Dr Bert Mohr - The Mindful Vet

18/08/2025

14/08/2025

Seagulls rise above the waves, seeing the bigger picture before deciding where to land. Mindfulness gives us that same gift — the ability to step back and see more clearly.

When work challenges or team tensions pull you in, pause and ask:
1️⃣ Can I change this? If the answer is no, recognise that pouring your energy into it will only drain you. Shift your focus to what is within your control, and let the rest pass without claiming your peace.
2️⃣ Will this matter later? Remember the impermanence of all things — even the most intense moment will change. “This too shall pass” is a gentle reminder not to magnify its weight in your mind.

Like the Seagull View, rise above for a moment, take in the wider horizon, and then choose your next move with clarity and calm. This week, give it a try — notice how perspective changes your emotional weather.

💚 Join our animal care wellbeing community for weekly guided mindfulness sessions, practical stress-reduction tools, and support from people who truly understand your journey.

https://bertmohr.com/wellbeing-of-animal-carers-community

07/08/2025

🥛 You cannot pour from an empty vessel

We all know it — but how often do we actually live it?

In the animal care world, we’re trained to prioritise others: our patients, students, colleagues, families. It’s noble, yes — but unsustainable if we’re running on empty.

I’ve learned that putting your own wellbeing first isn’t a luxury. It’s the foundation for everything else. It’s what allows us to show up with clarity, strength, and compassion — without becoming a statistic.

I’m no longer surviving this profession. I’m thriving in it. Not because the challenges disappeared, but because I stopped abandoning myself to meet everyone else’s needs.

Even small acts of self-care can refill your vessel:
✨ A few mindful breaths between patients
✨ Time in nature to reset your nervous system
✨ A quiet check-in: “What do I need right now?”

Your wellbeing isn’t optional. It’s essential — for you and the animals and people who count on you.

💚 You don’t have to do it alone.
Join our wellbeing community for animal carers — weekly guided mindfulness, practical tools, and real conversations with people who get it.

📅 Wednesdays @ 5:30 AM
🌐 Free access: https://bertmohr.com/wellbeing-of-animal-carers-community

👇 What helps you refill your vessel?

01/08/2025

Happy vets 🧑🏼‍⚕️ for happy animals! 🐾
I really do love being in this space.

As vets we are taught how to care for animals, not so much for ourselves...
And the stats tell us that almost half of our community is clinically depressed.

So I love sharing mindfulness practices as a way to regain calm, clarity and joy!

So many vets came to me today after my presentation to share their personal journeys of mental-emotional challenges in the animal care industries.

As a community we can shift the topic -- .. from stigma to support.. from emptiness to fullness.. not coping but thriving!

If you're a veterinarian or animal care professional, and interested in regaining joy by practical mindfulness, please join us for free guided online meditations.

More info here: https://bertmohr.com/wellbeing-of-animal-carers-community

Thank you to the South African Veterinary Association SAVA for hosting the Western Cape Congress in Stellenbosch, and the amazing team at Vetlink.

28/07/2025

⏸️ The Tactical Pause: Your 5-Second Reset for Overwhelming Moments

When stress hits hard or anxiety rises:
1️⃣ STOP what you're doing
2️⃣ BREATHE deeply (slow inhale, even slower exhale)
3️⃣ FOCUS on what's actually in front of you

This simple technique instantly activates your parasympathetic nervous system, dropping your heart rate, blood pressure, and stress hormones. Military pilots use it. Medical professionals swear by it.

But here's the thing — mindfulness techniques like this were key to my shift from breakdown to breakthrough, and they work best when practiced regularly with support.

That's why we've created an online community specifically for people who care for animals. Inside, you'll find:
✨ Weekly guided mindfulness sessions (Wednesdays 5:30 AM)
✨ Short how-to videos for busy schedules
✨ Practical strategies to increase joy and calm
✨ Tools to lower stress, improve sleep, and find contentment

We've reserved open-access spots to make this more accessible because our animal care community deserves support.

Ready to move beyond just surviving stressful moments?

Join us here: https://bertmohr.com/wellbeing-of-animal-carers-community

Mindfulness is best understood through direct experience. Here's to a happier, healthier animal care community.

15/07/2025

Wolves demonstrate remarkable balance between individual strength and pack cooperation. They instinctively know when to rely on the collective and when to restore themselves through solitude.

In veterinary practice, we often struggle with this natural balance—either isolated in our challenges or completely depleted by constant team demands without adequate self-restoration.

Like wolves, we can honor both our deep interconnection with colleagues and our essential need for restoration. The key is developing awareness of our energy patterns and learning to communicate our needs clearly—whether that's seeking connection when we're struggling or requesting space when we need to recharge.

This balance isn't selfish; it's sustainable. When we restore ourselves intentionally, we return to our pack stronger and more capable of supporting others.

This week, notice your own energy patterns. Are you someone who tends to isolate when stressed, or do you give constantly without replenishing? How might honoring both your need for connection and solitude affect your resilience?

10/07/2025

🐭 The Mouse Hole Exercise: Discovering Your Busy Mind 🐭
Did you know we have 50,000-70,000 thoughts per day? And we touch our phones about 6,000 times daily! No wonder our minds feel so busy.

Try this simple awareness exercise:
🎯 Focus on one simple thing (like a dot on your screen)
⏰ Try to keep your attention there for just 15 seconds
🧠 Notice how many thoughts pop up

You might be surprised! Some people notice 3 thoughts in 15 seconds, others notice 20. It's completely normal - our minds are constantly chattering.
The beautiful thing is, once we become aware of this mental "noise," we can start to choose which thoughts deserve our attention and which ones we can simply let pass by.

💭 "We lose out on a lot in life if we are not present. Our attention is stolen by our own thoughts."

Being present - whether with our patients, our families, or even just with ourselves - is one of the greatest gifts we can give.
Your turn: Try this exercise and share - how many thoughts did you notice? No judgment, just curiosity!