In this episode of The Veterinary Culture Lab, Andi and Josh explore a surprising question: what if the goal of wellbeing isn’t to eliminate adversity—but to help people navigate it well?
Grounded in research examining how cumulative lifetime adversity influences our response to future stress, this conversation explores an unexpected finding: people who had experienced moderate adversity showed more resilient responses to new stressors than those who had experienced either very little or very high adversity.
From supporting versus rescuing to the role of leaders, teams, and workplace systems, Andi and Josh unpack what this research means for veterinary medicine—and how we can help inevitable challenges become opportunities for learning and growth rather than simply another source of burnout.
You’ll hear:
- What research tells us about the relationship between adversity and resilience
- Why eliminating every challenge may not actually be the goal
- The difference between supporting someone and rescuing them
- Why resilience shouldn’t be treated as an individual responsibility
- How leaders and teams can help people process difficult experiences together
- Practical ways to create challenge that builds confidence without tipping into overload
Veterinary medicine will never be adversity-free. But while we can’t always change the challenges people face, we can shape what surrounds them—because culture renovation isn’t about eliminating adversity. It’s about making sure people don’t face it alone.
Resource Links:
Episode Article:
Title: An Upside to Adversity? Moderate Cumulative Lifetime Adversity Is Associated With Resilient Responses in the Face of Controlled Stressors
Authors:Mark D. Seery, Raphael J. Leo, Shannon P. Lupien, Cheryl L. Kondrak, and Jessica L. Almonte
DOI: 10.1177/0956797612469210
Flourish Academy - Resilience courses for leaders and teams
Florida Man This Week - Batman
What Do You Think? Reach out to us and let us know at Info@flourish.vet
Your Hosts:
Andi Davison LVT, CAPP, APPC
Josh Vaisman MAPPCP, CCFP
At Flourish Veterinary Consulting we renovate veterinary cultures. We diagnose what’s working, blueprint what’s next, and train every team member - blending positive psychology with real-world experience - so thriving becomes the norm, not the myth.
Timestamps
00:00 Adversity Chat
05:24 Wellbeing And Stress
07:35 Would You Erase Hardship
11:48 Study Setup And Methods
16:24 Moderate Adversity Wins
19:08 Leaders Shape Resilience
22:20 Support Versus Rescue
30:08 Debriefs And Mastery
35:02 Coaching After Failure
38:51 Resilience Training Plug
41:10 Florida Man Finale
42:39 Wrap Up And Goodbye
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