Holistic Healing and Wellbeing in Vet Med | Episode 81 | Reviving Vet Med

Veterinary medicine can be deeply rewarding, but it can also take a toll physically, mentally, and emotionally. Part of the solution may be expanding our idea of care to include ourselves as well as our patients.

In this episode, we talk with Dr. Galina Bershteyn, a veterinarian, certified acupuncturist, food therapist, and AVMA Veterinary Wellbeing Educator with more than three decades of experience across species, disciplines, and continents. Now living in Costa Rica, she leads Pura Vida Vet Wellness, where she integrates Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine with preventive care, holistic approaches, and a focus on sustainability in work and life.

Galina explains how acupuncture, food therapy, and other integrative practices can support both animal health and the wellbeing of veterinary professionals. We also explore the restorative impact of nature, especially the ocean, the value of creative outlets like music and art, and the idea that caring for the planet can be part of caring for ourselves.

If you are seeking more balance, creativity, or connection in your life and wondering how that fits with a veterinary career, this conversation offers practical ideas and meaningful inspiration.

Watch the Video Version of this Episode
https://youtu.be/tIzwx4f9VZc

Resources
Learn more about Lunch and Learns by Reviving Veterinary Medicine: https://revivingvetmed.com/lunch-and-learns-for-veterinary-teams/ 

Follow Galina Bershteyn on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/galina-bershteyn-dvm-cva-cvft-avma-wellbeing-educator-76a52852/ and Facebook / Instagram @puravidavetwellness

Visit Galina’s website: https://www.puravidavetwellness.com/ 

Watch Ocean with David Attenborough: https://www.disneyplus.com/browse/entity-a746313c-f585-4d28-86e5-3eccedd49e15 

Listen to Ep. 11 - Volunteering Fosters Mental Health And Wellbeing: https://revivingvetmed.buzzsprout.com/2011463/episodes/10874177-volunteering-fosters-mental-health-and-wellbeing-episode-11-reviving-vet-med 

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Transcript

Dr. Marie Holowaychuk -  Hi everyone, it's Dr. Marie Holowaychuk here. If you're like me and love staying up to date on what's happening in Vet Med beyond just cases and clinical pearls, you'll want to check out What's Up Doc, the new podcast from Scribenote, hosted by Dr. Katie Gallagher, veterinarian and co-founder of Scribenote, what's Up Doc dives into the real conversations happening in our industry, from the latest trends in tech to mental health and the everyday challenges veterinary professionals face. I had the chance to be a guest on the show to talk about all things veterinary wellbeing and trust me, it's not your average vet med podcast. So wherever you listen to your podcasts, search Whats Up Doc by Scribenote, hit follow and join the conversation. Hey everyone, welcome to another episode of Reviving Vet Med.

Dr. Marie -  Today we're exploring the intersection of Vet med, holistic wellness and personal renewal, both for our patients and ourselves. Joining me is Dr. Galina Bershteyn, a veterinarian, certified acupuncturist, food therapist, and AVMA veterinary wellbeing educator who brings more than three decades of experience in veterinary medicine. Galina's career has taken her from vet tech to DVM through emergency, equine, exotic and integrative practice, and now to Costa Rica where she runs Pura Vida Vet Wellness. Her work blends traditional Chinese veterinary medicine with preventative care and a deep commitment to wellbeing both for animals and the people who care for them. In this conversation, we dive into how acupuncture, food therapy and other holistic approaches can support not just patient health, but also the mental, emotional and physical wellbeing of veterinary professionals. 

Dr. Marie – Galina shares how living in harmony with nature, immersing herself in the ocean, and engaging in creative pursuits like music and art have helped her stay grounded, resilient and inspired. If you've ever wondered how to integrate more balance, creativity and connection into your veterinary career or your life, this episode will give you plenty to think about. So let's go ahead and get into the conversation. 

Dr. Marie – This is the Reviving Vet Med podcast and I'm your host, Dr. Marie Holowaychuk. My mission is to improve the mental health and wellbeing of veterinary professionals around the world. 

Dr. Marie – All right. Hi Galina. 

Dr. Marie – I'm so happy to have this conversation with you today. Thanks for being here. 

Dr. Galina Bershteyn – Thanks for having me, Marie. I'm really excited to be here. 

