisfaction, and burnout. They  also took the Secondary Traumatic Stress Test, which gave intrusion, avoidance, and arousal scores. Other assessment tools were also discussed. Interpretation of scores were emphasized for these evaluations, all of which are freely offered online and can be used in clinics and classes. 

  • Resilience and Autonomic Nervous System Training 

     Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) tone influences susceptibility to depression, compassion fatigue, and burnout. Attendees learned how to stimulate their parasympathetic nervous system, impact the ANS teeter-totter, and improved their resilience. Increasing parasympathetic tone leaves one less likely to be under the influence of adrenalin and, as a result, less likely to be overwhelmed with stress and have impaired cognition and ability to reason.

  • Low-tech and High-tech Tools to Facilitate Change 

     Change is difficult for most people. Attendees learned how to use SMART Goals. Use of various support systems and development of a wellness network of fellow travelers was discussed. There are advantages and disadvantages of using social media as part of ones’ recovery support system. There are many applications to consider for monitoring resilience, tracking change, generating reminders, encouraging and training meditation and mindfulness, and even changing brain-wave patterns.​


Mar 21, 2017 - VCA Mission - Mission, KS

  • Personal Wellness Program: Create Your Own Resilience


Feb 4, 2017 - Plenary Luncheon Speaker at the Kansas Veterinary Medical Association Convention - Manhattan, KS

  • Personal Wellbeing: Create Your Own Resilience


Nov 4, 2016 - Fourth Annual American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC) Veterinary Health and Wellness Summit - Fort Collins, CO

  • Review of Tools Used to Improve Self-compliance with Wellbeing Activities 

     Change is hard, even when we know its importance intellectually. A variety of tools and techniques were described and reviewed. 

Nov 5, 2016 - Fourth Annual AAVMC Veterinary Health and Wellness Summit - Fort Collins, CO

  • How to Increase Your Parasympathetic Tone and Increase Your Resilience

     First there was a description of techniques used to increase resilience by increasing parasympathetic tone. This was followed by a guided meditation for approximately 5 minutes. Thus participants experienced the effect of these techniques first hand.

Nov 10, 2016 - State Line Animal Hospital - Leawood, KS

  • Personal Wellness Program: Create Your Own Resilience


Oct 28, 2016 - Bethel Animal Hospital - Kansas City, KS

  • Personal Wellness Program: Create Your Own Resilience


Jun 24, 2016 - Heartland Center for Behavioral Change

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