Best Crystal Stokes, LMFT Podcasts (2024)

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#078: Mastering Clinic Financials: A Key to Stronger Teams and Better Care with Dr. Glenn Robinson 31:45

8d ago31:45

31:45

Dr. Glenn Robinson is a clinical coach and consultant who supports veterinary leaders, especially with clinic finances. Often, leaders are hesitant to discuss money, but finances play a crucial role in supporting your staff. Whether you’re experiencing a downturn in clients, facing equipment expenses, or looking to give your team a raise, being ope…

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#077: Designing Your Life for Conscious Choice and Responsibility with Dr. Jennifer Edwards 32:14

22d ago32:14

32:14

Dr. Jennifer Edwards has lived what I call a full-circle life, combining her passions for conscious leadership and veterinary medicine. Before addressing how to "wake up" in your life, we explore the concept of living on autopilot—a condition affecting many. Jennifer describes the symptoms as dissatisfaction, feeling stuck, disempowerment, and a re…

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#076: Stepping into Leadership with Dr. Sarah Gillings 31:39

1M ago31:39

31:39

Are you entering a leadership position? Today, Dr. Sarah Gillings shares her leadership development journey and offers insights on how others stepping into leadership can make their desired impact. Dr. Sarah gets right into the basics. Before you become a leader, you really don’t know what you don’t know. She reminds us that people pay much more at…

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#075: Bridging the Generation Gap in Vet Med With Dr. Craig Clifford 33:21

2M ago33:21

33:21

We are operating in a time where diverse generations like the Baby Boomers, Gen X, and Millennials, and even some Gen Z, are working together in one clinic. These individuals come with varying backgrounds, lifestyles, and lived experiences that all impact the way they work. Dr. Craig Clifford joins me with his perspective as an overworking, burnout…

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#074: New Options For The Veterinary Community with Tedd Trabert and Dr. Bill Wagner 34:45

2M ago34:45

34:45

Today I am joined by Tedd Trabert and Dr. Bill Wagner of Associated Veterinary Partners. AVP is a veterinarian-founded and veterinarian-operated network of veterinary hospitals, managing 16 partner practice locations across 12 states in the U.S. Unlike many others, AVP is not controlled by private equity; all partner locations are co-owned by AVP a…

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#073: Realigning Your Team with Meghan Bingham 28:57

3M ago28:57

28:57

Our guest today is Meghan Bingham, Vet Advisor at Granite Peak Associates. During our conversation, she emphasized the importance of realigning the team within a veterinary clinic to foster positive energy, professionalism, and psychological safety. Daily challenges such as cranky clients, the grief of euthanasia, and unfortunate medical mistakes c…

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#072: From Combat Veteran to Supporting Leaders in Vet Med with Jake McCormack 36:39

3M ago36:39

36:39

Jake McCormack is the Leadership Trainer at Veterinary Practice Partners, but he is also a Retired Marine Corps Combat Veteran. This unlikely transition of careers is actually more connected than one might think. During our powerful and emotional conversation, Jake shares his experiences in the military with trauma, loss, and mental health struggle…

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#071: Money Conversations with Rachel and Suzanne 1:04:45

4M ago1:04:45

1:04:45

I am betting every veterinarian and pet owner has a story about how finances profoundly affected them when it came to veterinary care. I’ve shared my story about the weight I felt from frequent economic euthanasia. Money conversations are not just something that plague pet owners when they step up to the payment counter; there is depth on the other…

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#070: Thriving in Veterinary Practice Wellness with Smarter Vet Financial Podcast 30:59

4M ago30:59

30:59

This episode features an Interview I did with Tom Seeko, host of the Smarter Vet Financial Podcast. We start off our conversation with my origin story and my childhood desires to become a veterinarian, as well as my experience in college at NC State. Shocked by the frequency of economic euthanasia, I entered a quarter life crisis and found psychoth…

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#069: Chipping Away at Access to Care with PetSmart Charities & Dr. Robyn Jaynes 30:03

5M ago30:03

30:03

PetSmart Charities, the nonprofit arm affiliated with PetSmart, is dedicated to increasing access to veterinary care for pets across the country. In this episode I had a great chat with Robyn James, the director of veterinary affairs, the organization is tackling significant challenges to support pets and their owners. Together we discuss the chall…