Dr. Marie – Yay. We're going to get right into it. I want to start with your journey. It has been so unique from RVT to DVM to certified ACUPUNCTURIST and food therapist. What has inspired you to pursue all of these modalities and how have they reshaped your approach to medicine and wellness? 

Dr. Galina – Yes, Marie, that's a really kind of a big encompassing question, I think, but I'll try and answer it concisely. So, yes, I started as an RVT and I think it's funny because partly the reason I went to RVT versus, you know, veterinarian, right off the bat had to actually, I think, do with self-esteem issues. Like, you know, kind of looking back on it, you know, the whole topic about wellbeing and self-care. Well, I wasn't very good at that for sure, at that point. So I was thinking, okay, well, maybe if I, you know, kind of start small, work my confidence up, see if I can do it. Because, you know, that long of a schooling was very intimidating, for sure. 

Dr. Galina – And I wanted to do other things, like I wanted to travel Europe, I wanted to do this, I wanted to do that. So that actually led to my journey of going to Europe and getting a working holiday in England as an rbt. And that kind of, you know, solidified my journey as a veterinarian because that sort of solidified the decision that I wanted to go back and do more schooling. Then, you know, as an adult student going back to school, you're really enthusiastic and excited. So, you know, I learned as much as I could, obviously with, you know, at OBC at the Ontario Veterinary College, which of course you're familiar with, because I think you were there during the last couple years that I was there, so. 

Dr. Marie – Yay. 

Dr. Galina – But interestingly enough, when I worked, so because I was a technician, I was able to work in the anesthesia department. And my first, I guess, introduction to holistic medicine was actually through one of the anesthesia. Actually, no, she was an intern. She was an intern in internal medicine or resident. Sorry, Ainsley. I think. Ainsley. I wish I could remember her name. Anyway, she showed me a resuscitation point, like right here between GD26. So she showed me this point and said, oh, I learned this the other day. And sure enough, she would use this consistently. And she also showed me a herbal that she would use for blood clotting, which she would use either internally or, you know, on the outside of a wound. And I thought, oh my gosh, like, you know, this board certified, you know, they're doing this. This is cool. 

Dr. Galina – So that was kind of my first intro into it. And then during my last year when I did an externship Well, I was really interested in equine at that point. And the externship that I did was with a solo practitioner in, you know, Niagara Falls area. And she was doing acupuncture on these horses and doing therapeutic ultrasound. I think she was one of the first people actually doing acupuncture in Canada, you know, in general. So, again, that sort of piqued my interest. As I was doing, you know, the externship with her, I would see how she was doing that anyways. You know, somehow I couldn't explain why, but it worked. So that piqued my interest. And then after graduating as a veterinarian working in Toronto and small animal. 

Dr. Galina – I don't know, it's funny because I look back on it, and I think the burnout really kind of started at that point on my journey. And I was looking for something else in veterinary medicine so that, you know, I landed back onto holistic medicine, acupuncture specifically. And I started looking into what programs I could do, you know, what information I could find. And I ended up at the T University, now it's Reddick, Florida. And I started with just, you know, the basic acupuncture course. And I wanted to do the traditional philosophy of it. So there's different ways of doing traditional Chinese medicine, but I wanted the full experience. 

Dr. Galina – And because I think I decided to do it that way, I realized how those modalities actually made me look at not only my patients as a whole, like, because it would look at every aspect of their environment, of their health. Like, it would be a total health philosophy that it would look at. So everything was connected, including, you know, your small pinky toe is. Oh, you have a brain tumor. Oh, well, that makes sense. You know, like, you could connect things that way in certain ways that Western medicine never explained for me. And then I could see that in myself. So, you know, I started realizing, like, how much of what I was doing was really not healthy. So I started actually inadvertently changing my own lifestyle. The more information and the more deeply I got into the holistic medicine side. I love that. 

Dr. Marie – Well, I won't out the individual you're talking about on the podcast because I know her well and I don't think. 

Dr. Galina – She would like it. 

