Celebrating National Social Work Month with Veterinary Social Worker, Dave Shuey

In honor of National Social Work Month this March, we sat down with Dave Shuey, our in-house Veterinary Social Worker (VSW), to learn about the unique role social workers play within the veterinary field. In this Q&A, Dave shares his journey into veterinary social work, the challenges faced by professionals in the animal care industry, and the importance of mental health support for both veterinary teams and pet owners. From emotional struggles around euthanasia to offering vital wellness resources, Dave’s work exemplifies the growing recognition of mental health in animal care settings. Read on to discover more about this critical and often overlooked profession!

1. What is a veterinary social worker (VSW) exactly? How does it differ from being a general social worker?

Social work is a field dedicated to addressing the challenges faced across all sectors of society. It’s based on twelve “grand challenges” aimed at reducing suffering and improving quality of life. The core focus areas of these challenges include individual and family wellbeing, the strength of our social fabric, and the pursuit of a just society.

A veterinary social worker addresses these challenges within the veterinary profession, whether at a college of veterinary medicine, a doctor’s office, or a shelter, and whenever animals are a part of the care – such as helping a domestic violence survivor arrange for the safety of their pets. Veterinary social work spans four areas: intentional wellbeing, animal related grief and bereavement, animal-assisted interventions, and the link between human and animal violence. As you can see, it touches everything.

2. What education and experience are required to become qualified as a VSW?

Regardless of type or level of licensure, a social worker has a place at the intersection of people and animals. That experience is always available to them at any stage of their professional development. Over ten years ago, the University of Tennessee created a robust curriculum based on the core areas I mentioned, to codify and establish a community of practice. They welcome undergraduate to postgraduate participants, and I highly recommend it.

Since then, a few other schools of social work have added a post-grad veterinary specialization to their offerings, and elective courses on animal-assisted interventions and the inclusion of animal care in the social work model are beginning to feature in more degree programs. Most importantly, many veterinary organizations and schools now serve as internship and practicum sites for social work students.

My own educational path was different. I took my years of Registered Veterinary Technician experience into an online MSW at USC’s Suzanne Dworak Peck School of Social Work. That was important because I live in a rural part of central Georgia and little did anyone know, there was a pandemic lurking in the wings. The theoretical and practical foundation I got there was invaluable. My emphasis was in adult mental health and wellness, and I was very fortunate to do my internship with USC’s telehealth teaching clinic. We were a small group of student clinicians managing and treating our own caseloads under the supervision of a wonderful professor for our whole final year.

After I graduated, I worked as an outpatient clinician in a state-contracted behavioral health organization, providing assessment, diagnosis, treatment planning, case management, and individual and group psychotherapy for people with severe and persistent mental illness. As it happened, by the time IndeVets started looking for a social worker, I had the combination of education and experience that left me with the tools to help them in a meaningful way. A robust theoretical foundation gives you one kind of credibility, but I wonder if anything except experience can make you really good at building trust.

3. Is this a common role in the industry, how many are there in total?

Compared to the estimated 127,000 veterinarians in the U.S., there’s not a lot of us. There are about 200 social workers in North America working in vet med and other areas of the human-animal bond. As I’ve said, there is an incredible diversity of actual roles and work environments. What there are very few of is veterinary social workers who are on staff with a corporation in the private sector (what I do at IndeVets).

4. What inspired you to pursue social work in the veterinary field?

The suffering of my students, coworkers, and clients that I witnessed in a dozen years as a RVT, as well as the suffering I endured as I tried to do my job with excellence. First, I arrived at a place where the medical model had done harm. Eight years ago, I searched “animal hospice and palliative care,” got certified, and spent the rest of my tech career doing that work. You might say I got to where I felt like I could authentically pursue this work with this population. I went through a second master’s program, gained a lot of experience in the field, and was lucky enough to find IndeVets.

5. What’s something that people often misunderstand about working in veterinary medicine?

Euthanasia plays a big part in shaping the emotional life of a veterinarian in many possible directions, so that constant exposure should never be forgotten.

6. How do you support doctors and the HQ team at IndeVets in your role?

Michael Caulfield, a sports psychologist in the UK who has a role very similar to mine, puts it perfectly: “I’ve got time, so I create time so others can have time.” In my time here at IndeVets, that has taken on a wide variety of forms.

Of course, I consult with our doctors on-demand and do that direct, private sort of work. I also present RACE-approved CEs, run a burnout recovery group, and write, publish, and maintain a library of veterinary-specific wellness resources.

I work closely with a lot of different departments at HQ as well. In addition to individual consultation, I meet regularly with several teams including clinical leadership and recruiting. It’s a space where they get the chance to check in, unburden themselves, rest within the workday, and receive support from each other. Other times, multiple departments come together for discussions and activities on a range of mental health and wellness related topics.

7. What are some of the most common emotional or mental health challenges vets face, and how do you help them navigate those issues?

I’ve seen the whole range of stressors and events that a person’s life can throw at them, as well as the range of emotional states that a person’s stressed-out body can throw them into. If there is one dominant theme that allows for all that individual uniqueness it would be loss, or the fear of loss. This is heavily influenced by the presence of euthanasia as a necessary skill set for vets. Those themes extend into career transitions, becoming a parent, stressful decisions, you name it.

First, I try to help them feel safe enough to say what’s going on for them out loud and ensure it’s received with care. It’s surprising how effective that can be even in a remote, mostly virtual work environment. Many times, I don’t have to say anything for someone’s body to start reversing its stress symptoms and for the mind to clear.

From there, it’s all about what they need to be able to enjoy their life and their work. I direct them to a huge variety of resources inside and outside the company so they can have tools to take with them for the long term, and not just cope with unavoidable stressors.

I like to think of in the same way as the legendary psychiatrist Irv Yalom saw his craft; that of a “fellow traveler.”

8. In your experience, how has the role of veterinary social workers evolved, particularly in response to the increasing recognition of mental health in the animal care field?

Hospitals can burn out their VSWs just as easily as they do their doctors, techs, and support staff. The good news is some of the pioneers of the VSW field have recently created programs and processes whereby the work environment can prepare itself to successfully utilize a VSW, so that’s a key advancement. And, very importantly, more colleges of veterinary medicine are utilizing the role at a time in a veterinarian’s life where great differences can be made.

9. What are some ways the veterinary community as a whole can improve its approach to mental health and well-being for both veterinary teams and pet owners?

You don’t need big, huge expensive programs to start making real differences. Hospitals can make a habit of seriously considering the physical environment (light, noise, ergonomics), as well as keeping their staff well-fed for the energy requirements of the job. Another consideration is the relationship between quality of care and unsafe scheduling and staffing. No amount of therapy or self-care is going to change the conditions that burned us out in the first place. It’s got to come from the top. Imagine the effect a healthier care team could have on the paying client.

10. What is your advice to those struggling with their mental health who are hesitant to get help?

You are not crazy. This is as real as diabetes. Your body is responding to the accumulated exposure to your work-life environment and your degree of loneliness. Go see your doctor or nurse practitioner and present your symptoms to them. Vent emotional pain in ways that don’t hurt you or anyone else. Seek out trusted peers and friends (not necessarily family) who let you say what’s real for you.