I am exploring something new.
If you have been here for a while, or if you know me personally, you are probably already aware of how much I love dogs.
The relationships we have with our dogs are such ripe ground for coaching and self-inquiry. For looking at our own patterns, limitations, dreams, and expectations. For reconnecting with what truly matters to us. For coming home to our bodies. For finding the joy and delight that comes from relating deeply with a being of another species. For unearthing our own wild essence.
My pit bull Sophie, who crossed the rainbow bridge a little over a year ago, was my soul dog and one of my greatest teachers. I don’t know if I would have undergone my homecoming journey if it wasn’t for her. She brought me back to something wild and intrinsic within myself, while also mirroring the chaos and disconnection that was happening in my life. Throughout our nearly 15 years together, she continually guided me back home to myself (and it is my sincere hope that I was able to accompany her in the same way).
And yet, despite my best intentions, there were many moments throughout Sophie’s life (particularly at the beginning) where I was unable to be her human in the way that I wanted to be.
I tried to bring calm energy, like the trainers instructed, but I was so cut off from my own bodily experiences and sensations that I didn’t even know what that meant.
I had no clue how to unearth and express my emotions in a healthy way, which meant that I brought a lot of frustration to our relationship and I was equally, if not more, reactive than she was a lot of the time.
Trapped in the energy of the Good Girl, I had a terribly hard time saying a powerful “no” and this made it impossible for me to advocate for her needs, just as it was impossible to advocate for my own.
Too often, I was overwhelmed and exhausted; in those moments, our time for connection or play became little more than another item on my to-do list.
I think about this a lot now that we have our little wild Ursa Bear. I feel so much more grounded in myself, and thus am able to be a better dog mama to Ursa. I would have never gotten to this point without Sophie. Of course, I am still human. I still get frustrated (usually this is an invitation to see where I have neglected my own self-care), but now I know how to bring myself back to my center and why this is important for both my own wellbeing and for the wellbeing of all those around me.
This act of getting curious about the human side of the human-dog relationship is vital to forming deeper, more meaningful, and more cooperative connections.
And this is not meant to supplant training, but to supplement it. Training teaches our dogs how to exist in our modern, man-made world.
But I believe that our dogs can also teach us how to return to a wilder, more embodied and natural way of living, if we are open to it.
This is why I am offering six (6) free Dog Day Sessions. These hour-long gift sessions will consist of 10 minutes of grounding meditation, 35 minutes of soulful coaching around the relationship you have with your dog, and 15 minutes of market research questions around the type of support that would feel nourishing to you in this area.
There is no sales pitch, because I have nothing to sell! I want to explore if there is a desire for this type of offering, if so what that would look like, and whether this is even a topic that I enjoy coaching people on.
I am looking to speak with dog mamas who…
- Love their dogs but are feeling frazzled and frustrated with their relationship, perhaps because their dog is anxious or reactive or struggling in some area (or you know, just a standard adolescent…)
- Are overwhelmed by all the different training advice and approaches out there
- Have a desire to run with the woofs 🙂
- Yearn for a soulful connection with their dog
- Have a sneaking suspicion that their dog’s behavior might also have something to do with them
If this describes you, you can book your Dog Day Session here. If it describes someone else in your life, please send them this link!
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