Dr. Marie – But Ainsley was a resident of mine in emergency and critical care, so I know exactly who you're talking about. Ainsley. Hi, if you're listening. And so, yeah, we have a specific acupuncture site that we use for resuscitating newborns or other animals during cpr, specifically stimulating their respiratory drive. And then I'm guessing it was Unan Bio that was the herb for stimulating blood clotting. Such a small world. Galina. So, you know, I think most people know what acupuncture is. I certainly have used acupuncture routinely in my life. Sometimes for physical ailments like foot pain or, you know, recovering from injuries or whatever it might be. Sometimes for psychological ailments like my anxiety or if I'm having difficulties relaxing or whatever it might be. I think people might be a little bit less familiar with food therapy. 

Dr. Marie – But I'm wondering if you can kind of explain a little bit. You shared a little bit about acupuncture, but with food therapy, how does that work? And how do you see these modalities intersecting with wellbeing among veterinary professionals? Which is of course something that you and I are both very passionate about. 

Dr. Galina – Yes, absolutely. Well, I mean, food therapy, it's one of the branches of traditional Chinese medicine, is kind of an all encompassing term. It has different branches. It has five branches actually. So acupuncture is one. Well, obviously food therapy is one. There's chunai, which is like a massage. That's another branch. There's also meditation and movement as well. But it's all based on a sort of five elements theory, which is interesting. So with food therapy, again, it sort of looks at, you know, your body as a whole, your body in relation to your environment, which includes, you know, the time of year, do you live in a city, do you live in the country, you know, what kind of lifestyle do you actually have. And it also looks at what's called your constitution. 

Dr. Galina – So we look at that to a certain extent in acupuncture as well. In a nutshell, traditional Chinese medicine, the five element theory is based on there's five elements in the universe and everything is made up of those five elements. So everyone has like all of those elements in them. However, one or two may be predominant. So one of the things about food therapy is it looks at, okay, here's your constitution and here's your environment. Here's what your goal is. So whether it's prevention or treating a disease, and then you eat appropriate foods to help you either to maintain health or, you know, prevent diseases or to actually treat an issue. So, for example, say you have a hot condition of inflammation, right? So that inflammation is considered hot. 

Dr. Galina – You would use a food that would be a cooling food to help you decrease the temperature, you see, so it kind of makes sense. And you're eating for balance. That's the goal of food therapy in general. 

Dr. Marie – So is that the same as Ayurvedic medicine? Is that or similar. Similar. Okay, okay. Because like, you're speaking my language here as a yoga teacher and dipping a little bit into that, but okay, that's cool. 

Dr. Galina – Yes. I think there's a lot of overlap. Obviously, you know, the Eastern medicine philosophy, like traditional Chinese medicine, is based on Zen Buddhism. It's a philosophy of medicine. Right. So it looks at patterns, it looks at seasons, it looks at, you know, your emotions, you know, like how we say, oh, you know, you can die of a broken heart. Well, in Chinese medicine theory, yes, you can actually. But you can also eat foods to help counterbalance that, help you get over it. So it's really interesting. But the whole principle, whether it's acupuncture, food therapy, meditation, movement, massage, it's all to put the body back in balance, whatever balance is. So if your primary constitution like mine is, for example, water. 

Dr. Galina – So for me, that's actually one of the reasons I live in Costa Rica, close to the water, because for me, I need an environment that is conducive to water. And salt specifically, because in Chinese medicine, salt is the taste of water. Anyways, I won't get too much in too many details on that, but there's specific tastes, there's specific smells, emotions that are related to those five elements. Yeah, I love that. 

Dr. Marie – It's fascinating. You've worked in so many different areas in vet med, you know, you shared e pline, exotics, holistic, you know, emergency, which of course is a common passion of ours. What are some practical ways that you've seen holistic approaches help in terms of reducing stress, preventing burnout, and promoting resilience among caregivers because you've been exposed to a whole lot of modalities and individuals. What are just a few ways that you've seen these be a benefit? 

Dr. Galina – Yeah, absolutely. I don't think it's just one thing. Obviously, you have to have an arsenal of tools and skills and methodologies that you can, you know, tap into, you know, any given time. So, for example, when I used to work at the emergency clinic and I would do a lot of overnights and I couldn't eat, so food therapy was kind of out, you know, that kind of went out the window. I was just starting to get interested in that, actually, when I was at the emergency clinic, because of the experiences that I had, one of the things that really worked for me was, you know, you don't have much time when you're going from. On an overnight shift from one patient to the next. But you might have time to, you know, run into the bathroom for a second. 

