Animal Communicator and Guardian Partnerships

Working off a blog I wrote in April of 2015 that has been getting a lot of views lately, I thought it would be good to revisit this topic of how important it can be for me to partner with the guardian of an animal to provide the best possible answers to their questions.

As I have explained many times, when I am working with an animal I get information in a variety of different ways--physical sensations in my body, emotions, pictures and images, words and phrases. There is often some interpretation required to understand how everything I am picking up fits together. When I am communicating with an animal, the guardian is often the key to "solving the puzzle" as we work together to make sense of what I have picked up.

Several years ago, I had an experience that showed how all of these pieces work together.  I was asked to do a session with an older dog who was whining / crying all day long.  For months, the only time he stopped crying was when he fell asleep. His guardian was very concerned and given that all blood work came back normal she was at a loss and was looking for additional help. She asked me if I could help them figure out what was making him so unhappy.

When I first connected with his energy, my stomach began to hurt. It felt inflamed and irritated but I couldn't get a sense of why, so I asked this sweet boy if he could tell me why his tummy hurt so much. He showed me the sensation I feel when an animal is dealing with allergies. I explained this to his guardian but after reviewing what he eats and how long he's been eating his particular food and treats, it didn't make sense to her. We couldn't figure out what he could be allergic to, as nothing new had been introduced.

My stomach still really hurt, which told me that we hadn't identified what was going on yet.  (Once I "name" or "identify" what is going on, the sensation will go away, so when the sensation lingers, it indicates to me that we haven't figured it out yet).

His guardian asked me if he mentioned his skin, as he has some pretty severe skin allergies. From what I was picking up, his itchy skin didn't bother him at all in comparison to how bad his stomach hurt. And then, Boom! Like a major light bulb going off in her head, she explained that she had been spraying something on his skin to stop him from itching but that he was constantly licking it off.  She asked if that could be the cause of his stomach pain. Because of the way my stomach hurt just talking about the spray, I knew we were on the right track.

Together, we began putting the pieces together. She realized that his constant whining / crying started about the same time she started putting this particular spray in his skin. Now it made sense why my stomach hurt and he gave me the "allergy sensation." I had interpreted it as food allergies because it was obviously something he was ingesting but since I didn't know about the spray, it wasn't something I could ask him about directly. Now with this new piece of information, I could see he had been trying to show me how the tummy issues and discomfort were connected to his skin allergies.

His guardian vowed to never use that spray again and we talked about some things she could do in the short term to not only help soothe his stomach but also some options to address his skin allergies. We were both so relieved to put all the pieces together and figure out what could be done to help her sweet boy feel better. I am also happy to report that within the next few weeks, he was feeling much better and was no longer whining / crying throughout the day.

Animals do the best they can to communicate with us and this was a wonderful reminder that partnering with the guardian is the best way to ensure an Animal Communicator can help them get resolution for their animals.

Many people are afraid to tell an Animal Communicator too much, either because they are skeptical of Animal Communication (and want to "test" them) or because they think that offering too much information will interfere with the process, but for me and how I work with animals, I find that the more information a guardian can share with me and the more willing they are to work WITH me, the quicker we can get answers and more profound the resolutions can be. 

Just a little something to keep in mind if you decide to work with an Animal Communicator. It is also important to note that not all Animal Communicators work the same way - but for me, the partnership / open communication with the guardian is the best path forward. Not just for the animal but also to empower the guardian, which is part of my personal mission.

Trust vs. Suspicion - repost.

 Reposting this blog that I wrote in June of 2016. I noticed that it has been getting a lot of interest via the stats on my blog so I thought - what the heck - I will share it again!  Kino taught me so much about finding balance between our two "styles" - strengthening the attention I gave to HIS reaction to people and places and being even more mindful of the energy that I feel. So, in honor of my sweet furry teacher, here is the blog again! 

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One of the big differences I have noticed between Kino and I is that I tend to be friendly to everyone I meet, while Kino always has his guard up. A perfect example of this was the other day when we stopped to get gas in the car.

