Why does a vet clinic need it?
Because the people most likely to notice someone's struggling are the ones working the same shift. Most clinics have a practice manager, maybe an EAP number on the wall, and a team that cares about each other. What they often don't have is a shared idea of what to say when someone isn't okay.
The numbers on the profession are hard to ignore. An Australian study of reported suicides from 2001 to 2012 found vets died by suicide at about 1.9 times the rate of the general population. The same study's figure for vet nurses was 1.24, which wasn't clearly above the general population. A larger Australian Veterinary Association study, reported by the Canberra Times, found about 67% of vets had experienced a mental health condition at some point.
What actually wears vet teams down?
It might not be what you'd guess. A 2025 study of 724 vets across Europe, so not Australian and not including nurses, asked them to rate what stresses them on a five-point scale. Owners expecting an immediate diagnosis scored 4.34. Clients expecting free treatment scored 3.87. The emotional impact of euthanasia scored 2.65.
That doesn't mean euthanasia is easy. It does suggest the daily grind deserves as much attention as the big moments: clients, money conversations, long hours and working when you're crook. Those things build slowly, which is why noticing early matters. The change in a colleague who's gone quiet, stopped taking breaks or snaps at reception is easy to wave away on a busy day.
What does the course teach?
Standard Mental Health First Aid is an accredited course from Mental Health First Aid Australia. It covers depression, anxiety, psychosis and substance use problems, plus crises like suicidal thoughts, panic attacks and traumatic events. People learn an action plan called ALGEE:
- Approach the person, and assess and assist with any crisis
- Listen and communicate without judgement
- Give support and information
- Encourage appropriate professional help
- Encourage other supports
It doesn't turn anyone into a counsellor. Nobody diagnoses or treats. They learn how to start the conversation and connect the person with proper help. People who complete the course and assessment can become Accredited Mental Health First Aiders for three years.
Who in the clinic should do it?
As many of the team as you can roster, and not just the vets. Nurses and front-desk staff see things vets don't, and reception often cops the worst of client frustration. For most small and medium workplaces, 10 to 15 trained people is a strong start, so anyone can reach a trained person across shifts. A smaller clinic can simply train everyone.
Should we send people to a course or run it on-site?
Both work, and it depends on what you're after. The Australian Veterinary Association runs its own online version with about 6 to 8 hours of e-learning and two 2.5-hour virtual workshops, limited to 12 people. That's a good option if you want one or two people trained, and it's built for the profession.
Running it on-site makes more sense when you want the whole team to share the same language. Everyone hears the same thing in the same room, and it's easier to talk honestly about how it'd work in your clinic. I run mine in person, and we shape the examples on a 15-minute planning call. You know your clinic far better than I do, so that call matters. Timing gets set then too, around your rosters and surgery days.
Does it work?
The honest answer is that it helps the people trained, and the evidence on the people they help is thinner. A 2018 review of 18 trials and 5,936 participants found improvements in knowledge, in recognising mental health problems and in confidence to help, with a small increase in the help people actually gave. Those effects were clearest up to six months after training. So think of it as a strong start that needs to be kept alive in your team.
What won't it fix?
Rosters, understaffing and client behaviour. Training doesn't remove those, and you should be wary of anyone who says one course makes you compliant. NSW employers have to manage psychosocial risks, starting with how work is designed, and the approved code of practice has been legally binding since 1 July 2026. Mental Health First Aid isn't required by law. It's a practical support that sits alongside fixing problems at the source.
How much does it cost?
I charge workplaces $4,950 + GST for up to 15 people, then $295 each up to 20. That includes the planning call, a manual for everyone, and travel anywhere in Greater Sydney. My average rating is 4.9 out of 5 across my last 75 participants. If your team's average comes in under 4.5, I refund a quarter of the fee.