Upcoming CE Events

Welcome all to the 2026 PVMA Education Series! We have several amazing speakers lined up for this coming year! 

Please join us Saturday June 20th, 2026 at 10:00am at Olympic College in Bremerton. Dr. Shana O'Marra will be providing a workshop on Burnout Prevention.

 

Balint Groups in Veterinary Medicine:

Veterinary medicine is built on relationships, not only with patients, but also with the people who love them. Challenging client interactions, moral distress, grief, conflict, compassion fatigue, and emotional exhaustion can slowly erode even the strongest veterinary teams. Balint Groups offer a structured, evidence-based way to transform these experiences into opportunities for insight, resilience, and connection.

Originally developed in human medicine, Balint Groups are small, facilitated discussion groups designed to help clinicians better understand the clinician–client–patient relationship. Rather than focusing on medical problem-solving or “the right answer,” Balint work centers on curiosity, reflection, emotional processing, and the interpersonal aspects of care.

In a Balint session, a participant presents a clinical interaction that felt emotionally difficult, confusing, memorable, or unresolved. Through facilitated discussion, the group explores the relational dynamics of the case — what the client may have been experiencing, what the clinician was experiencing, and how those emotions affected the interaction. The goal is not critique or case management, but deeper understanding, empathy, and reflection.

Balint Groups provide a safe, confidential space separated from clinical practice where veterinary professionals can exercise the often underused “cognitive muscles” of expansive and creative thinking rather than purely reductive problem-solving. Participants frequently report feeling validated, understood by peers, and relieved to discover that others share similar emotional experiences in practice.

Research supports the value of this work in veterinary medicine. A study published in the International Journal of Psychiatry in Medicine evaluated Balint Groups adapted specifically for veterinary professionals and found the model to be both feasible and beneficial. Veterinary participants reported that Balint discussions were helpful and provided many of the same benefits previously demonstrated in human healthcare settings, including improved empathy, reduced isolation, increased professional satisfaction, and enhanced understanding of the therapeutic relationship.

Balint work can be especially valuable in veterinary settings because of the uniquely complex emotional terrain of the human-animal bond. These groups honor the reality that veterinary professionals are not simply treating diseases — they are navigating grief, guilt, financial limitations, expectations, attachment, trauma, and communication challenges alongside clients every day.

What Does a Balint Group Look Like?

A typical Balint session begins with one participant presenting a case involving a difficult or emotionally significant client interaction. The presenter shares the story of the interaction and their experience of it, while the group listens without interruption.

Facilitated by trained Balint leaders, the group then reflects together on the emotional and relational aspects of the case. Participants may wonder aloud about the client’s experience, the clinician’s emotional responses, communication dynamics, or the broader meaning embedded in the interaction. The process encourages curiosity rather than judgment and exploration rather than advice-giving.

The success of a Balint Group depends on honesty, respect, psychological safety, and openness to differing perspectives. All discussion is confidential.


This workshop will run approximately 2.5–3 hours total, allowing time for:

* An introduction to the Balint method and its role in veterinary medicine
* Discussion of the evidence supporting Balint work
* A demonstration/sample Balint group
* Small-group participation
* Reflection and debrief

The most important factor is that participants have meaningful client interaction as part of their role. Individuals who regularly navigate client communication, emotional support, follow-up care, conflict, or relationship-building tend to benefit most from the Balint process.

Who Should Attend?

This experience is ideal for:

* Veterinarians
* Veterinary technicians/nurses
* Client care staff

* Any veterinary professional with client interaction

What We Need From Participants

Bring us your difficult or memorable client interactions.

The richest Balint discussions come from real experiences that felt emotionally charged, frustrating, confusing, heartbreaking, or unresolved. Cases do not need to be dramatic or extreme — often the most meaningful conversations arise from subtle moments that linger with us long after the appointment ends.

No preparation beyond willingness to reflect and participate is required.  

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