As I got out of the car to start pumping gas, I gentleman was getting out of his truck on the other side of the pump.  We smiled and said hello to each other and Kino promptly began barking in his most vicious sounding bark.  It is just what Kino does (bark first, ask questions later) so I am used to it but not everyone else is as comfortable with his vicious barking, so smiling at the man, I said, "He's just letting you know that he's here to protect me." He laughed and told me he had three dogs at home and that they were equally protective. 

As I filled my tank and washed windows, the man and I continued to chat.  He told me more about his dogs and we chatted a bit about animal behavior. At one point, I realized Kino had calmed down and was sitting in the back seat as quiet as a church mouse, just listening to us so I pointed to my now quiet dog and smiled.  Laughing, the man said, "Well, he put me on notice and once he was sure I heard him, he must have felt his job was done." We had a good chuckle, then wished each other a pleasant rest of the day. 

The truth was, I knew the man had "passed muster" so to speak. Kino issues a "warning" to anyone who gets close to me, but if their energy is good, he will back off and become very peaceful. I have learned to only be concerned if his barking continues because that is Kino's way of letting me know that something about the person's energy is making him uncomfortable.

I was thinking about this while we were on a walk the other day and I recalled classes I used to teach in the corporate world on trust. There was a model we used as part of the curriculum to help people understand our different approaches to trust. There is a whole lot more behind the model, but at a high level, it covered the following:

Roughly 45% of the population is "Trust Until" which means they go into each new encounter trusting until the person gives them a reason not to.  Another roughly 45% of the population is "Suspicion Until" which means they go into each situation with suspicion until the person gives them a reason to trust.  Then there are 5% of the population that are "Trust Still" in that they stay in trust no matter what the person does and 5% of the population that are "Suspicion Still" meaning they continue to be suspicions no matter what the other person does. 

As we continued walking, I contemplated this difference in Kino and I . . . I am a "Trust Until" and he is definitely a "Suspicion Until." We are wired differently and since I don't think it is possible for either of us to change the other, all I can do is accept and honor our differences. This means that instead of getting mad at him when he barks at strangers, I'm better off accepting that he is going to do it. It doesn't mean I have to be any less friendly to people I know or strangers, because it is who I am as a person. I've decided my best strategy in dealing with strangers may be to inform them that Kino means no harm, he just feels compelled to put people on notice.  :-)

So, are you a Trust Until? or a Suspicion Until? How about your pets? Are you wired the same? or wired differently? How about your friends? Your co-workers? Family members? 

It's important to remember that one is not better than the other, as there are pros and cons to both. Sometimes, understanding how we are wired makes it easier to navigate in this world (and at home and in the work place, etc.) 

Accepting instead of judging those who are wired differently can create some pretty amazing benefits as well and show us new paths forward. We can look at our relationships with people who are Suspicion Until and ask ourselves "How can I help this person feel more comfortable?" or we can ask them "What do you need to have a higher degree of trust?"

I think the key is to not only be very clear on who you are, but to love and accept that aspect of yourself. It then makes it easier to love and accept others for who they are and how they are wired. Could be fun to start observing this in your relationships - not just with animals but with all the people in your life too! 

Animals Can Teach Us About Kindness and Trust

I originally wrote portions of this blog in 2009 . . . The other day, I noticed that it was getting traction again so thought parts of it were worth a re-post. I feel even more strongly than ever that animals deserve so much respect for all they do to teach us while they are here.

Here is it - I hope you enjoy! 

If you read my blog regularly, you know how much I appreciate it when people are kind to one another and kind to animals. As a witness to so much of this kindness, I wanted to share a few of these stories in the hopes that you will be as touched as I have been.

My first story is about animals treating each other with kindness and how important it is to pay attention to what they are telling us. 

I went to one of my client's houses to give Reiki to her cat, Misha. (Yes, this is 2009 when I did all my work in person)  :-) Misha was older and had been dealing with some health issues, so she was getting periodic Reiki treatments to help her stay strong. When I arrived at their house, Misha was laying on the couch where she usually was for her Reiki treatments, and snuggled next to her on the couch was another of my client's cats, Sweet Pea. 

