Dr. Rebecca Bailey is a leading trauma therapist who specializes in complex case scenarios. With over 30 years of experience in the field, she remains dedicated to the belief that authenticity, common sense, and kindness are the most essential components of effective treatment. A lifelong equestrian and animal lover, Dr. Bailey continues to find that animals—particularly horses—have much to teach humans about curiosity, compassion, and connection.
She is the author of Safe Kids: Smart Parents and Equine Connections, Polyvagal Principles: A Book of Story, Theory, Practice, and Hope, co-written with Margie McDonald and Jaycee Dugard. She is also the co-author of several peer-reviewed articles on abduction, high-conflict families, and, in collaboration with Dr. Stephen Porges and Jaycee Dugard, the concept of appeasement as a survival strategy.
Dr. Bailey co-founded the Polyvagal Equine Institute to support the application of polyvagal principles in therapeutic and educational settings, using the power of horse-human interaction to foster connection and healing.
Her work continues to bridge neuroscience, trauma recovery, and the healing power of the human-animal bond.
In This Interview:
- What do horses teach us about healing?
- What Is Polyvagal Theory?
- Healing begins with presence, not perfection
- How horses model what we forget
- How healing can start with something as simple as brushing a horse
- How connection, not isolation - is the real medicine
- Healing for vets begins when you bring that compassion back home to yourself
Interview Resources:
polyvagalequineinstitute.com
IG - @polyvagalequineinstitute
FB - facebook.com/PolyvagalEquineInstitute
VCP Retreat 2026: veterinarycompassionproject.com/retreat/
At Veterinary Compassion Project we believe that those who dedicate their lives to caring for animals deserve the same compassion and care they give to others. We are committed to raising awareness about the extreme emotional toll that comes with animal caregiving while providing essential support for your wellbeing. Through our resources, community, and guidance, we aim to empower veterinarians and animal care professionals to thrive both personally and professionally.
📍 Visit Us Online: veterinarycompassionproject.com
🔹 VCP Restorative Retreat 2026: veterinarycompassionproject.com/retreat
📞 Join Our Monthly Support Call: veterinarycompassionproject.com/resources
IG: @veterinarycompassionproject
FB: facebook.com/veterinarycompassionproject
YT: youtube.com/@veterinarycompassionproject
More about Dr. Erin Holder:
At the heart of our mission is Dr. Erin Holder, a compassionate healer and esteemed veterinarian dedicated to supporting animal caregivers. With a passion for holistic care and a deep understanding of compassion fatigue, Dr. Holder leads our efforts to empower those who devote their lives to helping animals.
In 2004, Dr. Holder founded one of the largest integrative veterinary hospitals in North America where she pioneered a holistic approach to animal care. Certified in Veterinary Acupuncture, Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine, Food Therapy, Chinese Tui-Na, Animal Ozone Therapy, and Animal Reiki, Dr. Holder’s hospital provided comprehensive care to a wide variety of animals, including cats, dogs, birds, exotics, and wildlife. Her innovative work was even featured on the debut series of National Geographic Wild’s Unlikely Animal Friends.
After nearly two decades of serving animals and their caregivers, Dr. Holder made the difficult decision to sell her hospital in 2022 to address her own experience with compassion fatigue. In her own personal healing, she immersed herself in studying compassion fatigue—why it happens, how to prevent it, and ways overcome it. She completed certifications in meditation instruction and compassion fatigue training for healthcare professionals, dedicating herself to helping others navigate the emotional toll of veterinary work.
See you on the next one!
