In this episode, Dr. Cari Wise, discusses the importance of time blocking and intentional focus to increase productivity and reduce overwhelm. She emphasizes the need to evaluate and eliminate non-essential tasks from the to-do list, and shares her personal experience of using time blocking to complete a stack of 19 medical records efficiently. Dr. Wise encourages veterinary professionals to challenge the belief that there is not enough time to make progress on tasks. She highlights the benefits...
Jan 21, 2024•11 min•Ep. 160
In this episode, Dr. Cari Wise emphasizes the importance of continuing to make efforts even when we don't see immediate results, using a personal story about befriending a feral cat to illustrate the point. Dr. Wise encourages listeners to have faith that their efforts are accumulating beneath the surface and that eventually, their desired outcomes will become a reality. She concludes by reminding listeners that their only job is to take the first step and continue persevering through the journe...
Jan 18, 2024•12 min•Ep. 159
In this episode Dr. Cari Wise shares about the concept of resistance and its impact on our ability to pursue activities that bring us joy and fulfillment. She defines resistance as the internal pushback we experience when we want to do something but struggle to take action and provides examples, such as wanting to spend more time on a hobby or becoming more physically fit, but finding excuses or lacking motivation to follow through. Dr. Wise explains that resistance often leads to self-judgment,...
Jan 13, 2024•16 min•Ep. 158
In this episode, Dr. Cari Wise discusses the issue of bullying in veterinary organizations. She defines bullying as adverse behavior exhibited by veterinary professionals towards their colleagues, such as being short-tempered, avoiding conversations, making backhanded comments, and setting others up for failure. Dr. Wise emphasizes that bullying is often perpetuated by individuals in leadership positions, such as shift leads, office managers, owners, or senior veterinarians. The lack of business...
Jan 10, 2024•19 min•Ep. 157
In this episode, Dr. Cari Wise talks about the grounding force that birds provide in her life and encourages listeners to find their own grounding anchors. Dr. Wise explains how birds bring her back to what is real and help her navigate the chaos of the world. She encourages listeners to identify their own grounding items or activities and reminds them that veterinary medicine is just one part of their journey. Key Takeaways: Veterinary professionals often lose sight of their value and try to fi...
Jan 06, 2024•13 min•Ep. 156
In the first episode of the Joyful DVM podcast in 2024, Dr. Cari Wise addresses the issue of client shaming by veterinary professionals on social media. She emphasizes that blaming clients for the stress of the veterinary profession is not productive. The habit of client shaming, particularly in relation to euthanasia, is discussed. Dr. Wise expresses concern about a specific post that shamed clients for not staying with their pets during euthanasia. She argues that it is not the place of veteri...
Jan 03, 2024•18 min•Ep. 155
In this episode, Dr. Wise shares the importance of prioritizing downtime in the veterinary profession. She explains that without regular downtime, individuals become stuck in a repetitive cycle, lacking the opportunity to create a different life experience. Downtime allows for the exploration of emotions and desires, which can lead to personal growth and the realization of a more fulfilling life. However, many veterinary professionals struggle with downtime, as they often spend their days off de...
Dec 29, 2023•15 min•Ep. 154
In this episode Dr. Cari Wise discusses five important questions to ask oneself before the start of a new year. These questions are meant to help individuals create something bigger and more expansive for themselves in 2024 or as they begin any new journey. The first question is about recognizing and acknowledging the successes from the previous year. The second question focuses on identifying discouragements or regrets from the previous year. The third question delves into the excuses individua...
Dec 27, 2023•23 min•Ep. 153
In this episode Dr. Cari Wise discusses the challenges that veterinary professionals face when diagnostic testing comes back negative or normal. She shares a recent personal experience of feeling shame and self-judgment when expensive diagnostic testing came back normal , and explains that this is a common reaction among veterinarians when tests don't provide the expected answers. Dr. Wise emphasizes the importance of recognizing and challenging our own money stories and releasing self-judgment ...
Dec 22, 2023•14 min•Ep. 152
In this episode, Dr. Cari Wise explores the concept of avoidance culture and how humans have a tendency to try to control and avoid uncomfortable emotions. This behavior is rooted in our evolutionary past, where avoiding discomfort was necessary for survival. However, in the modern world, there are very few truly dangerous things that we need to avoid. Despite this, we still spend a significant amount of time and energy trying to avoid uncomfortable emotions and control situations that could pot...
