The Idea of the Week
How do pets benefit our mental well-being? This article, an 8-minute read, shares the research on the 10 Ways Pets Support Mental Health. Having a pet helps increase our physical activity through play and walks; reduces stress; provides companionship and unconditional love; helps us be more present and mindful; and more!
Now that we know about the mental health benefits of interacting with our pets, let’s look at emotional support animals, service animals, and therapy animals. This 10-minute video breaks down the definitions and differences between an emotional support animal, a psychiatric service animal, and a therapy animal. Here’s a brief overview:
- An emotional support animal is an animal who assists through their presence alone. They do not require training but require a letter from a mental health professional explaining their therapeutic value.
- A service animal is a dog who has been individually and specially trained to perform tasks for a person with a disability.
- A therapy animal is an animal, usually a dog, who has been trained to provide affection, comfort, and calming. The training is not as specific as service animals.
Practice of the Week
No matter how old we are, we can all find purr joy and love in our companion pets! This week, we encourage you to cherish the meowment with your pets! As you interact with your pets practice mindfulness. For example:
- When you go on a walk with your pet, mindfully walk by walking at a natural pace, noticing the sensation of walking, experiencing your surroundings with your senses, and keeping awareness of you and your pet alongside you.
- When you pet your pet, notice the texture of their fur, the meowsic they make when they purr or make happy noises, and their body language.
News of the Week
Introductions
We are excited to introduce and welcome our two new interns, Caitlin Raab and Kayla Hamilton, to the Breathing Space team!
Caitlin Raab (she/her) approaches sessions with a focus on introspection, mindfulness, and relaxation strategies. She also focuses in parent and post-partum support, child and teen mental health, and anxiety management.
To learn more about Caitlin, check out her page at breathingspacepsychotherapy.com/caitlin!
Kayla Hamilton (she/her) has an eclectic approach and, most importantly, approaches sessions with where you are at. She focuses in anxiety, life changes and transitions, adolescents and teens, and communication issues.
To learn more about Kayla, check out her page at breathingspacepsychotherapy.com/kayla!
Note that there is a sliding scale and in-person sessions.
Virtual and In-Person Group Request
We are gearing up to provide virtual and in-person groups in the fall. We are planning to conduct several groups, and we want to meet the needs of our community. What kind of groups would you like to see?
To request a group, send your requests in an email to [email protected] with the subject “Group Ideas.”
We have 2 groups you can register for now: Mother’s Light, which is a postpartum support group, and an Art-Based Trauma Therapy group. Check out the flyers to learn more about these groups.
Mother’s Light
To register for this group, please contact Caitlin at [email protected]
Art-Based Trauma Therapy Group
To register for this group, please contact Jennifer at [email protected]
The Thought of the Week
Wishing you a peaceful week!
