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Veterinary Social Work is a specialized area of social work that supports the emotional, psychological, and social wellbeing of people working with and caring for animals. 

The Veterinary Social Work Office serves students, faculty, staff, interns, residents, and clinicians by promoting wellbeing, reducing barriers to success, and connecting individuals with appropriate resources. 

The Veterinary Social Work Office provides: 

• Individual supportive counseling 

• Emotional support 

• Crisis intervention and stabilization 

• Stress management and coping strategies 

• Burnout and compassion fatigue education 

• Animal-related grief and bereavement support 

• Conflict resolution and communication support 

• Wellness programming and Lunch & Learn sessions 

• Referrals to community mental health providers 

• Assistance locating financial, food, housing, and community resources 

• Consultation for faculty and staff regarding student wellbeing concerns 

No concern is too small. 

Students often seek support for: 

• Transitioning into veterinary school 

• Academic stress 

• Test anxiety 

• Time management 

• Motivation difficulties 

• Relationship concerns 

• Homesickness 

• Family stress 

• Financial stress 

• Anxiety 

• Depression 

• Burnout 

• Compassion fatigue 

• Grief and loss 

• Pet loss 

• Medical concerns affecting school 

• Balancing school and personal responsibilities 

• Professional identity concerns 

• Thoughts of self-harm or suicide 

Seeking help is a sign of strength not weakness. 

When you visit the Veterinary Social Work Office, you can expect: 

✔ A confidential, respectful environment 

✔ Compassionate, nonjudgmental support 

✔ Someone who will listen 

✔ Help identifying solutions and reducing barriers 

✔ Assistance connecting with additional campus or community resources 

✔ Honest and supportive guidance 

The Veterinary Social Worker: 

• Does not diagnose mental health disorders. 

• Does not prescribe medication. 

• Does not provide long-term psychotherapy. 

If specialized treatment is needed, referrals will be made to licensed mental health professionals or psychiatrists. 

Veterinary medicine is rewarding—but it can also be emotionally demanding. 

Common experiences include: 

• Compassion fatigue 

• Burnout 

• Secondary traumatic stress 

• Imposter syndrome 

• Moral distress 

• Anxiety 

• Grief after patient loss 

These experiences are common and treatable. Seeking support early can make a meaningful difference. 

Campus Resources 

• Veterinary Social Work Office
• ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ Counseling Center
• Student Affairs
• Financial Aid Office
• Office of Accessibility Services

Veterinary Wellbeing Resources 

Not One More Vet (NOMV) 
Offers peer support, educational resources, and wellness programming specifically for veterinary professionals and students. 

American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) Wellbeing Resources 

Mental health tools, wellbeing education, crisis resources, and self-care information. 

National Neurodivergent Veterinary Alliance (NNVA) 

Supporting and advocating for neurodivergent individuals across every role in veterinary medicine. 

AAVMC Wellbeing Resources 

Resources focused on wellbeing within veterinary medical education. 

National Crisis Resources 

If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis: 

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline 

Call or text 988 

Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. 

If someone is in immediate danger, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. 

Ms. Chankia Sherell Berry is a native of Auburn, AL. She obtained her bachelor’s degree in Social Work from ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ and then went on to earn a master’s degree in Social Work from Barry University in December 2014. Currently, she is enrolled in the Veterinary Social Work Certificate program at the University of Tennessee. Within this program, she is interested in animal-assisted interventions. Her interest in Veterinary Social Work was sparked while she worked with the Division of Aging. As a former Adult Protective Services employee, one of her tasks included working with the elderly or adults with disabilities. In this role, she continuously was exposed to cases of animal neglect due to hoarding. With the continuous cycle of a multitude of cases dealing with animal neglect, this area led to a slight sense of compassion fatigue. This aspect of compassion fatigue led her to want to combat this area by assisting others and increasing people’s knowledge of animal neglect and compassion fatigue within the veterinary profession. Her experiences in hospitals, nursing homes, mental health facilities, and the Department of Family and Children Services have been diverse and allowed her to gain several transferable skills and work with diverse populations and groups of all sizes. She strives to present the best attitude, diligence, and persistence to complete all tasks expected of herself effectively and professionally. As a very proud member of Phi Alpha National Honor Society, it is her goal to build effective, and productive working relationships with internal and external clients.