Wellbeing At Work - Why One Vet Retrained As A Yoga Teacher
From Burnout to Balance: Why Veterinary Teams Can’t Ignore Wellbeing
Veterinary medicine is built on CARE.
But it’s practised under
RELENTLESS,
often
INVISIBLE PRESSURE.
Long days, high-stakes decisions, emotional labour, and the constant weight of responsibility leave little room to
stop,
breathe,
Or recover.
It’s no surprise that around 50% of veterinarians report moderate to high levels of burnout. In a profession where survival mode has become normal, well-being isn’t a luxury or a lifestyle choice; it’s a matter of sustainability. (Source: Gitnux)
We caught up with Chloé, a practising veterinarian of over 13 years and founder of VetYogi, to explore why wellbeing support in the profession needs to be practical, evidence-based, and rooted in reality.
After qualifying as a yoga and meditation teacher in 2017, Chloé experienced firsthand how these practices supported her, not just personally, but in sustaining a long-term career in veterinary medicine. Rather than offering yoga as a generic wellness solution, she set out to adapt it specifically for veterinary professionals, grounding her work in science and designing it to fit around demanding, unpredictable schedules.
Why well-being matters in veterinary practice
The veterinary profession faces some of the most concerning mental health statistics of any sector. High levels of stress, anxiety, disrupted sleep, and burnout are widely reported, and many professionals have personal experience of colleagues struggling with severe mental ill health.
For Chloé, awareness alone isn’t enough. In our conversation, she was clear that well-being cannot be optional. Ignoring it comes at a cost to individuals, to teams, and ultimately to the profession itself.
Nervous system regulation, not just relaxation
At the core of VetYogi’s approach is nervous system regulation. Veterinary professionals often operate in a constant state of sympathetic activation, commonly known as fight or flight. Over time, this chronic stress response makes it increasingly difficult to switch off, recover, or sleep.
Yoga, breathwork, and meditation help guide the body back into a parasympathetic state, allowing it to rest and digest, rather than storing stress. As Chloé shared, even when we feel mentally accustomed to pressure, the body often tells a different story, holding onto tension that needs release.
Making wellbeing realistic
A defining principle behind VetYogi is accessibility. Well-being shouldn’t become another item on an already overwhelming to-do list. Instead, Chloé advocates for small, repeatable practices, often just two or three minutes, that can be woven into the working day.
Simple examples include:
- Taking a deliberate breath before answering the phone
- Using breathwork while scrubbing in for surgery
- Standing in a brief forward fold to lower heart rate and blood pressure quickly
These micro-moments, she emphasises, add up. Meaningful change doesn’t always require an hour on a yoga mat; it requires intention and consistency.
Beyond physical yoga
While yoga is often associated purely with physical poses, Chloé is keen to challenge this misconception. According to Patanjali's 8 Limbs of Yoga from the Yoga Sutras, traditional yoga encompasses breathwork, mindfulness, meditation, and lifestyle principles, many of which can be practised anywhere, without special equipment or clothing.
This flexibility is what allows VetYogi to support entire veterinary teams, from vets and nurses to receptionists and others in practice and online.
Leadership and culture matter
Having worked as a vet with more than 100 practices internationally, Chloé has seen firsthand how leadership shapes wellbeing culture. Teams where leaders visibly model reflection, boundaries, and rest are far more likely to embed sustainable wellbeing practices.
Reflection and rest, she believes, must be normalised, not buried in a policy document.
A hopeful direction for the profession
Despite the challenges, Chloé remains optimistic. Awareness is growing, conversations are shifting, and more veterinary professionals are actively working to improve well-being across the industry.
Progress is happening, driven by individuals and teams committed to creating a more sustainable future for the profession.
For veterinary teams under pressure, VetYogi offers a clear message: well-being doesn’t have to be complicated; it just has to be intentional and accessible.
About VetYogi
Chloé and the VetYogi team offer evidence-based yoga, meditation, and wellbeing support designed specifically for veterinary professionals. Whether you’re looking for small, practical techniques to use during a busy shift or structured support for your whole team, there are resources to meet you where you are.
👉 Learn more about VetYogi and explore their programmes via the link below.
Watch Chloé’s session at Day 4: Wellbeing At Work - COMING SOON