Dec 20, 2023•26 min•Ep. 151
In this episode, Dr. Cari Wise discusses the process of building confidence. She reflects on her own experience of starting at a new veterinary hospital and emphasizes the importance of giving oneself time and opportunity to become confident in new situations. Dr. Wise encourages listeners to challenge negative narratives and "what ifs" that hold them back from taking risks and trying new things. She believes that as confidence grows, it becomes easier to enjoy the challenges that come with vete...
Dec 15, 2023•11 min•Ep. 150
In this episode, Dr. Cari Wise discusses the impact of age in veterinary medicine. She explores how age can affect the perspectives and assumptions of both clients and veterinary professionals. Older clients may be assumed to have limited financial means or knowledge about veterinary care, while younger clients may be judged as irresponsible or unknowledgeable. Dr. Wise emphasizes the importance of stepping out of judgment and providing consistent recommendations and education to help clients ma...
Dec 13, 2023•28 min•Ep. 149
In this episode Dr. Wise emphasizes the importance of recognizing that every person involved in veterinary medicine, whether they are professionals or clients, has their own personal lives and experiences that can impact their interactions. She explains that it is easy to become offended or frustrated by the choices and behaviors of others, but it is crucial to remember that their actions are a reflection of their own emotional state and circumstances. Dr. Wise suggests that instead of judging o...
Dec 08, 2023•7 min•Ep. 148
In this episode Dr. Cari Wise explores the impact of our thoughts and words on our lives and careers, explaining that what we focus on, we create more of energetically. By shifting our mindset to one of abundance, we can attract more financial opportunities and success. This principle applies to other areas of our lives as well, such as weight loss or relationships. Dr. Wise emphasizes the importance of aligning our thoughts and words with our desired outcomes to create a more abundant and joyfu...
Dec 06, 2023•16 min•Ep. 147
In this episode, Dr. Cari Wise talks about the importance of compassion in the veterinary experience, both for veterinary professionals and clients. She believes that by understanding each client's situation and allowing them to make decisions about their pet's care, veterinarians can create a judgment-free zone that fosters trust and improves the overall experience. Dr. Wise encourages veterinary professionals to listen to their clients, educate them about their options, and remind them that th...
Dec 02, 2023•7 min•Ep. 146
Time for a gut check… Do you have the life you want? Are you totally satisfied with your life and career? If not… why not? List the reasons. Then, notice what you blamed… We are taught to believe our external circumstances create satisfaction… That it’s cause and effect…. Ideal circumstances cause the experience of satisfaction, peace, joy, etc (effect). So we keep chasing the circumstances… Better job… Better co-workers… Better hours… Better salary… Less debt… Nicer clients… Fewer euthanasias… ...
Nov 29, 2023•18 min•Ep. 145
What's standing in the way of you having the kind of life and vetmed career experience you want? If you're like most of us, you probably just made a list of external variables... things like work environment, schedule, finances, other people, clients, the job itself... And, if you're like most humans on the planet, you've probably been working really hard to change or control those things believing when those things are different, then you'll be happier, less stressed, etc. Through your efforts ...
Nov 16, 2023•31 min•Ep. 144
Someone wants the job you have. They want those 3 letters behind their name. DVM, VMD, RVT, LVT, CVT, CPM... They hold close the dream of becoming exactly the veterinary professional you already are. Their vision of life working in VetMed brings them joy. They can't wait to get there... to help people... to help animals. Do you remember what that was like? Do you remember when you held the vision, had the dream and believed all the hard work you endured along the way was worth it? Is all of that...
Nov 08, 2023•19 min•Ep. 143
Trigger Warning... this week on the podcast I tackled some very sensitive topics. There are some hard truths in veterinary medicine about what we are doing as veterinary professionals that keeps us creating terrible experiences for ourselves. When those terrible experiences compound, terrible things often happen. I'm talking about end points like relentless anxiety, depression, burnout, suicide, homicide... We must become aware of our role in our reality. We must become the creator of our own ex...
Nov 01, 2023•58 min•Ep. 142
I'm wondering... what's the story you tell about your life as a veterinary professional? What I mean is, what are the first things that come to mind when you think about the work day ahead, or life in general as part of the veterinary profession? It may seem like a strange question, but the answer is life-altering... literally! See, we all live our lives through the lens of stories... Stories about our identities... Stories about our performance, value and worth... Stories about our careers... S...
