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About

Jocelyn Owens

I’ve been a veterinary surgeon since 1996, working mostly in mixed practice until I set up my own small animal practice in 2004. I was frustrated with the impossible working conditions I had experienced since graduating and wanted to build a better place for people to work, offering a great service to clients and good clinical standards. The clients were an absolute joy, we built an outstanding team, invested in new tech and training, and loved developing new services.

Over the years, as we grew and got busier and busier, I struggled at times with my mental health. I had a good dose of imposter syndrome, two of my friends died by suicide, and I was taking on emotional responsibility for clinical situations, our team of people, and our clients in a way that I didn’t realise was unnecessary. I had no clue of the long-term impact it was having on my brain and body, nor that it was optional. Usually for me, the solution to hard times was to work harder.

Eventually, I ran out of steam. I reached out for help, and found this different understanding. I returned to the practice a different person, with more peace and clarity. A year later, the practice was far exceeding all our forecasts and the industry standards for independent practices.

In 2018, out of the blue, with absolute clarity in a moment of calm, I knew I wanted to sell up. I decided to train further in the understanding that changed my life. My particular interest is in burnout, compassion, and compassion fatigue, especially in caring and clinical professions, first responders, business leaders and managers of teams. There is a mental health crisis in these sectors, and significant effort is being made on many fronts to try to improve the situation.

I don’t know what the solution to all of this is, but I do know that far too many wonderful, passionate, dedicated, caring people are suffering, and I would like to be of service to them and do whatever I can to help this change. I want to provide choice for people like me.

I love listening to people, no matter what problems they bring to a session. It’s an honour to be with them as they discover their solutions, find new perspectives, peace, joy, and put down burdens they didn’t know they carried. I learn so much, and it’s fun!

Jocelyn

Compassion Killed the Vet?

Whilst compassion in common understanding is seen as being kind and helpful, there is much more to it.

There are potentially harmful side effects which cause vicarious trauma in clinicians, carers, leaders and managers, and aspects that aren’t helpful to the client/patient/team.

Perhaps the way we use compassion is the problem?

If we changed our use of compassion, we wouldn’t create the devastating life changing symptoms known as compassion fatigue, or vicarious trauma, which is a version of PTSD.

What if there were a better way of being caring, kind and supportive that is easier, enjoyable, and not harmful even in the most difficult of situations, and also more beneficial for the client/patient/team member?

We wouldn’t need to train to 'be more compassionate' or to 'be more resilient' or need treatment for compassion fatigue. There would be less burnout.

After all, the people we are talking about are already incredibly resilient and caring, otherwise they wouldn’t be doing the jobs they are doing.

Further information - contact jocelyn@feedingthephoenix.com

Education:

BSc(hons) Leeds University

BVSc MRCVS Liverpool University

Summary of Three Principles Training:

Formal training/experience

4 day Intensive 1:1 coaching Aaron and Lila Turner, One Thought Institute

Relationship Ready Programme Lila Turner, One Thought Institute

Foundations of Impact Programme Lila and Aaron Turner, One Thought Institute

Practitioner Development Programme Aaron Turner, One Thought Institute

Exploration of Sydney Banks Books Reading for Depth Various, 3PGC

Sharing the Inside Out Paradigm Christian McNeil and Mavis Karn

3PGC 3 day annual international conference attendee: 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023

Independent study

Missing Link; Quest of the Pearl; Dear Liza; Enchanted Gardener;

Enchanted Gardener revisited; Second Chance; various lecture series: Syd Banks

Psychology has it Backwards, Judith Sedgeman and Christine Heath

Stories of Hope Series, Bill Pettit

We’re listening, Rob Cook

Reflections Essays, Judith Sedgeman, Three Principles Living

Caffeine for the Soul, Michael Neill

Creating the Impossible, Michael Neill

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