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#068: Hope For A Path Forward with Veterinary Hope Foundation 45:21

5M ago45:21

45:21

Today I am joined by a panel of guests: Elizabeth Chosa, Laurie Fonken, Ami VanDeventer, and Trish Oberdorf from Veterinary Hope Foundation. Together, they give a 360 view of VHF and how it is growing and evolving continuously. Plagued by the question, “Could anyone truly be happy in the field?” Founders and board members came together to create su…

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#067: Get MotiVETed with Renee Machel 35:44

6M ago35:44

35:44

You are going to love this conversation with Get MotiVETed Founder, Renee Machel. Get MotiVETed offers comprehensive wellbeing solutions for veterinary professionals. Their programs enhance individual and organizational wellness through world-class systems and entertaining content. Services include a CVBP Program, podcasts, RACE-approved courses, a…

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#066: Take Control Of Your Career with Steve Oehley 39:36

7M ago39:36

39:36

In the demanding world of veterinary medicine, burnout is a pervasive challenge that can significantly impact professionals' well-being and job satisfaction. Steve Oehley, the founder of Next Step Vet, understands the complexities of this issue and offers valuable guidance to help veterinary professionals not just survive, but thrive in their caree…

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#065: Collaboration Over Conflict for Pet Lovers and Animal Service Industry Workers with Debra Hamilton 35:03

7M ago35:03

35:03

Handling dispute in animal industry can be frustrating, painful, and costly. Debra Hamilton, of Hamilton Law and Mediation, is dedicated to supporting individuals passionate about animal welfare and those working in the animal industry. Her focus is all about finding peaceful resolutions, recognizing that pets are more than just property—they're ch…

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#064: AI as a Tool to Reduce Burnout in Veterinary Medicine with Ryan Leech 32:53

7M ago32:53

32:53

Ryan Leech starts out this really intriguing conversation with a case for AI and why it is not to be feared. The bottom line is that AI tools like Chat GPT, Spotify DJ, and Digitails AI Tool: Tails are human prompted and meant to offload time consuming and often mundane tasks so that we can do the things we’re skilled at. Digitails has introduced A…

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#063: Navigating Euthanasia with Dr. Pam Johnson 37:31

8M ago37:31

37:31

The reality of being a veterinarian is that you create relationships and bonds with the pets you work with over the years, and the longer your career, the more pets you see in full circle. The process of euthanasia for Dr. Pam Johnson’s childhood Doberman impacted her entire career. She knew she wanted to do better for the pets and clients she woul…

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#062: From Vet Tech to Manager: Pro Tips with Sydney Wandix 25:09

8M ago25:09

25:09

Today’s guest, Sydney Wandix, speaks to one of my favorite topics: the varying opportunities that fit under the vet med umbrella. There are so many careers available in this field that you don’t have to be stuck; you can try new things and hopefully find just the right fit. Sydney has run the gamut of jobs in the veterinary industry and is a licens…

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#061: Stress Resilience with Dr. Natalie Fayman 43:37

9M ago43:37

43:37

We have another incredible full circle story for you on this episode. Dr. Natalie Fayman shares her journey beyond vetmed after 33 years of exhaustion and burnout led her to a point of no return. When a life coach helped Dr. Fayman work through her emotional eating coping mechanism, she had a powerful breakthrough and a total epiphany through posit…

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#060: Healthy Habits for Veterinarians with Kirbie Be 34:28

10M ago34:28

34:28

Does your veterinary job leave you depleted? Worn out? Reaching for chocolate and caffeine day after day after day? Kirbie Be had the same experience when she was an elementary school teacher. She shares with us her story of declining physical and mental health… all culminating in a big shift when she took a contract in the Caribbean at a prep scho…

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#059: Humor and Happy People at Effingham Vet Clinic with Dr. Chad Ely and Colleagues 36:31

10M ago36:31

36:31

A fun bunch joins me for this episode. I sat down with Dr. Chad Ely, Dr. Jessica Schultz, Dr. Lindsey Goeckner, and Dr. Mara Fehrenbacher from Effingham Vet Clinic. During our conversation, the glue that holds them together was no surprise. Humor. The team at Effingham has no shortage of jokes for each other when it comes to work. They find that ta…

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#058: Revolutionary Technology to Boost Radiology and Support GPs with Dr. Neil Shaw 30:24

