Mental Health Mini-Lessons
The Veterinary Hope Foundation mini-lessons are short, practical conversation starters designed for busy veterinary teams. Each topic is offered in two versions: one for practice managers who want a simple way to lead healthy culture and reduce daily stressors, and one for entire teams to use in huddles, shift changes, or quick check ins.
Small Steps, Stronger Teams
These prompts are not therapy. They are tools to support communication, build psychological safety, and strengthen teamwork through small, consistent actions that fit the pace of clinical work. Each mini-lesson can be completed in five to ten minutes and ends with one clear next step the team can try right away.
Version A (Practice Managers)
Version A (Practice Managers) is a manager-led format that takes seven to ten minutes. Keep it short and repeatable with no deep processing during a busy shift, aim for one small system tweak each week because small wins build trust, and if emotions spike, pause to validate and offer a one-on-one follow up.
Version B (Entire Team)
Version B (Entire Team) is a five to seven minute format that anyone can lead. “Pass” is always okay because it helps keep the space safe, the focus should stay practical rather than personal therapy, and the group should end with either one actionable step or one appreciation.
Step 1: Set the Container
(30 seconds)
"This is a blame free space. We will focus on what we can control and one small next step.”
Step 2: Pulse Check
(1 minute)
One to five scale: “How is your bandwidth today?”
Optional: “One word you are bringing in.”
Step 3: Mini-lesson
(2 minutes)
One idea and why it matters.
Step 4: Discussion Prompt
(3-5 minutes)
One or two guided questions.
Step 5: Micro Commitment
(1 minute)
Choose one action with an owner and a deadline.
Step 6: Close
(30 seconds)
“One appreciation or one need before we go.”
Step 1: Quick Check In
(30 seconds)
Thumbs up, side, or down, or one word.
Step 2: Prompt
(2-4 minutes)
One question, round robin, and pass is always allowed.
Step 3: Try it
(1 minutes)
A script, a reset, or a shared norm.
Step 4: Close
(30 seconds)
“One thanks” to a person, a process, or the team.
Eight Mini-lessons
Strong teams are built in small moments: a quick check in, a shared script during a tense client interaction, a brief debrief after a hard case, or a simple recognition of a colleague’s effort. When practice managers and teams make space for short, regular conversations, they reduce isolation, normalize asking for support, and create a healthier work environment over time. These mini-lessons are meant to be used, adapted, and repeated. Pick one topic, keep it brief, and focus on one doable change. Consistency matters more than perfection, and every small step toward connection and clarity helps protect the wellbeing of the people who care for animals every day.
Burnout is often death by one thousand paper cuts. Watch for patterns rather than weakness.
Practice Managers Prompt: “Where are we consistently over capacity: phones, rooms, callbacks, refills, or add ons?”
Practice Managers Prompt: “What is one friction point we can reduce by ten percent this week?”
Micro Commitment Idea: Cap walk in add ons, add a no double booking buffer rule, rotate phones.
Entire Team Prompt: “What is one sign you are running low and what support helps most here?”
Try it: Each person chooses one reset such as a sixty second breath, water, a two minute quiet break, or a quick task swap.
Safety means people can ask for help, admit mistakes early, and learn fast.
Practice Managers Prompt: “Where do people hesitate to speak up?”
Practice Managers Prompt: “What phrase can we normalize to ask for help?”
Micro Commitment Idea: Adopt a standard help phrase such as “I am at capacity and I need help with this.”
Entire Team Prompt: “What makes it easier to speak up during a busy moment?”
Try it: Practice the help phrase once out loud so it feels normal.
Scripts protect staff energy and create consistent experiences for clients.
Practice Managers Prompt: “What are the top two conflict scenarios we see?”
Practice Managers Prompt: “What is our shared script so no one is improvising under stress?”
Micro Commitment Idea: Create a one page front desk script for late arrivals and price concerns.
Entire Team Prompt: “Which client scenario drains you most: late arrivals, pricing, wait times, or emotionally intense visits?”
Try it: “I hear this is stressful. Here is what I can do today…”
Debriefs reduce lingering stress and help teams recover. Keep them structured and brief.
Practice Managers Prompt: “What would good support look like after a tough case here?”
Practice Managers Prompt: “Who checks on the person who looked okay?”
Micro Commitment Idea: Schedule a five minute debrief after clusters of emotionally intense cases or critical incidents.
Entire Team Prompt: “After a tough case, what helps you recover: quiet, talking, a task switch, or going outside?”
Try it: Use one shared debrief question first: “What went well?” before “What was hard?”
Boundaries protect care quality and staff wellbeing. They are not attitude problems.
Practice Managers Prompt: “What are our capacity limits and red lines?”
Practice Managers Prompt: “Where do boundaries break down: scheduling, walk ins, add-ons, or phone volume?”
Micro Commitment Idea: Define stop points such as the last same day appointment time.
Entire Team Prompt: “What is a boundary phrase we can all use respectfully?”
Try it: “I can do A or B. Which would you like?” Choice often reduces escalation.
Ambiguity creates conflict. Clarity creates calm.
Practice Managers Prompt: “What tasks bounce between roles and cause tension?”
Practice Managers Prompt: “What is one task we can clearly assign or standardize this week?”
Micro Commitment Idea: Define ownership for callbacks, refills, or lab follow ups by shift.
Entire Team Prompt: “What task confusion slows us down most?”
Try it: Create one shared rule: “If it is X, it goes to Y.”
Recognition works best when it is specific and connected to values.
Practice Managers Prompt: “What behaviors do we want more of?”
Practice Managers Prompt: “How will we recognize them weekly?”
Micro Commitment Idea: Start wins of the week for two minutes at the end of one shift.
Entire Team Prompt: “Name one teammate action you appreciated this week and why it mattered.”
Try it: “I noticed you did ___. It helped ___.”
Agreements reduce daily friction when they are few and enforced kindly.
Practice Managers Prompt: “What is one norm we are willing to protect consistently?”
Practice Managers Prompt: “What gets in the way of that norm?”
Micro Commitment Idea: Choose one or two norms such as no sarcasm in conflict and ask before assuming.
Entire Team Prompt: “What is one thing we want to be known for as a team?”
Try it: Vote on one norm for the month.