Phil Buote, 54, from Parkland Country, Alberta is a veterinarian who sees a lot of mental health challenges among his colleagues. He signed up to The Push-Up Challenge in 2024 after hearing about a colleague’s recent suicide attempt, and shares his thoughts on why it’s so important to seek support when facing serious challenges.
Why did you decide to sign up to The Push-Up Challenge?
I saw The Push-Up Challenge come up on my social feed and was intrigued by the great cause and also the opportunity to improve my fitness. I did not immediately sign up, but the thought stuck with me.
Our profession deals a lot with mental health issues, including stress and burnout, and around that time, our organization was looking for new supports for our members.
Then, on February 1, I spoke to a colleague who told me a sad story about the mental health struggles of a fellow veterinarian was having, including a recent non-fatal suicide attempt. I knew this veterinarian as a happy, engaged, giving and kind person.
That jarring reality of how a major depressive event could impact someone so severely caused me to decide then and there to sign up.
Why do you think it’s so important that we push for better mental health in Canada right now?
I think a lot of Canadians are struggling right now, financially but also dealing with other social problems left over from COVID, social media, and the political and economic climate. People are angry.
I have two young sons that I am careful to watch for signs of mental health struggles. I think the younger generation is under a lot of pressure to succeed, brought on by social media.
I am very happy that recognition of mental health struggles and conversations about mental health are being normalized. That my son can chat with me about a conversation he had with a counsellor is great. That is not something I would have done with my father 30 years ago.
How has your career as a veterinarian impacted your view on mental health?
While I was in clinical practice, I coped with challenges poorly and used the only tool I knew, which was to suck it and deal with it. Then when it was overwhelming, I would be moody, lash out or turn to unhealthy coping mechanisms.
I was fortunate to have a good community and was active physically, but I could have done better recognizing and dealing with challenges in practice.
Once I came to work with the provincial association, I was better equipped to understand and speak about mental health. I took a mental health first aid course and normalized speaking with members about accessing resources to support their wellness in practice.
I know that a kind supportive word and acknowledging the struggles my colleagues can face in practice goes a long way.
What were some positive aspects of your experience participating in The Push-Up Challenge?
It felt so good to know that it was making a difference on two main fronts – raising funds for mental health support and suicide prevention, and raising awareness.
It also improved my physical fitness and gave me a daily goal. I think the Challenge was very well-structured to support the success of participants.
The daily Mental Health Facts were very important in generating social media conversation.
Have you experienced any mental health challenges in your own life?
I think we all face mental health challenges, whether they are relationships, financial or work-related. I have had family and friends and colleagues that have had much more severe challenges than I have. I have sought out professional help for challenges in the past and encourage family and friends to do the same when needed.
I think it’s important to recognize the challenges and stress are a normal part of life. Making your way through those tough times is what makes us happy. A life with no stress is pretty boring.
On the professional side, as veterinarians, this is what we signed up for. Safeguarding animal health and wellness is not for the faint of heart, and we will be dealing with life and death and very stressed clients. Helping our clients through those tough times is where the magic happens.
The difference now is that the profession knows that we need to pay attention to our wellbeing, and that we can’t help others when we are not well ourselves.
Why do you believe it’s important that we fundraise to support CMHA’s work in the mental health space?
I know that generally, health-related programs like those supporting mental health are underfunded by governments and require public fundraising supports. Lack of government funding is short-sighted, as supporting good mental health has so many health benefits that can reduce health costs in other areas. I think the structure of The Push-Up Challenge that allows participants to select their local CMHA branch is brilliant.
I also think that there is huge benefit in raising awareness of mental health issues and that goes hand-in-hand with the fundraising efforts
What would you say to someone who is considering taking part in The Push-Up Challenge in 2025?
Do it. And join a team. I generated a lot of interest in the veterinary community and expect to have a Team or Community for 2025.
If you could share a final message of your own around mental health with our community, what would that be?
We all have mental health challenges, and speaking about mental health and reaching out for help is a good thing.
