Frequently asked questions

It's the heart of what we do. Six or twelve months of weekly live group coaching, upwards of 35 hours of CPD, and a community that has your back, run by vets who've been where you are. It's online, and it's less about adding more to your plate and more about coming back to yourself: what matters to you, what you want, and the confidence to go after it. Katie and Claire coach in it every week, so you won't be handed a worksheet and waved off. Read more about the Signature Programme.

1. You fill in the application form and it lands in our inbox (Claire reads every one personally). There's a Calendly link on the form so you can book a call and see what's available. Can't see any slots? That doesn't mean we don't have any, so apply anyway.
2. We reply to everyone within 72 hours, generally speaking, by email. If it sounds like a good fit, we'll offer you a call. If we don't think now is the right time, we'll still email you and say so. Please check your junk folder, because our emails have a habit of hiding in there. They come from an @vetempowered.com address.
3. Then we jump on a discovery call. It's about 30 minutes, very informal, no sales script and no ironed shirt required (our pets will probably join in). We want to know where you're up to, what you've tried before and what you'd like from coaching, and we'll help you work out which of our offers actually fits.
4. Then you get time to think. If you know on the call, great. If you don't, that's fine too. We don't ask you to decide on the spot, and we'd never ask for a deposit on a call. We're not pushy. We'd like this to be a decision you make from an aligned place.
5. If it's a yes, we set a date for you to come in. We send you everything you need ahead of time, line up what to expect and get you access to everything. We'll talk you through what happens, step by step, so nobody's left wondering where the Zoom link is.

We have intakes throughout the year, usually one every one to two months, so you're never waiting long. You'll have six or twelve months, depending on which you choose, and you get immediate access to the signature content modules, so you can get going straight away. Everyone learns differently, so we'll help you find a way of working through it that suits you.

Plan on one to two hours a week, minimum. That's an hour live on a Wednesday evening, our one-hour Sunday group meditation and reflection session, and half an hour to an hour of extra content when you fancy it. You don't need to come to every live call, though. The Wednesday coaching call is the one to prioritise: if a week gets full, the Sunday session and the extra content are the first things to let go. Then there's the bit that matters most: using what you've learned in real life, in between, and coming back to reflect on it with us. Think of it as a gym membership for personal development. We bring the equipment and the personal trainers. You turn up.

Don't worry, we're not going to tell you off. We don't expect you to be on every live call, although the more you can come to, the more you'll get from them. Some weeks you might come along, not be coached, and simply listen. Be part of the community. That's absolutely fine.

In our WhatsApp community we have a vote on which sessions people are coming to, and if it looks like it'll be busy, we'll often put on extra sessions during the week, because everyone deserves enough time to be coached. We do keep an informal register, so if it's been a couple of weeks and we haven't seen you, we'll check in. It always comes from a kind place. Never a telling off, we promise.

Absolutely, that's what we're there for. Every Wednesday you have a live coaching session with us and the team. In between, pop your questions into the WhatsApp groups as they occur to you, so they're waiting for the next call.

All the sessions are in groups, often with small breakout rooms. We know groups aren't everyone's first choice (more on that below), but they're powerful. You share wins, learn from what other people notice and move forward together. If you'd like one-to-one support as well, it's available at an additional investment, so get in touch. You can read about 1:1 coaching.

All of our coaching team, at different points. We think there's real value in hearing from different coaches, but we're a small team, so it isn't a new face every session. Come and meet everyone on our About page.

It's online, so you can join from wherever you are. We do love meeting in person though, and you'll often find us at conferences, so you might get to say hello properly.

It's for Signature Programme members only, and it's a small handful of different chats. Join in as much or as little as you like. There's even a stream with only announcements, if you'd rather not be in the actual chats.

It's the number one worry we hear before people join. It's also the number one thing they tell us they loved by the end (alongside everything else, obviously). Very quickly, they're over it. If you're nervous, you're in very good company, and you can hear it in their own words on our testimonials page.

It happens occasionally, and there are two things we'd say. First, remember you're all there for the same reason. Second, if two colleagues are on the programme together, we get to know each of you, and we can make sure you're coached in different rooms if you need that. We're very explicit about it. And if you do end up in separate rooms, it doesn't mean one of you wants to talk about the other. It means we've given you the chance to be in different places.

You can pay in full or monthly. There's a bonus for paying for the six months in full, and we're happy to talk through what works for you on your discovery call. Refund details are on the Signature Programme page.

Six or twelve months, whichever you choose. Plenty of people love it so much they come back for another round (we're not complaining), and we'll talk you through your options towards the end. There's ongoing support afterwards too, so it isn't a cliff edge.

That's ok. Fill in the application form and book a chat, or email hello@vetempowered.com, and we'll talk through what you need and what's worrying you. We're proud of our integrity, and we're not afraid to say "not yet". It matters far more to us that you get the right support than that we get paid and you don't get what you came for. If it's not the right time, we can always come back to it.

Coaching is a confidential conversation that helps you get clear on where you are, what you want and what's in the way, so you can take your next step with a bit more confidence. It's practical, it looks forward, and you steer it. Veterinary coaching means your coach knows vetmed from the inside, so nobody wastes the session explaining what a Saturday on call feels like. It isn't therapy and it isn't crisis support, and we'll always be honest if we think you need something else.

Not at all, and it's a narrative we'd like to retire. Olympic athletes all have coaches, and funnily enough it's not just because they're struggling. Plenty of people come to us when things are going ok and they want more of what matters, or they've got a decision to make. You don't have to hit rock bottom to be worth some support.