11M ago30:24

30:24

Dr. Neil Shaw is the founder of SignalPET, where he has worked to refine revolutionary AI technology to boost veterinary confidence and reduce stress with assisted diagnostics. When a pet comes in for care, there are a variety of scenarios that could take place, and many fall to a pivotal question: Do they need radiology? This question can lead to …

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#057: Navigating Difficult Conversations with Dr. Rachel Venable 40:13

11M ago40:13

40:13

As providers in the veterinary industry, we have compassionate hearts, always wanting to help pets and their people too. But palliative care can be hard to bear, especially when you’re having difficult conversations daily. Dr. Rachel Venable is the owner of Pet Cancer Care Consulting, where she offers teleconsulting. Telemedicine is growing in the …

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#056: Closing The Gap Between Vet Med and Technology with Daniel Valdes 33:44

12M ago33:44

33:44

I met Daniel Valdes during a Celeritas Digital virtual peer group discussion (stay tuned till the end and check the links so you can get involved). Daniel is a dedicated project manager with Celeratis, a technology company with a heavy hand in animal health. Daniel has a personal connection to the vet industry and veterinary wellness, not only as a…

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#055: Embodied Leadership: Lead Effectively By Aligning Your Body and Needs with Dr. Corey Blake 39:45

12M ago39:45

39:45

Early on in Dr. Corey Blake’s, owner of Oceanside Animal Hospital and founder of Sacred Leadership, career, she realized owning a practice is much more than being a good DVM. She became so invested in doing the best for her team, clients, and patients. Burnout was surely following. This is when she discovered Embodiment and Embodied Leadership. Too…

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#054: Reconnecting Your Passion in VetMed with Dr. Ashlee Bruewer 37:57

1y ago37:57

37:57

Before she founded BETTERinary Personal Coaching, Dr. Ashlee Bruewer experienced the benefits of coaching. From the age of 3, Dr. Bruewer remembers admiring her family veterinarian and wanting to be a small animal vet herself. Between then and now, she has reached her goal, but her career has taken many turns in between. Dr. Bruewer shares her pers…

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#053: Booster Pet: Building Sustainable Systems in Vet Care with Dr. Katie Cutter 37:34

1y ago37:34

37:34

Booster Pet is leading a revolution in the veterinary care industry. CEO of Booster Pet, Dr. Katie Cutter, joins me to explain their model and the wellness benefits that come along with it. The veterinary industry has experienced a lot of change over the years and a lot of struggles, and as Dr. Cutter points out, it needs to step back and build sus…

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#052: Vet Owned and Led Clinics: The Path to Building and Keeping Wealth in the Veterinary Industry with Dr. Keith True, Dr. George Melillo, and Dr. Pamelar Hale 40:06

1y ago40:06

40:06

Dr. Pamelar Hale has returned to the podcast, this time with her colleagues Dr. Keith True and Dr. George Melillo. Together, these veterinarians bring decades of experience and a shared passion for vet-owned clinics and veterinarian leadership in the field. The wealth in the industry is more often not going to veterinarians but instead to corporati…

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#051: VET MED - Alleviate Veterinary Workload and Help More Pets with Dr. Chmiel and Dr. Willerton 36:07

1+ y ago36:07

36:07

MySimplePetLab, founded in 2019 by Dr. Dennis Chmiel and Dr. Nancy Willerton, has innovated a space that improves the lives of pets, pet owners, and veterinarians. As an animal health company and national diagnostic lab, MySimplePetLab uses at-home lab testing and care kits to not only reach pets faster but also optimize vet appointments and reliev…

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#050: VET MED - Developing a Culture of Learning with Dr. Sally Ryan 37:18

1+ y ago37:18

37:18

Leaders in the veterinary field need to be supported and trained because they impact the rest of their organization. Too often, they are thrown into positions with no education on how to be leaders. Dr. Sally Ryan has a wealth of experience in the veterinary industry, and she is the founder, consultant, and instructor of Veterinary Leadership Servi…

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#049: VET MED - Solving Financial Stress by Understanding Veterinary Real Estate with Rahul Chhajed 26:41

