Find a Therapist
When contacting potential therapists, it can be helpful to mention that you’re seeking support for occupational trauma related to current or past work experiences.
You may also want to share if you’ve experienced animal-related trauma or loss, or are struggling with moral distress or moral injury.
If you’re dealing with feelings of guilt, shame, difficulty reconciling your values, or questions about your identity, these are important areas to disclose and explore with a therapist who understands trauma and ethical conflict.
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Veterinary Social Workers (VSWs)
Veterinary Social Workers are specifically trained in the intersection of human and animal health and well-being.​ They understand animal-related grief and loss, the unique bond between humans and animals, and occupational stress in animal-related fields.
How to Find VSWs:
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Google search for “veterinary social work” in your local area.
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Search Psychology Today (see below) using "veterinary" as a keyword along with your location.
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Look for therapists who list "animal workers", "veterinary professionals", or similar terms in their specialties.
Note: A therapist does not need to be a Veterinary Social Worker in order to help you heal. They are just an example of a group of therapists that you may find appealing.
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Psychology Today is the world’s largest mental health and behavioral science destination online and includes free access to hundreds of thousands of professionals.
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Open Path Collective is a nonprofit that serves clients in financial need who are seeking affordable therapy. Open Path clients cannot afford market rates for therapy, lack adequate mental health insurance coverage, and have an annual household income below $100,000. Open Path helps individuals access their choice of affordable in-person and online care from a vetted mental health professional.
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Inclusive Therapists is a social justice and liberation-oriented mental health directory, community, and resource hub that offers a safer, simpler way to find a therapist, counselor, coach, or mental health provider committed to collective liberation and healing. Inclusive Therapists focus on the intersections of Racial, 2SLGBTQIA+, Neurodivergence, and Disability Justice.
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While primarily supporting veterinarians, the Veterinary Hope Foundation occasionally extends their support groups to others with animal-related trauma and loss.​ Relevant support groups to inquire about include​ Self-Care and Self-Compassion groups and Values and Meaning groups.
Recommended Therapeutic Approaches
Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT): Specifically addresses shame and self-criticism
EMDR: Evidence-based for processing traumatic memories and intrusive thoughts
Existential Therapy: Addresses questions of meaning, identity, and moral conflicts
Internal Family Systems (IFS): Helpful for working with internal conflicts and compartmentalization
Trauma-Focused Therapy: Broad category covering various evidence-based trauma treatments
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Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT): For value conflicts and psychological flexibility
Somatic Therapy: Addresses trauma held in the body (physical symptoms, hypervigilance)