Caring for the Caregivers: Supporting Veterinary Professionals Through Compassion Fatigue and Grief
In veterinary medicine, compassion is the heartbeat of every interaction. Behind each exam room door, late-night emergency, or difficult euthanasia lies a professional who shows up with empathy, courage, and skill — even when their own emotional reserves are running low.
For many in the animal care field, the work is both profoundly rewarding and emotionally taxing. The same empathy that drives veterinarians, technicians, and practice owners to serve animals and their families can also make them vulnerable to compassion fatigue, burnout, and secondary grief.
At River Pines Counseling, we recognize that those who care deeply for others often carry invisible burdens of their own.
Understanding the Emotional Cost of Care
Veterinary professionals face unique stressors that go beyond the usual workplace pressures. Long hours, financial strain, emotionally charged client interactions, and frequent exposure to suffering or death can take a heavy toll.
Studies by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that 1 in 6 veterinarians has considered suicide, with rates of depression, anxiety, and burnout significantly higher than the general population. These challenges are compounded by the culture of perfectionism and self-reliance common in veterinary medicine, which can make reaching out for help feel difficult.
Compassion fatigue — sometimes called the “cost of caring” — develops when ongoing exposure to distress, loss, and trauma begins to exhaust the mind and body. Over time, it can lead to emotional numbness, irritability, and a diminished sense of purpose in the work you once loved.
But healing is possible — and support is available.
Meet Darcy Stivland: Dedicated to the Well-Being of Animal Care Providers
Darcy Stivland, LICSW, MA, Certified Physician Executive Coach, Psychotherapist MN & WI combines extensive professional training with a deep understanding of the human–animal bond. Recognizing the high stress and suicide risk that veterinarians and animal care professionals face, she is dedicated to supporting those who care for animals — and the people who love them.
Certified as an Executive, Wellness, and Healthcare Provider Coach, Darcy brings a unique perspective that integrates both emotional support and professional development. Her expertise spans leadership development, emotional intelligence, relationship building, and career planning.
Her lifelong passion for equine and all animals enriches her empathy and informs her work with veterinary professionals at every level — from practice owners and veterinarians to techs and support staff.
Supporting the Mental Health of Veterinary Professionals
Darcy offers a confidential space for animal care providers to process the emotional demands of their work, including animal suffering, end-of-life care, and client grief.
Through personalized counseling and coaching, she helps prevent burnout, compassion fatigue, and depression by addressing the unique stressors of veterinary life.
How We Can Work Together
1. Compassion Fatigue & Burnout Support
Learn to recognize the early signs of burnout and compassion fatigue before they escalate. Darcy guides clients in developing practical stress-reduction tools such as mindfulness, grounding, and self-care routines that protect emotional energy and sustain professional longevity.
2. Grief & Loss Processing
Veterinary work involves repeated exposure to loss. Darcy provides a safe, nonjudgmental space to process animal loss and client grief using evidence-based therapeutic methods and structured emotional processing techniques.
3. Work–Life Balance Strategies
Through structured coaching, Darcy helps providers set boundaries, streamline daily operations, and create routines that promote efficiency, teamwork, and personal well-being. These strategies help reconnect professionals to their original sense of purpose — both in and outside the clinic.
4. Crisis & Suicide Prevention
Mental health support includes risk assessment, safety planning, and connection to crisis and peer support resources. Darcy approaches these conversations with warmth and discretion, ensuring veterinary professionals never have to navigate high-risk moments alone.
5. Leadership & Communication Skills
Strong leadership is vital for a healthy clinic culture. Darcy’s coaching strengthens emotional intelligence, conflict resolution, and assertive communication, helping teams collaborate effectively and reduce workplace stress.
Why This Work Matters
When veterinary professionals have the support they need, the benefits ripple outward — to colleagues, clients, and the animals they serve. Healthy teams make ethical decisions with clarity, show up with empathy that feels sustainable, and build stronger communities of care.
At River Pines Counseling, we believe that tending to the mental health of those who care for others isn’t optional — it’s essential.
“Healing the healers means protecting the heart of animal care itself.”
— Darcy Stivland, Executive and Wellness Coach
Reach Out for Support
If you’re a veterinarian, technician, or practice owner experiencing compassion fatigue, burnout, or grief, you don’t have to face it alone.
Darcy Stivland and our team at River Pines Counseling offer specialized, confidential support tailored to the needs of animal care professionals. Together, we can build the tools, perspective, and resilience needed to sustain your work — and your well-being.
River Pines Counseling provides both in-person sessions in Stillwater, MN and telehealth appointments across Minnesota and Wisconsin.