1+ y ago26:41

26:41

Financial strain and hardship are common stressors in the veterinary profession. If you’re a practice owner considering selling your property or wanting to better understand the value of your health care real estate, Rahul Chhajed of Matthews Real Estate has some great tips. Rahul is the leader of Matthews Health Care division, where he primarily f…

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#048: VET MED - Meditation and Mindfulness For The Veterinary Team with Dr. Marie Holowaychuk 48:40

1+ y ago48:40

48:40

Meditation and Mindfulness are research and evidence based practices that reduce stress and instances of burnout or compassion fatigue that occur in veterinary practice! Dr. Marie Holowaychuk is a small animal emergency and critical care specialist and a passionate advocate for veterinary team wellbeing! Dr. Holowaychuk shares her story and winding…

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#047: VET MED - Supporting Veterinary Teams with Dr. Liz Barton 28:40

1+ y ago28:40

28:40

Joining me all the way from the UK is Dr. Liz Barton, an accomplished vet with what she calls a ‘squiggly’ career path, leading her to co-found wellbeing and support communities such as WellVet and Vet Mums. Creating groups of extrinsic resilience has such an impact when people can turn to peers or their teams for support in their times of need. Dr…

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#046: VET MED - Handling the Veterinary Workforce Crisis with Dr. Bob Lester 59:56

1+ y ago59:56

59:56

One of the major impacts on veterinary mental health is the veterinary workforce crisis. Dr. Bob Lester, an accomplished veterinary healthcare executive, joins me with a dose of optimism and some great options for how we can work towards fixing this shortage in the industry. Dr. Lester calls the workforce crisis a "problem of abundance." This is so…

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#045: VET MED - Honoring the Connection and Spirituality of Caring For Animals with Dr. Bruce Silverman 41:23

1+ y ago41:23

41:23

A core strength of those in the veterinary industry is our ability to create deep connections with our animal patients. Dr. Bruce Silverman joins me to share the value of the spirituality and zen moments that come with this connection. During a time in the field when we have more patients than ever before, it is easy to become burnt out, stressed, …

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#044: VET MED - A Refreshing Take on Customer and Clinic Staff Communication with Kassandra Erven 41:10

1+ y ago41:10

41:10

“Be the change you wish to see in the world”. This Ghandi quote is one that I think really encompasses the conversation I had in this episode with the veterinary practice manager, Kassandra Erven. In the veterinary industry our number one goal is to help animals and with them comes their owners, our clients. Too often vets are taught the hard skill…

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#043: VET MED - Finding Opportunity in the Vet Industry with Tiffany Riley 43:49

1+ y ago43:49

43:49

There are studies that prove that owning your own business can reduce your rate of burnout. Tiffany Riley, a licensed Vet Tech in Montana, shares how she found the opportunity to create a new role in her industry that not only reduced her burnout but reignited her passion for animal care. Lack of autonomy, lack of contribution control, lack of choi…

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#042: VET MED - Thriving with Disabilities: A Conversation with Dr. Christina Kaye 32:06

1+ y ago32:06

32:06

Today l am discussing disability as a veterinarian and student with the remarkable Dr. Christina Kaye. Dr. Kaye is a talented veterinarian who has congenital vision disabilities and has received visual accommodations throughout her academic and professional journey. We explore the importance of asking for help and what you could benefit from in ter…

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#041: VET MED - Reinventing Veterinary Care with Dr. Brandon and Dr. Seth 1:02:19

1+ y ago1:02:19

1:02:19

Today I talked to two veterinarian friends and business partners, Dr. Seth Bleakley and Dr. Brandon Prince, who met during their early careers and bonded over a common story in the vet industry - the inhumane treatment of veterinary professionals. Despite being highly educated and making a good salary, both doctors felt overworked, undervalued, and…

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#040: VET MED - The Other Side of Hope with Dr. Caitlin Vaughn 42:31

1+ y ago42:31

42:31

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 burnou…

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#039: Suicide Prevention: Know the Risks and Warnings with Cheyenne Williams 30:01

2y ago30:01

30:01

With this podcast, I truly hope to reach and improve the lives of veterinarians and other professionals in the industry. Today I am talking with Cheyenne Williams, who has worked in Vet Med for 11 years. Cheyenne shares her touching and personal story that connects her to her work with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. In 2016 Cheyenn…

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#038: VET MED - Creating Change for a Happier Veterinary Industry with Dr. Craig Prior 36:36