I said hello to them both and then prepared to start working on Misha, when all of the sudden Misha got up and walked to the other side of the couch and sat down. It seemed odd but I moved over to her new position and started to put my hands on her when again she got up and moved - this time back to where she had been sitting before. I was talking to their guardian while this was going on and wasn't paying close enough attention to what Misha was telling me. As I moved back over to where Misha was sitting, I tuned in and heard what she was telling me . . . she felt that Sweet Pea needed the treatment more than she did. 

After telling their guardian what I was picking up, I asked if it was OK with her if we added in some energy work with Sweet Pea on my visit that day. She told me she had wanted to talk to me about Sweet Pea anyway, as she hadn't seemed herself the last few days, so she was happy to have me offer her some energy and see what was going on with her. While I was working with Sweet Pea, Misha just sat there, contently watching us, pleased that I had listened to her and happy that her "sister" was getting the help she needed. 

I had the thought when I first got there . . . that there was a reason Sweet Pea was laying in the "Reiki spot" when I arrived, as it is something she had never done before when I came to work with Misha, but since my appointment was with Misha, I didn't pay enough attention to what I was sensing. Fortunately, Misha was determined to get me to "hear" what I needed to hear.

After about forty minutes of soaking up the energy, Sweet Pea got up from the couch and went into the other room. Immediately, Misha got up and laid down on the couch in front of me. She was telling me that now it was OK for me to give her Reiki. :-)

I was so touched by her kindness, the way she was looking out for her "sister" and making sure she got the help she needed. It was so selfless, so generous, so protective. I was in awe of her, even though I know I shouldn't have been surprised. Animals are so loving and so loyal. It's not something they have to learn, it's just who they are. 

Another beautiful example - also from 2009:  A few weeks ago, I came home to find a message on my machine that warmed my heart to the core. It was a message from an older gentleman I had met more than a year earlier telling me he wanted to give me a book he had read as a thank you for teaching him that he could talk to animals. He said there was a part in this book called “Wesley the Owl,” that made him think of me and what I had taught him. He really wanted me to have the book and I was touched on so many levels.

This man wasn’t a client or someone I had extensive interactions with. We just had one seemingly random conversation but that conversation had obviously impacted him greatly. It was so important to him that he make contact with me that he tracked me down through the vet office I used to work at and was able to get my contact information through them.

As I thought back, I could recall our conversation vividly. He was such a kind man. You could just feel the gentleness of his soul when you were standing next to him. I remember he had told me that there was a feral cat that had been living in his yard for some time. He had been putting out food and fresh water for her every day for ages and while she was obviously content to live there outside his house, she still wouldn’t let anyone come near her. He told me he had noticed in recent weeks that she was no longer eating and that she was losing a lot of weight. He was worried about her and he wanted to get her help but he didn’t know how he’d ever get her to the vet, given how afraid she was of humans.

I could see the sadness and the worry in his eyes. I could feel how much it hurt him to feel so helpless to come to her aid. I remember telling him that he could try talking to her, that he could explain why he was worried about her and ask if she would trust him to take her to a place where she could get some help to feel better. I remember he looked at me oddly, which didn’t surprise me because a lot of people look at me that way when I tell them they can talk to animals, but then he said, “Really?  I can talk to her and she’ll understand?”

I explained to him that while feral cats are slightly more difficult to communicate with, as they haven’t been exposed to as much vocabulary as an indoor cat, I believed that they can understand if we use more simple words. I also told him I believed animals can feel what is in our hearts, so if he focused on his desire to help her, she would feel that too.

Our paths never crossed again and hadn't thought about it over the next year. When I listened to his message, I could sense that his desire to give me the book was so genuine and sincere, I made a point to meet him at his house the next day to accept the book he was offering me. When I got there, I immediately felt the gentleness of his soul again and I was so glad he had found a way to get in contact with me. After a brief discussion about the book, he told me what happened after we had spoken that day.

He said he went home and talked to her, explaining what he wanted to do and why. Much to his delight, he discovered that she did hear him and understand him. And much to his surprise, she did allow him to pick her up and put her into the cat carrier so he could take her to the vet. He told me he never would have thought it was possible but clearly it was and he was so happy that he was able to bring her to see someone and not feel helpless to support her anymore.  He added that it was really important that he let me know he had learned something very important from me that day, that I had changed the way he thought about animals.

