Our story
A profession as kind to its people as it is to its animals.
That's what we're working towards. Vet Empowered was founded by two vets, Katie Ford and Claire Grigson, and it's grown into coaching, CPD, workshops and events for the people of vetmed and the organisations they work for.
How it began
At the end of 2020, Claire sent Katie a message on Instagram. She was a vet who had just trained as a coach, and she wondered if Katie, a vet who'd been coaching for a couple of years, might mentor her. They talked for two hours.
The more Katie sat with it, the clearer it became. They were completely aligned: heart-centred, human-centred, and having the same conversations with vets and vet nurses at every stage, from new graduates to specialists. Katie remembered that the very first research on the imposter phenomenon found group discussion to be one of the most valuable things of all, as long as it happened somewhere safe.
So she sent Claire a long message (the kind with a 'read more' button) about an idea for a group programme that hadn't felt right on her own. A week later they sat down to map out what it should include. They'd each written almost exactly the same thing.
"We'd each written almost exactly the same thing."
That programme became the Vet Empowered Signature Programme, and Vet Empowered grew from there. We founded Vet Empowered in 2020.
What we believe
Our mission
We empower the people of vetmed to reconnect with themselves, reclaim their worth beyond their job title, and create lives that feel sustainable, meaningful and authentically human.
Our vision
A profession as kind to its people as it is to its animals.
Where 'just get on with it' is replaced by real kindness, woven into the way we work, not bolted on as an afterthought. Where every person in the team feels safe, seen and valued as the unique human they are. Because looking after the people was never separate from patient care. It was always part of it.
Our values
Authenticity
We show up as ourselves, and make it safe for you to do the same.
Depth
Tips and slogans only go so far. We go beneath the surface.
Integrity
We tell you the truth, including 'not yet' when coaching isn't the right support.
Compassion
For you, your colleagues and the profession. Sometimes a hug, sometimes a kind kick up the butt.
Energy
Warm, fun and real. Personal development doesn't have to be beige.
Both, not either.
We'll always help you own your part: your habits, your boundaries, your inner critic, the choices that are yours to make. But burnout isn't a you problem, and we won't pretend it is. Workloads, culture, hierarchy, and the way the profession trains and treats its people all play a part. We're not afraid to name the bigger picture, and to work with practices and organisations to change it. Individual tools and a kinder system. Both, not either.
Dr Katie Ford
BVSc CertAVP(SAM) PGCert MSc FRCVS
Katie qualified in 2012 and did what so many high achievers do: when it felt hard, she worked harder. Imposter thoughts followed her through her early years in practice, and the answer always seemed to be more. More hours, more certificates, more proving. Until there was nothing left to give, and she didn't know which way to turn. Therapy helped her understand what had been happening, and a coaching course afterwards changed how she related to herself and her work. She went on to love being a vet again.
Now she wants to catch people before they reach the point she did, and to walk alongside those who already have. She received the RCVS Inspiration Award in 2023 and was made a Fellow of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons in 2025.
Claire Grigson
BVM&S MRCVS ACCP
Claire was always the high achiever. At vet school in Edinburgh she treated lectures like a day job, and for years work was the place she could hit every target and put a smile on, whatever was happening elsewhere. After a time of real loss and change in her thirties, someone close to her saw the cracks behind the performance and encouraged her to get support.
Therapy was the first time she'd done something just for her. Then, almost by chance, she joined a six-month group coaching programme. 'If someone had told me years ago I needed a coach, I'd have laughed. I had my life together.' It changed everything. She built a relationship with herself she'd never had before, trained as a coach alongside her work in charity practice, and found a fire in her belly to help others do the same.
The coaching team
Beth Handley and Alex Kendall are vets and accredited coaches who came through the Signature Programme themselves. If our coaches were sticks of rock, they'd say Vet Empowered through the middle.
Beth Handley
About Beth
Alex Kendall
About Alex
Recognition
- RCVS Inspiration Award 2023
- Bright Minds Wellness Champion 2024
- Fellow of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons 2025
- Speakers at BSAVA Congress and London Vet Show
- Trusted by three major corporate graduate schemes