Vet Med

What if practicing vet med didn't have to feel rushed, draining, or restricted?

In this first episode of a new series highlighting veterinary practices doing things differently, Dr. Amelia is joined by Dr. Marie-Louise Ratcliffe, founder of Atlantic Vet in Walvis Bay, Namibia. 

After seven years in general practice, she discovered her passion for integrative medicine, began studying veterinary acupuncture, and founded Atlantic Vet in 2020 to combine conventional veterinary care with evidence-i…

Anxiety used to be my norm. Constant overthinking, worrying, over-preparing...and even when there wasn't something to be anxious about, I felt anxious which made me anxious because it made me feel like I was forgetting something. As a veterinarian, I had lived with it for so long I didn't even question it.

If you can relate to the constant hum of anxiety underneath everything you do, it doesn't have to stay that way. 

There are little swaps you can make in your everyday life that can have a dr…

What if the way we've been taught to succeed is the very reason our profession struggles with burnout? Burnout doesn't happen because of a lack of grit, or because you weren't cut out for this. It happens because we are a profession of kind, driven people determined to do things "right" — following unspoken rules that are fundamentally flawed. The good news is it doesn't have to be this way.

We miss the early warning signs because we've normalized them. That's why we think we're fine, maybe eve…

I used to feel like something was missing.

Even early on as a veterinarian when I had everything planned out.

I loved my work, I was living my dream, and I had a clear timeline for when I wanted to own a practice.
On paper, it all made sense. And I really was excited about it.

But there was also a quiet feeling in my heart saying, “There’s something missing.”

It didn’t make sense to me at the time, so I ignored it.

I ignored other subtle things, too.

The constant anxiety.
The brain fog I didn…

If you haven't listened to Part 1, check it out here: Ep. 94| The F Word In Vet Med (Part 1): Overcoming Fear Around Finances

In this episode of the Life Boost with Amelia podcast, Dr. Amelia and Dr. Shona Kowtecky tackle the financial challenges that veterinary teams and pet owners face regarding the cost of veterinary care. They delve into practical exercises and activities aimed at helping veterinary professionals feel more comfortable and less stressed when discussing finances. Key topi…

This guide is a comprehensive, practical roundup of the financing and payment options available in veterinary medicine today. It includes pros, considerations, and best-fit scenarios for both pet owners and veterinary teams. If you know of additional resources, please leave a comment so we can keep this updated.

For more support on navigating financial conversations with clarity and compassion, check out this Life Boost with Amelia podcast episode with Dr. Shona Kowtecky:

• Ep. 94 | The F Word…

With Dr. Shona Kowtecky — practical strategies to talk about money without stress.

Join Dr. Amelia and special guest Dr. Shona Kowtecky for an honest, practical conversation about one of the most stressful and avoided topics in veterinary medicine: finances. Whether you’re a veterinary professional or a pet owner, financial stress affects how you think, feel, and make decisions — and yet it’s rarely discussed in a way that feels supportive or clear.

In this episode, we unpack why money con…

In this Concussion Chronicles episode, Dr. Amelia revisits a past concussion and the lessons it revealed about unseen struggles, caregiving, and empathy. She explores how viewing behavior through a nervous system lens offers a universal language for understanding ourselves and others—even when we don’t know the full story. Discover how compassion, curiosity, and connection become powerful tools for healing and leadership in life and veterinary medicine.

Transcript

Intro:

Welcome to the Li…

Vet Tech Week isn’t just a time to acknowledge the critical work and contributions vet techs make to veterinary medicine.

It’s an opportunity to pause, reflect, and ask how we can be more proactive—collectively—in supporting their energy, well-being, and growth so we can continue to attract and retain these superheroes in our profession.

After a decade in clinical practice, I have so much gratitude for the RVTs I’ve had the privilege of working with. They’re a unique breed — full of grit, hear…

“You’d think that biologists, of all people, would have words for life. But in scientific language our terminology is used to define the boundaries of our knowing. What lies beyond our grasp remains unnamed.”
— Braiding Sweetgrass, Robin Wall Kimmerer

I’m currently reading Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants, and that passage really spoke to me, because I’ve experienced it.

It’s an especially meaningful message to reflect on for Indigenous P…