Supporting the mental health of veterinary professionals

Across New Zealand, there are around 200 accredited Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) Aotearoa instructors delivering MHFA workshops in businesses, organisations, schools and the community.

Meet Ellis Gibson, a MHFA Aotearoa instructor, mum and pet lover with a passion for supporting the mental health and wellbeing of her Animates and Animates Vetcare workmates, whānau and community!

Ellis Gibson is an accredited MHFA Aotearoa instructor from Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland who works as a learning and development specialist at Animates.

She has been with Animates for three years and became an accredited MHFA Aotearoa instructor in May 2022. Since then, Ellis has delivered four MHFA Aotearoa workshops to 27 of her Animates teammates around the country, including in Auckland and Wellington.

“As a result, the majority of our leaders now have MHFA certification,” says Ellis proudly.

She enjoys delivering MHFA Aotearoa workshops and seeing her colleagues learning valuable new skills.

“Regardless of their previous knowledge of mental health, every single person walks away with a valuable skill to add to their kete."

The positive impact of pets on mental health

Working in an environment with lots of cute and cuddly animals is a positive experience for Ellis.

“Our purpose is ‘making the world a happier place through the love of pets’, and I honestly experience that every day working for Animates,” says Ellis, who also has two pets, Maggie the Saving Hope rescue dog and Olive the bunny.

“I believe pets play a huge role in supporting our mental wellbeing, whether that be forcing us to get out to walk the dog, or getting snuggles at the end of a long day. They teach us to enjoy the little things in life.”

Passion for mental health

Ellis juggles her role at Animates with being a mum to her 18-month-old son. Her passion for mental health extends through all aspects of her life, both work and home.

In her house, a MHFA Aotearoa magnet has pride of place on her fridge, spelling out the ALGEE five-step mental health action plan.

“It’s there so that everyone who enters sees [it] at the heart of our household. Mental health challenges affect various members of my whānau and friends, so I frequently apply my MHFA skills in these situations as well.”

Supporting veterinary professionals

Vets are among the professions known to experience higher rates of mental health challenges, which is why MHFA Aotearoa training is so important to Ellis.

“People in the veterinary industry are four times more likely to die by suicide," she says.

“Factors such as vet shortages, excessive workloads, compassion fatigue and client abuse play a huge part in this. The current cost of living crisis means often people are unable to afford medical treatment for their pets, and the alternative is sadly euthanasia.”

Having a wide range of people leaders skilled in Mental Health First Aid Aotearoa provides a baseline of mental health awareness and a psychologically safe environment to work in, says Ellis.

Benefits of MHFA Aotearoa training

“Providing this training means I can help people to recognise the signs and provide support which can make a huge difference in someone’s life,” says Ellis.

“I also strongly believe in the ripple effect this training has on participants' whānau and the wider community. When individuals gain the skills and knowledge to support mental health, they positively influence not only their own lives but also those of their whānau, friends, and colleagues.

“As instructors, we are the pebbles in the water that start the ripple!”

New instructor training

Ellis recommends MHFA Aotearoa new instructor training to others who want to bring mental health literacy skills and knowledge into their workplace.

“For me, the highlight of the training is hearing about others’ lived experiences with mental health challenges. These stories humanise the content, transforming it into something far more meaningful than just statistics, evidence, and skills.”

Future plans

In the future Ellis hopes to introduce the Workplace Blended MHFA Aotearoa programme, to expand the reach of the programme to other practices across the country.

“Our next steps involve expanding our network throughout the organisation and exploring ways to make a broader impact.”