Carrie Jurney, Jesse S. Michel
In this chapter, the authors explore the aspects of their personalities that can predispose them to and shield us from stressors and the subsequent impacts on our well-being. Scientifically validated frameworks increasingly view personality as a set of traits that exist along a spectrum, rather than assigning individuals to fixed categories. The Five-Factor Model proposes five broad, higher-order traits: openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism. The Big Five personality traits are widely recognized as predictors of well-being outcomes both broadly and specifically within veterinary medicine. Perfectionism is one of the most common presenting concerns for vet students attending counseling sessions. Within veterinary education, perfectionism and neuroticism have been linked to lower resilience, underscoring the importance of coaching on self-compassion, realistic goal-setting, and recovery behaviors. There are a number of workplace stressors that influence our well-being.