Celebrate National Pet Day today!

Don’ forget to give your furry friend some extra love and attention. Show them that they are appreciated for all the unconditional love and support they provide you every day.

Here are 5 things that you can do to add that little extra to their day.

1. Take them on an extra long walk
2. Give them a special meal.
3. Buy them their favorite treat, toy, or special bone.
4. Play with them
5. Give them extra hugs and pets

Wishing you many days of fun and support with your special friend.

Dr. Juliann

I was reading Rachel Ray Every Day magazine (April, 2019) and Hey Great News! mail order dinners are no longer just for humans.  There are now mail-order services that take your best friends’ food into consideration making the work less for you and healthier for them😊

Here is some info about the four that were listed with access to their websites.

All of these doggie dinner delivery services start by you filling out a questionnaire. Of course, this is great because this allows them to tailor to your dog assuring you serve only the best to your best friend and supportive companion.

The Farmers Dog

After filling out the questionnaire about your dog’s body shape, activity level, and diet you can choose from three precooked recipes of turkey, beef, and pork.  The freshly made pre-portioned ready to serve meals are then delivered in clear pouches for your pooch. From $18 per week, visit:  thefarmersdog.com

Ollie

This questionnaire will lead to a suggested ideal meal and portion size made just for your dog (approved by canine nutritionists).  Of course, if you know what is best for your pup you can override an order his/her favorite combinations made with lamb, beef, chicken or turkey. Everything is cooked in small batches at low temperatures.  You decide the number of meals and how often. The food will last up to 14 days in the fridge once opened.  From $2 per day, visit:  myollie.com

Pet Plate

This doggie dinner was designed with a purpose by a veterinary nutritionist. These meal plans consisting of doggie favorites chicken, beef, turkey and lamb are labeled with easy-to-read-icons like a box of tissue for allergies and emoji like poop for healthy digestion. The meals in this plan is based on your dog’s information of age, weight, breed, and dietary needs – and whether you plan to mix with other food.  From $3 per day, visit:  petplate.com

Nom Nom Now

This dinner delivery service will assign a personal care manager for you pet to learn about their nutritional needs (in some cases your dog’s recent lab tests are looked at). This menu consists of the favs of chicken, beef and turkey but substitute the lamb with pork.  These meals come pre-portioned and you choose delivery of weekly, biweekly, or monthly.  They have not left out our feline friends and you can create meal options for kitties too. From $20 per week, visit: nomnomnow.com

It is so great to see that our furry companions can receive healthy food options. They give so much joy and unconditional support. These doggie food deliveries make it easier for us to care for them.

Wishing you years of happiness with your furry friend,

Dr. Juliann

As we head into Spring here are 5 Easy Habits to Decrease Depression and Build a Habit of Happiness, of course besides hugging your furry friends 😊

Depression is an overwhelming emotion that robs us of happiness without mercy.  When we are depressed we are not able to get out of bed, be in a relationship, or just simply enjoy a cup of coffee.  This emotion appears to be one of the most commonly felt emotions within our current society.  Almost everyone is struggling to feel happy. The best thing is that happiness is not that difficult to cultivate.  There are 5 simple things you can do to develop and maintain happiness in your life.

1. Develop a habit of exercise. This does not need to be lifting the heaviest weights or developing a body to compete in a sport. Simply move at least three times per week.  Do this consistently.  Take a walk, ride a bike, join a health club.  Make no excuses for why you can’t do this.  Excuses lead to feeling defeated and add to depression.  Make this a priority goal and just do it!
2. Try something new one time per month. Think of something you are afraid to do and do it. This only needs to be tackled one time per month.  And if you are still afraid after doing it once put in back on the schedule for the following month.  Fear is a hard wired activity of the brain.  It is there to keep us safe but also stuck.  By trying something new and challenging yourself gives you a sense of self and accomplishment.  It provides the opportunity to be proud and yes happy.  You got this!
3. Be grateful. Every single day set some time in the morning or evening to take note of 3 things you are grateful for.  You can compartmentalize this activity to increase a certain aspect of your life like a relationship, career, or simply down time.  But it is important to take note of what you are grateful for in your life to increase its presence.  Write them down daily.  This is an important practice it connects you thoughts and actions and imbeds the emotion into your memory.  Don’t skip this.  Some of the most influential people in the world do this daily activity. It is simple and will increase your happiness factor.
4. Think and do something for someone else. When we are feeling down or overwhelmed we are stuck in a cycle of how sad we feel, how hard things are, or how lonely life can be. This emotional downfall is a spiral that needs to be broken. By thinking of someone else you break the thought process of self-deprivation and build a process of counter behavior. By taking this a step further and doing something for someone else your action ignites your feel-good thoughts and emotions.  By thinking of someone else you are caring for yourself because all thoughts of others are an extension of our own self-perception.  Caring for another gives you the external reach of caring for yourself.
5. Read of watch something inspirational. Pick up a good book that is inspiring or watch a short video or long movie about someone who has overcome and developed a healthy way of life. Do this daily or at least one time per week. We connect to others through our own view of the world.  When we read or watch what someone else has come through we connect to our own strength by seeing how we are alike.  Your connection to another person who has gone through hardship and succeeded provides you with the knowledge that you are able to be what you know deep inside.  That you are great and worthy of living your best life happily ever after.