Dr. Galina – If you're lucky, then you can potentially do like, you know, a breathing technique which again is one of the branches of traditional Chinese medicine, is like meditative, which obviously has a lot to do with breathing. So, you know, I would literally only have a minute. So while I'm peeing, I'm doing this breathing. So that would help also just when I was able to eat, because actually that was one of my challenges working in emergency. I lost so much weight, I couldn't sleep and I couldn't eat properly. So when I did, the Chinese medicine actually helped me as far as, you know, using things like green tea. Right. And just having that as antioxidant and anti anxiety. Right. Because that's a natural anti anxiety. 

Dr. Galina – So even just using small things like that, or if I was able to eat, I would have something that was in line with what I was missing, like whether, you know, if it was in the middle of the winter, I would try and get something that was very watery because it's for my constitution and very warm. So something like chicken soup. Right. For example. So it doesn't need to be complicated. You just, I guess are more aware of your body in general and how it's affecting everything else in your life. So I think it's really about creating that connection to your own body, which I think is the key for wellbeing in general. 

Dr. Galina – I think, you know, as a profession we tend to, you know, focus all our energy outwards that we have so much trouble focusing inside that we don't even know, you know, what we're feeling half the time. And that was one of the struggles that I think Chinese medicine really helped me with is to really kind of focus on, you know, what is my body actually feeling like, okay, does it feel imbalanced? Okay, maybe I need to eat this or maybe I need to go and do a yoga, you know, a yoga session, like prioritize it because, you know, I'm feeling drained otherwise. So it really helps to get sort of like a wellbeing schedule, like designed for yourself. That's individual. I love that. 

Dr. Marie – I love that. Yeah, I love the holistic approach of looking at everything. Like we know based on research that there is this mind body connection, especially this mind gut connection that we're really learning more about. There's, you know, randomized studies that have shown that probiotics can actually help with mental health challenges like depression and anxiety. And there's a reason for that. Like that microbiome has ripple effects through the body. And I know here I am, you know, going into Western medicine, but all that to say, like, it makes good sense and it even highlights some of the areas that we don't necessarily think about. And I'm constantly in awe. My acupuncturist is a traditional Chinese medicine doctor and so, you know, she'll kind of, I don't know, be like feeling on my stomach or. 

Dr. Marie – And just like that, oh, there's, you got a hot spot right here, whatever. And I'm like, what does that even mean? And oh, that's tied to, you know, this that you're feeling over here. And anyways, it's fascinating and yeah, highly recommend that people consider looking more into that if that's something that interests you, whether as an adjunct to your veterinary practice or certainly for your own health and wellbeing. Especially if you found that the traditional path of, you know, counseling and, you know, exercise hasn't worked for you. Maybe there's a reason for that. 

Dr. Galina – Right, exactly. And it's just having more tools and being more introspective and understanding. Like, oh, well, maybe I'm a little different than, you know, my friend next door, you know, because we're all very individual so finding what works for you. And it's funny that you said that, you know, the gut biome in Chinese medicine that would of course, fit together. That's your heart, you know, like your anxiety over controlling your gut, which is your earth. 

Dr. Marie – Right. 

Dr. Galina – So that's your fire, you know, scorching your earth. That totally makes sense to me. Right. So again, you can almost sort of predict what the result, you know, like I could always predict when I'd be in a bad mood because, oh well, yeah, of course I forgot to, you know, eat this or I forgot to do my stretches or, you know, so you start to be more aware of what you're doing, what you're not doing, maybe what makes you feel better. So I think it's invaluable to have it as at least something that you can look at as an experiment, like, okay, maybe I'll try this and see if I feel better. Love that. 

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Dr. Marie – I want to talk about the fact that you live full time in Costa Rica, which you brought up constantly surrounded by nature and the ocean, for which I am forever envious. I would love to know your thoughts on how immersion in nature, especially the ocean, specifically for you of course, as somebody who is, you know, like you said, water is one of the big components of you. How has that supported your wellbeing? How has that change in environment shifted your wellbeing? 

Dr. Galina – Oh, it's actually been huge. In my situation it was almost like an emergency. I came down here. I wasn't really planning to get here. When I did it was more of a long term plan but I felt like for my own mental health that I didn't really have another choice. So it was interesting. Like I mean I knew this was the place I needed to be, but how it still took something like a really big shift to make me actually do it. And it turned out to be obviously the best decision I've ever made in my life. Because honestly looking back, like before I left I was doing all the right things and I was starting to, you know, kind of get those skills. 