Good question, and a common one. They're different things, and the right one depends on where you are. Our free Vet Empowered coaching guide explains the differences and what to look for in a coach. Generally speaking, any good professional, whether coach or therapist, will help you work out which fits, and your GP is there too. We're not afraid to say "not yet" or "not us". We want this to be the right thing for you.

Talk to them first. Sometimes coaching and therapy can run side by side, and sometimes it's better to wait. It's often not a no, it's a "not yet". It's worth thinking about time too. If you already have therapy or coaching in your week, would adding more feel manageable?

Yes. One-to-one coaching is confidential, and in the group everyone signs a confidentiality agreement when they join.

No. Group coaching sessions aren't recorded, and neither are one-to-one calls. We do keep notes from sessions and store them securely, which is set out in your agreement. Our content sessions are recorded.

Yes. We're inclusive, we welcome everyone, and we consider ourselves allies: we do what we can, where we can. We've had non-binary veterinary colleagues be part of our programmes.

For our colleagues who are exploring their gender and sexuality, you are very welcome. We understand that navigating this can sometimes bring up spaces and times that are complex, and we don't want to do you a disservice. If you want a space to dive deeper into that, that isn't us. If you do want to be part of the community and work on the topics we cover, we'll welcome you with open arms.

You're very welcome. We're welcoming and accommodating, and we encourage people to find what helps them. We aren't an organisation that provides ADHD or autism-specific coping strategies, and we don't advertise ourselves as a neurodivergent coaching service, because that would be incorrect. But we've had many neurodivergent members in our community, and members of our team are neurodivergent too. We'll always encourage you to lean into self-compassion and find what works for you, and we offer options and normalise doing things in different ways. Some of our coaching team have done neurodiversity CPD, so we're aware, and we're always open to feedback.

No. We have people at every stage of qualification and in every role. Egos at the door, post-nominals too.

No. Other than being part of the veterinary and animal health world, we don't limit who can join by any characteristic. All ages, stages, genders, races, brain types and job titles are welcome. We've had plenty of men on our programmes, and non-binary colleagues too. A large proportion of our members have been women so far, which may reflect the ratios at vet school in recent years. If you like our vibe, jump in.

Yes. Our on-demand courses include CPD certificates (we spell it out on each course page), and you get one at the end of the Signature Programme too. Have a look at our CPD library.

We're not RACE-accredited right now. If that's something you'd like, tell us, and if enough of you are interested, we'll absolutely go through the process. Katie has delivered RACE-accredited CPD sessions for US colleagues before. We're confident our sessions count as CPD, and you can see what the RCVS says about it here.

Ah, the classic. Head to vetempowered.teachable.com, hit Sign In and use the email address you signed up with. You can reset your password from there. If you bought something and got no emails at all, email hello@vetempowered.com and tell us which address you think you used. A typo in the email address is the usual culprit, and it means none of your confirmation emails have found you.

Most courses are for the lifetime of the course, or the page will tell you if it's different. And before anyone asks: lifetime does not mean the rest of our lives (we wish). It means the lifetime of the course, which will be at least a year from purchase.

The email you get from Teachable is your invoice. Save it as a PDF and you're done, because we don't issue a separate one. And yes, we're VAT registered in the UK. For the Signature Programme, we're happy to invoice your practice directly.

Most of it is in our Practice Guide. For anything else, get in touch.

A lot of practices do, and more are seeing the value. Our evidence site sets out the business case, and our Ask your employer page helps you write the email, so you're not staring at a blank screen.

Yes. We can invoice your practice directly, and we're already set up as a supplier with many of the large veterinary groups.

That's a kind thing to be thinking about. Our blog on how to talk to your team members about coaching is a good place to start. We're also more than happy to jump on and talk to them directly. To maintain confidentiality, we won't be able to share the specifics of what they say, but as agreed with your colleague, we may well agree at the end that one of our programmes or coaching is a good fit. We're always happy to signpost elsewhere too.

They're bespoke, so the structure and price depend on you and your team, and there's no off-the-shelf price list. Take a look at our team workshops, then get in touch and we'll talk it through. No hard sell, ever.

We've been up and down the UK and over to Ireland, and we've spoken across the world. We're based in Manchester and Edinburgh, and we're happy to fly in to conferences. Get in touch and we'll talk through rates and travel expenses. See our speaking page.

Really free, no catch. When you sign up you join the Vet Empowered email list, which we make clear when you do. You'll get an email every day with the new content, and one on day four with the recording of our live closing call. Start the 3-Day Reset.

We aim for once a week, sometimes once a month, and never more than once a week. Usually it's a bit of a think piece with some links to what we've got going on. Occasionally one is more promotional, but we want every email to be worth opening. You can unsubscribe any time with the link at the bottom, and you can read our privacy policy.

Vets, vet nurses, practice managers, receptionists, students and the wider team. Clinical and non-clinical, in the UK and beyond. We're insured to work globally, and people in all sorts of roles have joined us.

We do things a bit differently here. We both found ways to love being vets again, and we both explored what we could do with our veterinary qualifications, and our humanness, inside and outside vet. Neither of us left practice because we didn't like it, and we're in touch with what's actually going on, rather than it having been 20 years since we were in practice.

We like to think we're quite fun, and we bring good energy. We're regularly told it's the best wellbeing session people have ever been to: a mix of science, examples, metaphors and things you can actually do, rather than something wonderful but very theoretical.

Katie has been coaching since 2017 and Vet Empowered began in 2020, so we've been at this a while. We've been trusted by major brands, groups and global organisations, and we try to help at the level of the profession too, including through hormone friendly workplaces. You can read more about us.

Email hello@vetempowered.com or use our contact page. We'll reply as soon as we can.