If you have a bleeding cut, you use first aid to try to stop the bleeding; if you have a stress reaction in a bone, you stop running on it before it becomes a stress fracture. This May, in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, we sat down with Melyssa Allen, MA, CHWC, DipACLM, to talk about Stress First Aid in veterinary medicine.

Melyssa, a former marine mammal trainer (!) and boarded lifestyle medicine professional, saw her friends and colleagues in the veterinary world suffering during the height of COVID and wanted to help. Find out what she means by “Stress First Aid” and how we can use it to help each other—and ourselves—stem the bleeding before we’re in in crisis.

Find Melyssa on her website, on Instagram @veterinary_wellbeing, on the Veterinary Teams Living Well Facebook group, and on Insight Timer (which you can use for FREE!).

The Stress First Aid information, including a booklet for health professionals, is found here.

Watch the TED talk Melyssa mentions, by Kelly McGonigal.

We hope to see you in San Diego this September 20-23 for AAHA Con! This redesigned conference experience will have content for the entire veterinary team. Registration is OPEN NOW for AAHA Con 2023! Snag your spot here!

Find all of AAHA’s most up-to-date Guidelines, including resources for your clients and team, at aaha.org/guidelines - including the brand new 2023 Selected Endocrinopathies of Dogs and Cats Guidelines, available now at aaha.org/endocrine-disease!

Wish you could watch these conversations? Catch Central Line on YouTube.

Got something to say? We’re always up for constructive comments and conversation. Send us feedback or questions anytime at podcast@aaha.org.

This podcast was produced by Clear Contender. LLC.