This Mini Series will provide a compassion focused basis for understanding human emotions in veterinary practice, offering exploration of client and veterinary factors contributing to difficult situations. Gain the skills you need to handle difficult clients and scenarios in your practice.

• Join Dr Sue Dawson MBPsS for three 2-hour sessions
• Case examples showing how compassion focused understanding of human emotions can support solution focused approaches in veterinary practice to care planning
• Case examples illustrating how understanding and responding to human body language can help de-escalate and diffuse difficult situations
• Comprehensive notes to download
• Self-assessment quizzes to ‘release’ your 8 hours CPD certification (don’t worry, you can take them more than once if you don’t quite hit the mark first time)
• 12 Months access to recorded sessions
• Superb value for money – learn without traffic jams or rota hassles
• This Mini Series was originally broadcast in January 2015

Programme

Developing a Compassionate Understanding of Human Emotions

In this session we’ll introduce and explore a bio-psycho-social model grounded in a compassion focused approach for understanding human emotions in terms of relevance in veterinary practice. We’ll identify the diverse and complex range of human emotions arising from pet–people relationships in relation to how these may shape encounters with clients. We’ll also discuss further theories for understanding human emotions with specific focus on recognising the possible origins and signs of anger, together with the client and veterinary factors potentially constructing and maintaining volatile situations within veterinary practice. We’ll conclude the session with an introduction to the importance of developing self-awareness, becoming mindful of prejudices and avoiding stereotyping.

• Learn to identify the range of human emotions associated with pet-people relationships
• Discover the theories for understanding human emotions
• Explore client factors and veterinary factors
• Get a practical guide for dealing with anger
• Find out strategies for developing self-awareness, recognising personal prejudices and avoiding stereotyping

Compassionate Responding to Client Difficulties

Evidence supports that professionals developing a compassionate way-of-being can facilitate clearer communication and help diffuse difficult situations. This session provides deeper insight into compassionate understanding of human emotions with practical case examples of developing sensitive approaches to understanding and relating to clients with severe and enduring mental health difficulties and other additional needs. We’ll explore specific aspects of veterinary practice that may be perceived as generating greater potential for difficult client interactions, to provide a basis for introducing basic skills for enabling compassionate communication through using empathy.

• Develop knowledge and understanding of compassion focused approaches to veterinary practice: client rapport and involving the client in consults
• Learn how to consider clients with mental health difficulties
• Develop sensitivity to additional needs clients may have
• Consider the available approaches to raising animal welfare concerns
• End-of-life veterinary care and euthanasia
• Learn the required skills for compassionate communication and how to use empathy

Body Language, Compassionate Communication Skills and Self-Care

In this session we’ll show you how to understand and respond to human body language. This can be combined with compassionate communication skills to offer a foundation for developing empathic approaches to diffusing anger, breaking bad news, talking about costs, dealing with client complaints and tackling animal welfare concerns. We’ll also explore veterinary staff self-care with an emphasis on ways of preventing stress and burnout, placing health and well-being at the centre of staff support.

• Find out how to recognise and understand body-language
• Learn how to be aware of your own body and body-language
• Find out how best to cope with client complaints
• Discover how to compassionately communicate cost
• Compassionate communication with colleagues- what you need to know
• Develop self-compassion and self-care strategies

Course Feedback:

“Some interesting insights into client psychology. I’ll now be more aware of acknowledging clients’ feelings and not making assumptions based on my own knowledge and feelings”

“The series has given me a much better understanding and insight in dealing with clients and colleagues, especially in stressful situations. It will help me relate more professionally with clients, their companion animals and my colleagues. I will better able to cope as I now have good advice for self-care”

“It is a brilliant series with an excellent, caring speaker. It would be relevant to all Practice members”

The price includes all 3 sessions, notes and quiz – 8 hours of CPD