Dr. Galina – But you know, it's like looking back, like if I only knew then what I know now, you know, things would have been much different of course. But I mean the fact that I'm here is just a miracle in a nutshell how I got here. But what I noticed was, you know, I was on antidepressant medication, I was on anti anxiety medication and I was still struggling like I was thinking real fast like I was struggling with my physical health as well. It was so interesting because it almost felt like I was breaking down mentally, emotionally and then it was like my body's like, yep, see ya. You know, I'm going too, right? Because that is that mind body connection. Of course. So just that change in environment. 

Dr. Galina – And I'm not going to say, you know, it was instant at all because you know, even now I still feel like I'm still recovering because it was just such a severe burnout that I experienced unfortunately because I didn't know I gone past that point of almost like no return. Right. But that's okay. Because I feel like there is still that point of no return, or there is a point of return. It's just some of us take a little longer than others, and that's fine. We all have our own journeys. But that change in environment was able to really let me focus on myself. And because it was during the pandemic, of course, you know, like, there was nobody here. So I think it was almost like a forced silent retreat that I had to kind of go back to the basics of myself. 

Dr. Galina – Like, what could I do to make myself feel good? Because I was literally at the point where nothing felt good. I was beyond numb. Yeah. So I know with your experience, you understand what I'm saying when I say that. So, like, I just remember spending hours just staring at the ocean so my mind would be quiet. And that was the only way I could quiet my mind. Otherwise, it was like this. And when I was in vet school, I remember the first year everyone did yoga class, and me, crazy lady that I am, I decided to do a 10 week scuba diving course at OVC with all the marine biologists. And I hated every minute of it. It was such a pain in the butt because I missed the bus every Tuesday because the pool went too long. 

Dr. Galina – And I never knew why I was doing it, but I just felt this, you know, draw, like I had to do it. And then when I finally got to Costa Rica and there was really nothing I could do, like, I couldn't work here. I was kind of in limbo for the first couple years and I started diving because I had been, you know, diving for the last 20 years, just on vacations. And, you know, when I was able to go, when I needed a break from the veterinary world, I would go and I would do, you know, a course somewhere. That's how I would do it. And then all of a sudden, I was faced with, okay, I'm not really a vet anymore, because I just left. Everything's closed. I'm in a new country. 

Dr. Galina – Like, I could literally be anything I want right now, Anything at all, anything I ever dreamed of and what I always wanted to do. I'm like, I want to dive. I just want to have the ocean. I want that to be my environment because I couldn't handle the outside world at that point. So I literally just dove in. I dove in. I did my instructor training, I started teaching. I started working with these girls that literally I would entrust with my life every single day. And that actually taught me how to work as a team. I'm like, oh, my God, why can't we do this in veterinary clinics? Why? We would love our jobs. I mean, seriously. And, you know, it'd be so much easier. And, you know, as soon as my head goes underwater, everything turns off. 

Dr. Galina – You can't call me, I can't check my cell phone. I can't get messages. You can't even talk to me. It's just sign language, right? So it really does go back to the basics and makes you feel like you're part of something bigger than yourself, which I think is one of the things we also forget. Getting wrapped up in our everyday lives, you know, giving our energy away every day for all our patients, all our family, like, everything, right? But I think that's what is kind of the root of all the depression, all the anxiety, is when you feel so alone. You feel like you're the only one, or you feel disconnected from, like, who you truly are, what you truly feel. And that to me is the natural world. So since then, I'm off all medications, like, literally. I mean, I don't know. 

Dr. Galina – I remember my doctor saying, you know, don't count on the fact that you're going to go to Costa Rica, and then everything's going to be hunky dory, like you still have an imbalance in your brain, because this is what depression is, and I've had it since I was a child. And I said, you know what? I don't accept that. I don't accept that. I think we have more control and more power than we know, and it's just creating and building what's right for you. And then you can change the chemical structure of your brain. Of course you can. How else do we grow as humans, as people? You know, like, I feel like that's being too much of a victim when you think that's not possible. 

