From Burnout to Balance with Sara Wilkins

Sara Wilkins is a licensed veterinary nurse who graduated from Michigan State University 28 years ago. She is certified in critical anesthesia and pain management as well as palliative care. Sara spent the majority of her career in anesthesia but was also very passionate about her time spent in medical oncology and clinical pathology.

Sara is a yoga teacher with certifications in trauma informed/sensitive yoga approach, athletic performance, as well as YIN and chair yoga. She is also a licensed massage therapist and certified in Reiki for both humans and animals.

In This Interview:

0:10 - The beginning of Sara's veterinary journey

3:02 - How burnout creeps in quietly

9:50 - In the middle of chaos, one breath can change everything

16:54 - The problem isn’t always personal, it’s systemic

22:18 - Learning to say “no” as a form of healing

29:01 - When business outweighs wellbeing, culture and people suffer

34:54 - Proof healing is possible

Interview Resources:

FB: facebook.com/SaraWilkinsYoga

IG: @yogabysara_

Blue Dog Counseling for Veterinary Professionals: bluedogcounseling.com

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

IG: @veterinarycompassionproject

FB: facebook.com/veterinarycompassionproject

YouTube: 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.

“Having personally experienced compassion fatigue and witnessing the immense challenges faced by our profession, I hope to be part of the solution—giving a voice to the overwhelming exhaustion in our community and offering practical ways to restore well-being.” ~Dr. Erin Holder

See you on the next one! 🩵