As we were standing in his front yard, I looked around and then said “Is she still here?” and he said, 

“No, that’s the sad part of the story, even though she trusted me to bring her to the vet, they weren’t able to make her well. I did everything they suggested but I could never get her to eat again.” 

He went on to tell me that several weeks later, as her condition grew worse and he knew she was in increased pain, he asked her if she'd like him to bring her back to the vet to help her get out of her body . . . and once again, she allowed him to put her in the carrier and take her to the vet one last time.

As my eyes welled up with tears, I told him how sorry I was. She had obviously meant a great deal to him and it made me so sad to think he lost her after all of that. But he had a different take on it entirely.  

He seemed genuinely touched that he had learned that animals could understand him when he spoke to them.  As I could feel his gratitude, another thought washed through me, and it was this . . . because he took a chance and talked to the cat, even though it didn’t result in a prolonged life, what it did do was give them both an opportunity to trust, which I believe was a gift to both of them. 

In her final weeks, she learned it was safe to trust someone and I know it meant a great deal to her, to feel the love and respect that he had for her. For him, this sweet older gentleman, I know it made him feel good to know he was able to help her, even if it was ultimately to help her make her transition. 

And for me, I was touched beyond words to know that a casual conversation I had with a stranger ended up giving both this cat and this loving man an opportunity to have the experience they had. It was a sweet reminder for me that I shouldn't be shy about sharing what I believe to be true about animals, even with strangers.

Building Trust

 Last month, I shared a post from the incredible folks at the Global Sanctuary for Elephants. The post detailed the sacred journey the elephants were navigating to process their feelings about the departure of one of the elephants at the sanctuary. 

As I mentioned in that post, my respect and appreciation for Scott and Kat who run the sanctuary is beyond words. They understand and respect animals in the same way that I do and I am often moved to tears when I read their updates. They are such an inspiration and not only do they do wonderful work on behalf of the elephants but they also are making incredible strides in educating people about the depth of animals. 

Today was one of those days so I am sharing what they wrote about the process of building trust with the elephants who are in their care.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. (and as an added bonus, I'm also including the beautiful picture of Rana) 

We have been interviewing for new caregivers at the sanctuary recently, and one of the candidates asked an interesting question that gave us a chance to reflect. She wanted to know if the elephants here at the sanctuary have a high level of trust toward Scott and Kat because the two traveled to pick them up at their old life, and bring them to Elephant Sanctuary Brazil. 

That’s an interesting theory, but the reality is that it’s more than that. While Kat may have sometimes visited elephants before transport, (with the exception of Ramba) she does not travel with the rescue caravan. Instead, she stays at the sanctuary to oversee care of the elephants already here. Though Scott does travel with the elephants to their new home at the sanctuary, there seems to be a larger element at play. 

For instance, Scott led the team that moved Lady to ESB, but Lady built up a trusting relationship with Kat first. It took longer for Lady to open up with Scott and, for whatever reason, allow herself to be vulnerable. She did not arrive with a loyalty towards him above others; if anything, she insisted he prove himself to a higher degree than anyone else. Trust does not occur with elephants only because of the hours spent with them bringing them to their new home. Part of your purpose is to facilitate a new life for them and to honor all that comes with that new life, outside of your own role. Significant trust is something that takes time, is continuously built on day after day, and can be lost at any moment.

Trust can come from things like a daily routine, or the understanding that care we offer is helping them to feel better, but the bedrock of building relationships with the elephants in our care is hearing what they communicate that they need from us - not who met whom first. Truly, respect comes when you honor the space and the life that belongs to them. It’s not about us and our egos or hangups (although it can be difficult for people to not get lost in how wonderful elephants make you feel when you are around them); it’s about what they need for us to be. Sometimes it’s most important for them to be standing on their own and finding their way in a manner that’s completely separate from their relationships with humans. Our job, as those helping to foster their healing, is to recognize and appreciate the significance of each step in their journey, regardless of what it means for us personally.

Lucky For Me Has Finally Been Published!!

It is with great excitement that I share this . . . My book "Lucky For Me: A Journey of Healing and Self-Discovery" has finally been published and is available for purchase!!!  

It has been "in the works" or "on the shelf collecting dust" for so many years, I wasn't sure this day would ever come but as I explained in a recent blog post . . . some synchronicities and magic got it moving again and we finally crossed the finish line!!!

