The Art of Practicing Positive Leadership with Josh Vaisman of Flourish Veterinary Consulting

Josh Vaisman MAPPCP, CCFP, believes all veterinary professionals deserve to feel fulfilled and energized in their work, each and every day. Through his company, Flourish Veterinary Consulting, he combines more than 25 years of veterinary experience, a master’s in applied positive psychology and coaching psychology, education in positive leadership and positive organizational scholarship, and a passion for guiding leaders to cultivate workplaces in which people thrive. He's also the author of the book, "Lead to Thrive: The Science of Crafting a Positive Veterinary Culture".

Josh has taught the art of practicing positive leadership at hundreds of organizations, conferences, and events. To further his mission of empowering veterinary leaders with practical guidance, in 2024 he began pursuing graduate education in conflict management and applied positive communication at the University of Arkansas - Little Rock.

When he’s not cultivating ways to elevate the veterinary community, Mr. Vaisman spends his time with his wife, Greta, and their many creatures in Firestone, Colorado. To fill his bucket, he’s a soccer-playing, reef-keeping, cookie-eating, beekeeper.

In This Interview:

- What if the darkest point in your career became the start of something revolutionary?

- Are you surviving in vet med, or actually thriving?

- What if you could diagnose and treat your practice culture with the same precision you use on patients?

- Why vet med needs to teach people skills

- When your team feels like they matter, they stay

Interview Resources:

Website: flourish.vet

FB: facebook.com/flourishveterinaryconsulting

IG: @flourishveterinaryconsulting

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/flourish-veterinary-consulting

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: veterinarycompassionproject.com

🔹 VCP Restorative Retreat 2026: veterinarycompassionproject.com/retreat

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

IG: @veterinarycompassionproject

FB: facebook.com/veterinarycompassionproject

YT: youtube.com/@veterinarycompassionproject

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. Her innovative work was even featured on the debut series of National Geographic Wild’s Unlikely Animal Friends.

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 compassion fatigue—why it 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!