Dr. Galina – I think the medications should be something that we use to get to that point, you know, to help us with everything else, with counseling, with whatever you need to get there. And I think there's a lot of different ways that can look like and probably a lot of different areas that you need, you know, to bring in to help yourself. But I think the environment is huge, and I think we forget about that. 

Dr. Marie – Yeah. Oh, so many important things to unpack. And, you know, when it comes to depression and medication specifically, I think everybody is different. You know, as someone who's lived with depression since, well, you know, diagnosed in my early 20s and probably started before that, you know, being on and off medication throughout my adulthood, you know, it's actually when you look at the research, brain chemistry aside, you know, there are subsets of individuals when they have significant mood relapses within a certain timeframe of stopping medication, the chance of them needing medication lifelong is much higher. At least that's the way that my psychiatrist explained it to me. And that said, we live in a world where diagnoses of mental illnesses like depression and anxiety are at an all time high. 

Dr. Marie – And there is research to demonstrate that does coincide with a lot of the environmental, cultural and technological shifts that we've had. I listened to a podcast recently looking at children with anxiety. While it is correlation, not causation, is significant, research to demonstrate with the rise of the smartphone has been the rise of anxiety and especially self-harm and other very concerning mental health problems, especially among young girls. So I agree with you. I think there's so many different factors and of course that's why traditional Chinese medicine is so important. When we think about environment specifically, I teach a lot about self-care and the different dimensions of self-care and wellness. 

Dr. Marie – And like we discussed, kind of similar to how traditional Chinese medicine looks at, you know, everything holistically with self-care, it's not just about eating right and going to bed early and exercising. There's many different things, you know, financial, social and others. And the environment is one of those things. And when I dove into that, I was like, environment, like, what does that even mean? Like, you know, is that like the planet? 

Dr. Galina – You know? 

Dr. Marie – And yes, that in fact is one of those things. But again, going back to the research, there is tremendous research to demonstrate how our environment impacts our mental health and wellbeing research in the workplace to show that if you work in a cluttered work environment, your chance of experiencing depressive symptoms is higher. I can't remember exactly, you know, what the variable was, but something to do with your home environment being chaotic or cluttered or something like that you are more likely to experience is symptoms of anxiety. So we know that to be true. And I think this dovetails really well into another thing that I want to talk about because I do think, you know, and actually before I get there, I want to go back to something else that you said, which is this idea that there's something bigger beyond us. Right? 

Dr. Marie – And that was one of the big things as well. When I look into the impact of the environment on our wellbeing is these big experiences in nature, whether it's the vastness of the ocean or the majestic nature of the mountains, which is what I relate to where I live, it creates this sense of awe. And when you experience that awe, that's unexplainable, untenable, like almost like you can't put it into words that there is a wellbeing benefit to that. And again, you know, there's research to support that as well. 

Dr. Galina – I believe that. I believe that because that's like hope, that's like having a reason to live. That's like the magic of our planet, of our world, of where we live. It's not just about the client that just yelled at me, like, who cares? Exactly. Yeah, they're web appliers and they're having a bad day. Totally. 

Dr. Marie – It just broadens your perspective, which is why I really, part of me wanting to have this conversation with you was wanting to talk about your passion for ocean conservation because you clearly identify with the importance of being in nature, enjoying nature, enjoying the ocean, the impact that's had on you. Can you speak to this idea that caring for the planet, especially our oceans, is an extension of caring for ourselves and our communities? 

Dr. Galina – Yeah, absolutely. I think that was one of the skills, I guess, that I was trying to exercise, you know, when I first came here. You know, it's almost like looking for a purpose. Like being a veterinarian was such a crucial part of my identity for so long and like basically my whole life. You know, I did want to be a veterinarian when I was a child. I just wanted to do other things too. So, you know, it's identifying with it but not being defined by it. So the ocean kind of like, for me, it sort of gives me perspective on that. And what like having a purpose outside of yourself and outside of, you know, what your goals are just for yourself, like literally staying in that sense of awe almost. 

Dr. Marie – Right. 

Dr. Galina – And if we don't protect that. I see it firsthand here. Like, you know, I live in a marine protected area and when I first moved here I thought, oh, that's so great. You know, this is the first marine protected area in Costa Rica. You know, they're really proud of it, they're really protecting it. And then I learned that, you know, me on my little dive boat every day, I'm the one who's patrolling because no one else is there, you know, so it's like kind of understanding that no, you can't fix everything. But it's also, if you look outside yourself, there are small things you can do. 

