Helping the Helpers with Angie Arora

Angie Arora, MSW, RSW, is a social worker supporting the human needs that arise from human-animal relationships, specializing in veterinary wellbeing, pet loss, and equity issues within veterinary medicine. As a Veterinary Social Worker and Certified Compassion Fatigue Specialist, she provides trauma-informed support, coaching, and psycho-educational training to veterinary professionals and organizations to improve professional quality of life by addressing issues of burnout, secondary traumatic stress, and compassion fatigue.

She served on the inaugural Board of Directors for the International Association of Veterinary Social Work and is actively involved in other relevant veterinary medicine initiatives including blendVET, the International Association of Veterinary Social Work and the Canadian Collective for Equity in Veterinary Medicine. Her current organizational clients include the Toronto Zoo, King Animal Hospital, ACCT Philly, as well as several veterinary practices across North America.

In This Interview:

- The hidden gift of grief

- Changing the landscape of veterinary wellness

- The rude awakening that is unresolved traumatic stress and burnout

- The telltale signs of compassion fatigue

- The unspoken trauma of being in the veterinary field

- The power of holding space and being heard

- Reconnecting to Self and cultivating inner safety

- What is veterinary social work

- How stressful experiences shape us and show up in our practice

- The healing energy of community

- Boundaries as an expression of self compassion

Interview Resources:

More about Angie: https://www.angiearora.com/

Follow Angie: @veterinarywellbeingcoach

VCP Restorative Retreat 2026: https://www.veterinarycompassionproject.com/retreat/

At Veterinary Compassion Project we believe that those who dedicate their lives to caring for animals deserve the same compassion and care they give to others. We are committed to raising awareness about the extreme emotional toll that comes with animal caregiving while providing essential support for your wellbeing. Through our resources, community, and guidance, we aim to empower veterinarians and animal care professionals to thrive both personally and professionally.

📍 Visit Us Online: https://www.veterinarycompassionproject.com

🔹 VCP Restorative Retreat 2026: https://www.veterinarycompassionproject.com/retreat/

📞 Join Our Monthly Support Call: https://www.veterinarycompassionproject.com/resources/

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More about Dr. Erin Holder:

At the heart of our mission is Dr. Erin Holder, a compassionate healer and esteemed veterinarian dedicated to supporting animal caregivers. With a passion for holistic care and a deep understanding of compassion fatigue, Dr. Holder leads our efforts to empower those who devote their lives to helping animals.

In 2004, Dr. Holder founded one of the largest integrative veterinary hospitals in North America where she pioneered a holistic approach to animal care. Certified in Veterinary Acupuncture, Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine, Food Therapy, Chinese Tui-Na, Animal Ozone Therapy, and Animal Reiki, Dr. Holder’s hospital provided comprehensive care to a wide variety of animals, including cats, dogs, birds, exotics, and wildlife.

After nearly two decades of serving animals and their caregivers, Dr. Holder made the difficult decision to sell her hospital in 2022 to address her own experience with compassion fatigue. In her own personal healing, she immersed herself in studying why compassion fatigue happens, how to prevent it, and ways overcome it. She completed certifications in meditation instruction and compassion fatigue training for healthcare professionals, dedicating herself to helping others navigate the emotional toll of veterinary work.

See you on the next one!