At the present time, I have decided to sell only through the publisher so if you feel inspired to purchase a copy of my book, you can go to: Lucky For Me - A Journey of Healing and Self-Discovery

The publisher and I chose to start with just paperback copies of the book. Down the line we will assess if we'd like to make it available as an e-book as well but at the moment it will only be available in the good old fashioned "hold it in your hand" way.  :-) 

In my last post, I shared a summary of the book so you can get a feel for what it is about. As for why I wrote the book and how I hope it will assist people, here is a paragraph from the prologue that will explain: 

I know I am not the only person who has had an intense bond with their animal, nor am I the only one who has gone to extremes to help an animal recover from the abuse they suffered or heal their own trauma. My intention in sharing our journey is to light the path for those who find themselves with similar challenges. Whether you are someone who is extremely sensitive and feels things very deeply or you are trying to heal the past or you are in the process of self-discovery, my hope is that you'll experience some "aha" moments and points of connection through this book that can assist you on your own journey, and maybe even inspire you to find your way to a deeper understanding and appreciation of all you have to offer too. 

Trust What An Animal Tells You

Recently, I was on my way to the store when I saw a dog on a "walk" by himself.  He was running around, crossing streets and I could tell he was in a bit of a panic. Quickly, I pulled over to see if I could help him. He came up to me right away and let me pet him and I told him I would help him find his way home. Since he wasn't wearing a collar, there were no tags and no phone number to call.

One of the tricky thing about animal communication is that you can't ask "What's your address" and expect to get an answer LOL thus I began asking everyone I saw if they recognized the dog or knew where he lived. No one had ever seen him before. We happened to be close to the driveway of a housing complex so I decided we'd start by walking through the complex and if we didn't have any luck there, then I'd take him across the street and ask around since that's where he had come from when I first saw him cross the street.  

I ran to the car to grab a collar and a leash and as I was putting the collar on him, I saw a gal taking her dog out for a walk. She told me she knew all the dogs in the complex and that the dog did not live there but as soon as I put the leash on the dog, he began walking me over to a specific house. She said "They don't have a dog" but that was where the dog pulled me so we walked up to the porch and I knocked on the door. The gal looked kind of annoyed with me as the dog and I stood on the porch. With hands on her hips, she sternly said, "I told you they don't have a dog." The dog didn't budge, so I knocked again. Still no answer but I could hear a TV coming from one of the rooms so I took a chance and knocked on the window of that room. She continued to glare at me with her hands on her hips while I waited. She kept glaring at me so I said, "Well, this is where he pulled me so maybe they can help identify him." Just then the front door opened and the woman was in shock. She told me she thought the dog was sleeping in the back room, then explained that they were taking care of him while their son was out of town and she felt awful that she hadn't noticed that he had gotten out.

Even though the gal was right that they didn't have a dog, I was glad that I "listened" to the dog. He knew where to go for help.  :-) 

There are many times during animal communication sessions where what I am picking up from the animal doesn't make sense to the guardian. In my early years, it made me second guess myself but I have learned to trust what the animal is telling me. My interpretation may not always be 100% so if the guardian is willing to work with me, we can usually sort it out. 

Years ago, during a session one of the two dogs showed me that she was thirsty and needed water. The woman told me that I was wrong, that her dogs always had access to fresh water. The dog wouldn't let it go so I asked her a few more questions about the water. She rather sternly explained that their dog bowl was hooked up to a huge bottle of water that continued to pour fresh water into bowl. I could feel the guardian thinking that I was some kind of fraud but I kept picking up the sensation of a very dry mouth from one of the dogs and seeing a bowl.

I asked the dog if she could tell me more and then I got the sensation of being turned off by the bowl. I said to the woman "I don't mean to upset you but can I ask how often the bowl gets washed?" She looked at me with irritation but then after a minute or so she said, "I don't know how often I clean it but they always have access to fresh water." Then it clicked . . . slobber had been accumulating on the inside of the bowl and I finally understood what the dog was showing me. The dog had a dry mouth because the build up of slobber bothered her. It didn't bother the other dog at all so he was drinking plenty of water. When I asked the guardian if she would mind cleaning the bowl out more often, the dog promptly began wagging her tail and licking my face. Even though the guardian still seemed skeptical, I knew I had done the right thing by trusting what the dog was showing me. 