Dr. Galina – If you're looking at small things in your environment, you can also look at things in your bigger environment that will make a difference for your smaller environment of, you know, Feeling at least proud of the accomplishment or feeling like you can do something, because I think that's also part of it is that feeling of hopelessness. Like we see all the stories about how everything's dying and everything's going away and you can find all of those. But then I also watched, you know, the new documentary by David Attenborough, the ocean one and oh my God, I love that man. He's 99 years old. You know, he was diving back in the 50s when our oceans were so full of fish that you would literally bump into them as soon as you jumped in the water. I mean, we don't have that at all anymore. 

Dr. Galina – And he's seen all of that. He's seen all the, you know, long lining, the trawling, how it's not just destroying the ocean. Our ocean is our lungs, it's everything. Like that is our environment. If that's gone, our terrestrial environment is also gone. Right. But the best thing about that movie was that it reminded me that, you know, he was saying that in a nutshell, the marine protected areas are the hope. That's the way forward. Community led initiatives to protect those marine protected areas that people are living around. Kind of like where I'm living now. And you know, it's almost like getting angry about something is also a good seed for getting things done and getting some sort of action happening. So, you know, I'm trying to see who else is interested in protecting our marine protected area that's not protected. 

Dr. Galina – And then that actually also helped with, you know, the depression side of it, because then I felt like I'm part of a community of people that also care about our environment. And then I feel like I'm part of something that is bigger than, like, it's not competition, it's collaboration. And it's, you know, people from North America, people from Costa Rica, people from Europe. But we all have the same goal. So almost looking at the planet or your bigger environment, you can always find a mutual goal, even in those potential conflict relationships. Right. I love that. Yeah. 

Dr. Marie – There's so much evidence to support this idea of social wellbeing, connecting with other people around a common goal or interest or purpose. You know, it really offers this sense of belonging which is an antidote to loneliness, which a lot of people feel. And I would venture to say that I know that what you do is volunteer. Like these are not initiatives that you are paid for. There's a lot of research to demonstrate that volunteering, doing something, you know, beyond that, which we are compensated for actually maybe Counterintuitively brings us a lot of joy and also boosts our wellbeing. When we can do something to help. 

Dr. Galina – Out of the goodness of our hearts. 

Dr. Marie – And because we are driven by purpose or passion around that is really important. And I will link to that ocean documentary as well as podcasts that we recorded on volunteering and the benefits of that, because I think that can't be understated. 

Dr. Galina – Oh, I agree 100% with the volunteering. It's something bigger than yourself that you can share. And it's funny because I always thought, like, when I burned out very badly, that's it, no more vet medicine. I'm never going back to this. Like, I could not look at another patient. So of course, through volunteering, I started helping at a wildlife rescue with some monkeys. And of course that was free. Like you said, it's volunteering. You know, I thought that it was counterintuitive that I would actually gain my love back for veterinary medicine by not getting paid for doing it. But it's almost like you get your identity sort of wrapped up financially in it too, because that's your livelihood. Right. 

Dr. Galina – So when you can do it from the love of your heart, which is how we all wanted to do it in the first place, then it really brings us back to why we chose this profession. 

Dr. Marie – Right. Such a great point. You know, I'm so fascinated by you, Galina. The more I get to know about you mentioned you're a diver. People maybe don't also know that you're an artist and a musician. I've had the pleasure of listening to you play the guitar and sing. You know, you've got so many creative outlets that you have with your music and your artistry. Just wondering how that has supported your mental health and wellbeing. 

Dr. Galina – Yeah. So looking back on sort of my trajectory in my career, I noticed that the times that I felt the worst, so to speak, were the times like I was unable to tap into that creative outlet. Because I think again, like, you sort of get defined as being this veterinarian, this practice owner, this whoever, right. It's like there's nothing else. But that's not right, that it can't be. You are so much more than just that people piece. Right? I mean, it doesn't have to be something creative. It could be something sporty, it could be just something else that is part of an integral part of your personality, of what you feel good doing. Like, I always thought, you know, if it's something that I'm doing that I can lose track of time, then that's what I want to do. 

