MentorVet Mentor of the Month: Sonja Olson, DVM

Vet Mentorship

Dec 16

***Sonja Olson, DVM, MentorVet Mentor***

We have the amazing privilege of working with some of the top veterinary professionals in the country through our veterinary mentorship program. We pair them with a mentee, a new or recent graduate within a similar practice type, and for 6 months, they provide support, feedback, guidance, and wisdom.

Each month we highlight and recognize the amazing work of one of our rockstar vet mentors.

Our December Mentor of the Month is Sonja Olson, DVM. Sonja is a Clinician Health & Well-being Trainer at BluePearl Veterinary Partners. She practiced small animal and exotic animal ER for more than 20 years and also has a special interest in conservation medicine. Sonja was selected as the Mentor of the Month because of her outstanding listening skills, her active involvement in the MentorVet community, and her ongoing dedication to support and empower her mentee.

We sat down with Sonja to learn a little bit more about her experiences being a Mentor in the MentorVet program.

Sonja, why did you choose to become a mentor for MentorVet?

I love the opportunity to support our younger veterinarians to grow and tap into their intuition and inner wisdom. I am equally eager to support their holistic well-being as a person.

Please share an example of how you have helped your mentee?

Cognitive reframing to recognize growth, celebrating her successes and strengths, and tapping into compassionate perspective for challenging teammates.

What is the most enjoyable aspect of veterinary mentoring?

Learning from one another and celebrating that we each bring something valuable to the profession.

What is one thing you have learned through your time mentoring with MentorVet?

It is been a wonderful reminder of how much I enjoy the mentoring relationship and how energizing the conversations can be for both of us.

Would you recommend volunteering as a mentor with MentorVet to other veterinarians?

Absolutely! This is how our veterinary community will stay strong and healthy — peer relationships of trust, respect, and compassion.

What is your favorite self-care activity?

Walking outdoors to regain perspective, move my body, and reconnect with my breath and senses.

Fun fact about yourself?

I am now an author! My book on veterinary wellbeing will be in print and available as of February 2022! You can find more information about my book here: Creating Wellbeing and Building Resilience in the Veterinary Profession.

Thank you Sonja!

We are so honored to have Sonja as a Mentor in our veterinary mentorship program. Her ability to empower and support young professionals in their early careers is making a huge impact within the profession! If you are interested in learning more about how to become a mentor in the program, please visit our volunteer page!

Veterinary MentorshipMentorVet Mentor of the Month

Addie Reinhard, DVM, MS

Dr. Addie Reinhard is a veterinary wellbeing researcher. Her research focuses on developing and evaluating innovative interventions to support mental health and wellbeing within the veterinary profession. She is the Founder and Director of MentorVet, an evidence-based mentorship and professional development program for recent veterinary graduates. She is on the research team for the next phase of the Merck Animal Health Veterinary Wellbeing Study and is currently collaborating with Merck Animal Health to grow and expand MentorVet. She completed a master’s degree in Community and Leadership Development and a Graduate Certificate in College Teaching and Learning from the University of Kentucky in Spring 2021, was a 2019-2020 KVMA Power of Ten Leadership Program participant, and holds a certificate in Veterinary Human Support from the University of Tennessee. She is also a certified QPR instructor.