More recently, during a remote session with a dog I picked up a lot of sadness. The guardian had mentioned that she had lost several dogs in the last year and I sensed the dog was showing me that his mom hadn't allowed herself to fully grieve those losses. A little later in the session, the dog showed me sadness again and this time it was connected to the work they used to do (he was a show dog and with the world being shut down, they had not been able to attend any dog shows this year). I assumed that once again he was showing me what his mom was feeling so I wrote up it up that way in my notes. 

When the guardian and I spoke after she had read my notes from the session, she told me that her dog was correct, that she had not allowed herself to fully grieve the other dogs she had lost. We talked about ways she could do that and she promised she would do that for herself. Then she said, "This part about being sad that we haven't attended any dog shows doesn't make sense because I've actually enjoyed the break from all the travel and all the associated stress." Just then it clicked for both of us and almost in unison we said "Duke must be the one who is sad that we aren't attending dog shows!" After we giggled over my misinterpretation, we agreed that Duke needed another "job" while they were on a break from the dog show circuit. 

We talked about some possible "jobs" she could give him - one of which was to lighten things up around the house by making she and her husband laugh a little more. Duke took to his new "temporary assignment" because a week or so later she followed up with me to share some of the funny things Duke had done since our session that had everyone giggling. 

Many people think that when an animal communicator talks to an animal that it is a full sentence conversation like it is with people but for me it has always been primarily physical and emotional sensations, pictures and images, occasionally words and phrases that I then try to make sense of. It would be fun to have a "chat" with animals the way people can chat but so far that's not how it has worked for me. Most importantly, we need to trust what an animal is showing us. Even if it doesn't make sense right away - an animal will always tell you the truth. 

A Higher Purpose

I am on a community email list of animal lovers - where people post questions about vets and trainers, send out notices of lost pets and found pets, etc.  In recent months, several people have posted asking for help and advice for rehoming a pet and I have been surprised and disappointed at the reaction they have received.  These folks have been bashed for wanting to find a new home for an animal, pressured into finding a way to keep their animal, accused of not being loving guardians, etc.

It makes me sad that even though people are animal advocates, they don't fully understand that animals have a higher purpose.  Animals come into our lives to be our teachers - that they have a special purpose to fulfill, to assist us in learning and growing as human beings.  Sometimes their work is done in a short period of time and they can then move on and help someone else.  I can think of countless examples of how a "re-homed" animal made a remarkable difference in the lives of their new family.

I think about all the wonderful animals I have had over the years . . . from my childhood dog, Clancy to my current dog Kino.  If Clancy or Kino's families had been shamed into keeping them, I would have never experienced the joy or the lessons that I received from both of them.  I believe they were both meant to be in my life . . . and even though they didn't start their lives out with me, they left an imprint on me during the time they were with me. (and I have a feeling Kino's imprint is going to be pretty big by the time we reach the end of our journey)

Just a week or so ago, a had a session with a client and her foster dog Spanky.  Originally she was going to keep him but she had come to the difficult decision that she needed to find another home for him - primarily because he was fighting with and hurting her other dog.  She wanted me to explain to Spanky what was going on so he wasn't confused about what was happening.  She wanted him to know he was still very loved and that she wanted to find a home for him where he could be the only dog.

Spanky told me he was OK with finding another home because he knew there was someone else he was supposed to help.  He said while he would always love his foster mom, he also knew he had a purpose to fulfill in another humans life.

Just recently I wrote about a little darling named Corgi who had to be re-homed because of the health issues of a family member . . . and in her new home, she helped give a recently retired man a sense of purpose and a renewed interest in life.  If Corgi's mom hadn't re-homed her, Corgi wouldn't have been able to help that man so much.

I am writing this in the hopes that we can begin to trust that everything happens for a reason.  Maybe we can put our judgement down and have a little more compassion for folks who are forced to re-home a pet.  It is not an easy decision to come to.   Maybe there is a higher purpose at work and where the animal ends up is exactly where they are meant to be.