There you go some quick short easy steps that you can do daily, weekly and monthly to be happier this Spring and throughout the rest of the year too. Please let me know what you think or what you do to boost your mood to the Happy Level! I would love to hear it.

If you would like to talk with someone please reach out.  We are hear to listen…

 

Receive the gifts of the universe just for being you.

Look around today and be aware of all the beauty the world has to offer.  Be amazed at the miracle of life, be awed at nature’s gifts, and be inspired by the sunshine, rain, snow or stars. Practice receiving the greatest gifts everyday with gratitude and grace and you will recognize and accept more freely the gifts of love, acceptance and opportunity as they become present in your life.

As the year comes to an end remember to reflect on all the joyous, wonderful, happy moments you experienced. Celebrate! We hope you experience more than you wish for in the coming year!

Happy Holidays from Animal Assisted Counseling of Indiana.

If the only prayer you said was “Thank You” it would be enough.

As we head into the first celebration of the Holiday Swing Gratitude becomes the message given and received.

But the real question is how does gratitude help us?  Why should this be a daily practice not only on the Thanksgiving Holiday but everyday throughout the year?

Let’s get scientific…

What does gratitude do to our body and mind?  Easier done than said.  Being grateful releases and changes “ your hormones, from oxytocin to cortisol, and your neurotransmitters, including dopamine and serotonin. Recent data suggests gratitude provides behavioral and psychological “glue”—oxytocin is associated with promoting the glue that connects adults in meaningful relationships. Not surprisingly, gratitude increases blood flow and activity in the hypothalamus, the master gland that controls hormones.” Dr Sara Gotfried MD

So your daily task today is to be Grateful.  Mentally take count of the things that happen today that you are grateful for.  Why not it is good for your brain, your body and your Mental Health 🙂

Reference: Zahn, R., et al. “The neural basis of human social values: evidence from functional MRI.” Cerebral Cortex 19, no. 2 (2009): 276-283.

“Doing something for yourself is not self-indulgence it is self-respect.”

As we enter into the Holiday Season remember to take time and do something for yourself daily.  Every day take time to focus on your health, your home, your relationships or just something you love to do.  Doing this becomes most important during this time of the year when we get swept up into the Holiday bustle.

So as you begin to ramp up for all the Holiday extravaganza set yourself as a priority. Carve out some time during your daily tasks where your well-being is the main goal of what needs be completed.  Do this every day. Remember the way you treat yourself will affect every part of your life starting with your health, leading to your relationship all the down to how you will enjoy this Holiday Season.

Take care of yourself it is the most important thing you can do today.

Daily Thought
When adversity hits, and it will, develop a plan to move through it. This will help to maintain forward momentum vs. giving up and getting stuck, or becoming devastated and defeated. Think of what is the worst thing that can happen? Then think of all the ways you can to support yourself through the toughest time imaginable. There is always a way to make things better.
Daily Practice
Think of your biggest fears? Are they tangible or buried in your mind? What is holding you back from living your life to the fullest? Now develop a plan to move forward by creating support that will keep you from experiencing what you are afraid of.

Have a Great Day and Believe in Yourself!

Daily Thought
Remember to always search and focus on the positive side to any situation you are encountering. Remember there is always a positive side. It is natural in the moments of a huge upset all you can see is the downside. But never forget there are two side to everything we encounter. It just depends on what you put your attention to.
Daily Practice
Keep your mind focused on the benefits you are striving to achieve with every step you make forward. Do not let little setbacks distract you from focusing on what you set to achieve. Visualize what the end goal is. Re-evaluate your steps and re-implement some of them if you need to. But make sure you are focusing on what you want not on what is distracting you from achieving it.

Have a Great Day and Believe in Yourself!

Daily Thought
It is natural that when things change we will go through a transition period. And depending on the type of transition we are going through will affect the length and emotional reaction to the transition. Understanding that transitions are a part of life’s journey will help prepare you for transitional moments of uncertainty and instability. Remember no matter how difficult the moments appear you always have control over what you focus on.
Daily Practice
Practice focusing on your intentions today. Continuously say a positive mantra that supports you and gives you comfort. Make a list of inspirational people or books that you can go to. These coping resources will help you when transitions occur. Practicing coping skills when there is no need for them makes them readily and easily available to implement when life’s road gets a little bumpy.

Have a Great Day and Believe in Yourself!