Dr. Galina – That's what I want to do. And that's actually a meditative state, isn't it? It's like active meditation, right? And before I was going into, you know, the veterinary field, funny enough, when I was in, you know, high school and beginning college, I was an English major. I did art. I wanted to write novels. I went to Vancouver to, you know, be a hippie on the beach. That's basically what I did at 18, after high school, and then realized I couldn't sustain that, like. But that was always kind of the plan as well, as I love animals and I love the medical side of it. But funny enough, it was a traumatic episode in grade nine where my home EC teacher told me I was too stupid to learn science. 

Dr. Galina – And I think that stuck for so long that I didn't even realize it was there. That was unpacked in therapy. But anyway, I think that was like an obstacle, right? Like, I didn't even realize, but I was so impressionable at the time, and it was such a, you know, impressionable age that it stuck, and I didn't even realize it was there. And so the art was a really big part of my life already. But I kind of let it go when I got into the vet medicine side of it, which was very detrimental to my mental health because then I had nothing to disconnect me from the veterinary side of it. There was nothing I could lose track of time with anymore. So cases would replay in my head. I wouldn't sleep because I'm like, oh, I got to call so and so. 

Dr. Galina – Oh, I forgot to, you know, write this in the record. Oh, no, what about this? You know, I'd wake up at three in the morning, like, oh, I got to call so and so who's on shift, because they're taking over my case and I forgot to check the calcium, you know, or something like that. You know, you've thought of a new approach or a new treatment or something else. So I found the creative outlet is so important to disconnect your mind from that, which, of course, is a slippery slope to depression, anxiety, mental health issues and burnout, right? So I think if anyone has anything like that they can cultivate and make sure they make time for, like, put it in your schedule. I'm serious. Put it in your schedule. And then I think that's what saves me. 

Dr. Galina – That's what saves me now as well. That was part of my recovery. It's like art therapy, right? I love that. 

Dr. Marie – I Love that. Well, it has been such a joy connecting with you. I feel like we could talk for another hour for sure. You know, I am so grateful to have you as one of our facilitators at Reviving Veterinary Medicine. And so it's just been such a pleasure and I do hope that more people get to connect with you through the lunch and learns that we offer and other things. In the meantime, where can listeners learn more about the work that you do and the services that you offer through Pura Vida Vet Wellness? 

Dr. Galina – Sure, Marie. Well, you know, everything's still in flux and changing, but I'm still offering some retreats, some wellness retreats. So if you're interested, it's puravidavetwellness.com. You can also find me on Instagram, Same handle at Pura Vida Vet Wellness. 

Dr. Marie – Yeah, come to Costa Rica. 

Dr. Galina – I can vouch for how beautiful it is. 

Dr. Marie – Galina, what does the phrase reviving veterinary medicine mean to you? 

Dr. Galina – Yes, I think reviving is keeping things fresh. And when I hear reviving about medicine, it's like what's important to you, like going back to what's important and what fuels you in that passion for vet medicine. So it's keeping it fresh, keeping it relevant, like what it means for you, what that medicine means for you. 

Dr. Marie – Love that. 

Dr. Galina – Awesome. 

Dr. Marie – Well, so glad we had the chance to connect today. Have a wonderful rest of your day and we'll talk again soon. 

Dr. Galina – Thanks, Marie. It was a pleasure. Foreign. 

Dr. Marie – So that's it for this episode of Reviving Vet Med. I hope Galina's story has inspired you to think about wellness in a broader way, one that goes beyond the clinic walls and into how we care for ourselves, our communities and the planet. Whether it's exploring holistic modalities, reconnecting with nature, or rediscovering creative passions, her journey is a beautiful reminder that Vet Med can be both a calling and a sustainable, fulfilling part of life. If this conversation sparked ideas for your own wellbeing, I encourage you to share it with a colleague or friend who might be looking for a fresh perspective. And if you'd like to learn more about Galina's work with Pura Vida Vet Wellness or to hire her as a lunch and learn facilitator for your team. You'll find all the links in the show notes. 

Dr. Marie – Please subscribe to the podcast if you haven't already, so you never miss a future episode. You can also follow us on social media at RevivingVetMed for more wellbeing tools, tips and resources. Special thanks to the team at Podcast prime solutions for producing this episode. To Dr. Galina Bershteyn for being our guest. And most of all, thank you for listening. Until next time, take care of yourself. Bye for now.