2y ago36:36

36:36

Dr. Craig is a 39-year veteran of the industry and has a wealth of knowledge to share. Including insights that track the entire span of a veterinarian's career. Veterinary school is where it all begins, where individuals who have always wanted to be a vet go to learn. Dr. Craig spoke of a "problem" that is occurring in admissions. What was once in-…

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#037: VET MED - Building Wealth as a Veterinarian with Dr. Pamelar Hale 34:41

2y ago34:41

34:41

“You’re just in it for the money”, a statement heard in clinics around the country that hits with a sting for veterinarians. But are they wrong? Most veterinarians are caring, tender, service-led people who deeply want to treat and help animals, but…they also have expensive student loans and personal goals like starting a family or buying a house. …

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#036: VET MED - Helping Animals and Pet Owners in Ukraine with Galaxy Vets 38:36

2y ago38:36

38:36

If you’re like me, seeing the news…some situations can feel so far away and removed. But they are very real, and in the case of the War in Ukraine, there is something you can do to help. In war-torn Ukraine, it is estimated… 6,000,000 domestic animals have died 50,000 dolphins in the Black Sea have died Hundreds of thousands to millions of wild ani…

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#035: Trauma Informed Leadership and Care with Dr. Phil Richmond 40:57

2y ago40:57

40:57

Dr. Phil Richmond's early career in the veterinary field quickly became overwhelming from self-imposed overworking and overextending, leading to depression and even suicidal ideations. Dr. Phil is fortunate to have coworkers who saw the signs and helped him get the help he needed and deserved from a local medical professional help program. Now, he …

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#034: VET MED - Culture and Cash with Andrea Tschakert 35:11

2y ago35:11

35:11

With 27 years as a Veterinary Medicine professional, Andrea Tschakert has seen the industry change, morph, and come back. She describes the path of vet med as a figure 8. Over time she has gained insight on two big topics, Culture and Cash. Andrea describes culture as the way veterinary clinics process people and their pets. And over the decades sh…

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#033: VET MED - From Toxic Vet Culture to Manifesting Mentorship with Dr. Amanda Ensor 36:43

2y ago36:43

36:43

As a new veterinarian post-graduation in 2012, Dr. Amanda Ensor had bright expectations and big goals for her career. Unfortunately, her experience was met with a toxic vet culture that crushed her dreams. Dr. Ensor did not let that stop her as she persevered through the next 10 years of her career. Today she shares her journey of how she overcame …

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#032: VET MED - Developing and Supporting Hospital Leaders with Dr. Shannon Bass 42:23

2y ago42:23

42:23

Dr. Shannon Bass wears a lot of hats in both her personal life and even more so in the veterinary field after working in almost every role in a hospital. She now holds the position of Director of Talent Acquisition, Specialty, for VCA Animal Hospitals. Knowing firsthand the challenges we face in the veterinary profession, Dr. Bass highlights the im…

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#031: VET MED - Vetcelerator: Offloading Burnout-Causing Responsibilities While Keeping Full Ownership of Your Practice with Dr. Ira Gordon 38:06

2y ago38:06

38:06

Most veterinarians enter their practice because they love medicine and patient-client care…not because they love the details of running a business. In fact, these responsibilities can cause overwhelm, and burnout, and can cause general care in the clinic to suffer. Dr. Ira Gordon is a veterinarian who has experienced the same fate. He loved veterin…

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#030: VET MED - The Galaxy Way, Systemically Preventing Veterinary Burnout with Dr. Ivan Zak 1:11:21

2y ago1:11:21

1:11:21

Dr. Ivan Zak joined the field with a passion for ER medicine, but 6 years of overworking himself led to intense and crippling burnout. Dr. Zak described burnout as a total loss of joy with no escape. No matter what he tried to do, the feeling of disconnection and cynicism plagued him. Now he is motivated to build an organization that will systemati…

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#029: VET MED - Building Happy and Healthy Veterinary Teams with Sabrina Beck 36:47

2y ago36:47

36:47

Over the course of 20 years, Sabrina Beck has grown through many positions in the animal and veterinary industry. Today she is a practice manager and the founder of Blue Poodle Consulting. With her firm, she advises teams and practice managers on how to build happy and healthy veterinary teams. Sabrina encourages hospital and clinic owners to prior…

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