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Meditation sessions launched by Spalding vet to help colleagues in stressful profession, according to research




A Spalding vet is playing a part in making her workplace happier and healthier by introducing meditation sessions there.

Italian-born Angie Barca (49) has decided to share her positive experiences of using mindfulness techniques to help colleagues at the Best Friends Vets Group surgery in St Thomas's Road, Spalding.

Angie, who has worked in the UK since 2002, is also interested in passing on the benefits of a sound mind to pets and their owners after her mindfulness sessions were taken up by other Best Friends surgeries over the border in Cambridgeshire.

Spalding vet Angie Barca has launched mindfulness classes at the Best Friends Vet Group surgery in Spalding. Photo by Paul Tibbs.
Spalding vet Angie Barca has launched mindfulness classes at the Best Friends Vet Group surgery in Spalding. Photo by Paul Tibbs.

She said: "In our profession, we're quite prone to stress because of the expectations put on us by clients and the long hours we work.

"I was looking for ways to improve my mental health and reduce stress after having some ups and downs in my life.

"I'd been practicing meditation for the past 25 years, but in the last ten years I started practicing mindfulness which helped to improve my own happiness and the relationships I have with other people."

According to research by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) in 2014, nearly 90 per cent of vets claimed their work was stressful.

Spalding vet Angie Barca has introduced mindfulness classes at the Best Friends Vet Group surgery in Spalding. Photo by Paul Tibbs.
Spalding vet Angie Barca has introduced mindfulness classes at the Best Friends Vet Group surgery in Spalding. Photo by Paul Tibbs.

Angie, who joined the staff at Best Friends' Spalding surgery in January 2018, said: "When I finished university in Italy, I wanted to experience the UK culture and learn why people here love animals.

"I did my practical training in England and found that people attend vets here more regularly because more pets are insured.

"But it's a demanding job being a vet and you can find yourself losing sleep, feeling depressed or anxious.

"Mindfulness is a technique that allows you to release any frustration, anger or anxiety, it helps you to be positive and you're more present and positive generally.

"So about three months ago, the people I worked with had a discussion with me about meditation and I just felt the need to offer some help to them."

Spalding vet Angie Barca with her mongrel breed cat, Sandokan, at the Best Friends Vet Group surgery in Spalding. Photo by Paul Tibbs.
Spalding vet Angie Barca with her mongrel breed cat, Sandokan, at the Best Friends Vet Group surgery in Spalding. Photo by Paul Tibbs.

Despite the RCVS and Manchester University joining together to launcg a Mind Matters Initiative for vets in 2015, calls to the confidential Vetlife Helpline have soared by 500 per cent, according to the Best Friends Vet Group.

Angie, who completed three years' worth of training in mindfulness techniques, said: "We meet in small groups and people who have started the training have been able to open up about themselves.

"My hope is to introduce meditation sessions for pets and their owners so they can become happy with each other."

Richard Brooks, general manager of Best Friends Veterinary Group, said: "This is a fantastic initiative that Angie is driving forward for a veterinary profession which is exciting and rewarding.

"But it can be challenging too which is why, as a group, we offer health and wellbeing support to all our employees.

"However, Angie’s kind offer to use her own free time to provide an additional resource is commendable."

"As a group, we offer health and wellbeing support to all our employees and Angie’s kind offer to use her own free time to provide an additional resource is commendable."



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