Oct 25, 2023•13 min•Ep. 141
Do you want to experience job satisfaction, wellbeing and a sustainable work load? No matter what role you hold in Vet Med, it's very difficult for you to create that type of experience all on your own. Veterinary Medicine has changed drastically over the last 50 years. Our knowledge base has expanded. The types of services we can provide has grown. The expectations from clients have elevated. The demand for veterinary care has increased significantly. And, here's the rub... The old way of doing...
Oct 18, 2023•23 min•Ep. 140
Our world is a whirlwind of busyness. In VetMed we race from appointment to appointment for hours each day. Other aspects of our lives often get pushed off as we run low on time and energy. This cycle continues as time continues to pass. From time to time we become aware of what we haven't accomplished, yet. Our goals and dreams seem so far away. And in the distraction of it all, we totally miss how far we've come. In a world that is constantly moving forward at a frenzied pace, we must periodic...
Oct 11, 2023•15 min•Ep. 139
The scope of veterinary practice is continuously expanding. We are always learning more about animals, their physiology, and their medical conditions. We are regularly developing new treatment modalities and skills. The days of a veterinarian being all things to all patients and treating all ailments are long gone. Embracing this reality, however, is taking a little longer. The ability to refer a case to a fellow veterinary professional, specialist or not, is a great opportunity in our professio...
Oct 04, 2023•34 min•Ep. 138
When a client says, "I read online that..." many of us cringe. Dread and frustration often bubble up. We become defensive and impatient. But why? Today more than any time in history, information is easily available. Unfortunately, misinformation is easily available, too. However, it's not our job to police the internet. Our job is to help the client and patient in front of us... that is all. So what do we do when client begins sharing everything the internet told them, and maybe even trying to d...
Sep 27, 2023•22 min•Ep. 137
Internal conflict in veterinary hospitals is a very common occurrence. In addition to being super-uncomfortable to witness, it also has a very real and negative impact on client service and patient care. Everyone who is aware of the conflict plays a part in its perpetuation if they don't speak up. When we ignore the conflicts, or avoid them all together, we actually create space for them to continue to grow. And make no mistake, ongoing conflict within a veterinary hospital is absolutely having ...
Sep 20, 2023•33 min•Ep. 136
Money... It's an inevitable component of the practice of veterinary medicine, and a potential source of anxiety for everyone involved. As veterinary professionals, many of us get a little nervous talking about prices and going over estimates with our clients. We brace ourselves for the "you're only in it for the money" statement we've heard so many times before. It hurts. It's not true. But what is true is that we all have our own opinions about the prices that we charge... ... and when we don't...
Sep 13, 2023•29 min•Ep. 135
When it comes down to it, creating balance in your life is simply math. We all have the same number of hours in a week... so how do some people seem to get more done with the time they have? How do they have time for hobbies, travel, self-care, families, relationships... It's all about focus. Two types of INTENTIONAL focus play key roles in creating balance in our lives. There is one area that deserves Much Less focus than we give it. There is a second area that doesn't get nearly what it deserv...
Sep 06, 2023•26 min•Ep. 134
Who are you fighting against? Where is the need to be "right" popping up in your world? In what ways do you sit in judgment over others' choices and actions? When we stop to consider these questions, many of us can find a list of examples of this type of behavior in our own lives. It's become an accepted way of being... a survival mechanism many of us deploy. It's also destroying our confidence, our work environments, and our ability to create a different experience for ourselves in the future. ...
Aug 30, 2023•16 min•Ep. 133
"I just don't have time." When was the last time you said that? How often do you use it to justify a decision? Are you blaming it for the condition of your wellbeing? Many of us are, and we don't even realize it. A culture of busyness is common in the world. It keeps us in frenzied action. It has us believing that doing more, and being faster are both positive attributes of worthy and successful people. The truth is, that type of existence only leads to exhaustion, compromised emotional state, a...
Aug 16, 2023•17 min•Ep. 132
Most of us don't enjoy being around negative people... ... but we don't recognize we're one of them ourselves. We want to embrace a positive perspective... ... and then we argue against its existence. We want the future to be better than what we are experiencing right now... ... but we resist the very simple things that will make it so. The culturally accepted habit of negativity is what keeps us stuck right where we are. In veterinary medicine it perpetuates the worst aspects of our profession....
Aug 09, 2023•18 min•Ep. 131
