What if I told you that nourishing your dog (and yourself!) is NOT just about food?

Yep, that’s right, you heard it straight from the holistic canine nutrition and wellness consultant’s mouth!

Food is one component, but there's more...

What if I told you that what is ACTUALLY needed to help support your dog’s health is a N.E.W. Approach, one that takes a whole dog perspective and includes:

🥩🥦Nutrition

🔥❄Energetics

💚Wellbeing

When you bring these 3 components together, you have a recipe for health and nourishment! 

But, like an infomercial from the 1990s, "Wait! There's more!"

This N.E.W Approach to feeding your dog might actually hold the key to your spiritual awakening, and to you finding the deep sense of purpose and connection you have been seeking.

In this episode, I share with you 5 ways that The N.E.W Approach to feeding Lucky transformed my life, and how you can apply its principles to transform yours, too!

Don't forget, you can receive 15% off canine nutrition + wellness packages booked in September! If The N.E.W. Approach to feeding your dog resonates with you, and you'd like my help in optimising your dog's diet, get in touch on my website https://mysticdogmama.com, or on Instagram @mysticdogmama to find out more!

Listen to my interview with Dr Tom Lonsdale on the importance of Raw Meaty Bones that I reference in this episode:

https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/bArm5gEYEMb

In our last Summer Season Special, I share with you how holistic kinesiology (muscle testing) has helped me with Lucky's health journey, and how it has helped several of my canine nutrition clients!

I share with you how a random visit to a homeopath provided me with the missing key to Lucky's health issues, and catapulted us onto a path of thriving! It's why I learned these energy healing modalities and now use them in my canine nutrition and wellness services.

You'll learn a couple of techniques and how to use them with your own dog!

If you have enjoyed these summer series sessions and want me to continue doing shorter, focused content, let me know! What topics would you like me to address? What questions do you have about nourishing your dog mind body, and soul? What are you feeling overwhelmed with when it comes to feeding your dog? Let me know and I'll make future episodes for you!

Leave a comment, message me on Instagram @mysticdogmama, or email me by visiting my website https://mysticdogmama.com

*ANNOUNCEMENT* To celebrate back-to-school, I am offering 15% off all of my canine nutrition + wellness packages booked in the month of September! To learn more, visit https://mysticdogmama.com, or reach out to me with any questions on Instagram @mysticdogmama

Until next time!

DISCLAIMER: This is not a substitute for medical advice or other relevant professional advice.

If you are curious about Feng Shui and how you can use some of its principles to create a home that feels good for you and your pet, then you are going to love this conversation.

This week, I’m joined by Kate Troyer, a design consultant and Feng Shui expert at Homeslice Living who helps people connect more deeply to the energies of their spaces.

In this episode, Kate and I discuss how not only is your dog your mirror, but your home is, too.

She shares 5 easy steps you can take to tap into your personal Shui, as she puts it, and begin exploring what your home is reflecting to you, and then creating the spaces you want to experience.

We also talk about how in connecting more intentionally and deeply to the energetics of our homes, we can create safe and supportive spaces for our dogs.

We also talk about how our spaces can support us through transition periods in our lives. Kate shares how she created rituals in her home with her dog in preparation for Lua’s passing, and she  collaborated with the spaces in her home to support herself through her grieving process after Lua crossed the Rainbow Bridge. Kate even shares a touching story about how Lua kept up their shared meditation rituals for several months after her passing in order to help Kate through her grief, and then finally left her with a beautiful message of their soul connection. It really is such a beautiful story.

Connect with Kate at: https://homesliceliving.com

If you have a topic you would like me to cover in a future episode, or you want me to reach out to a particular guest, I’m all ears! Just send me a message on Instagram @mysticdogmama

Just a quick note that this episode was sponsored by Aspirationery, which, in full transparency, is another project of mine where we create books, notebooks, and stationery to help you become all you aspire to be. You can check out our shadow work and moon magic journals and workbooks, as well as our popular “My First Period Tracker” for young girls and tweens on Instagram @aspirationery.

DISCLAIMER: This is not a substitute for medical advice or other relevant professional advice.

My guest today is canine herbalist, Rita Hogan! If you don’t already know Rita and her work, you are going to be so glad you do now! And if you DO already know her work, I can guarantee there will be more nuggets that you take away because my goodness is she a wealth of information. 

Rita has been been working one-on-one with dogs and owners for 20 years. She learned about the power of plants from her father who was a prolific gardener who knew what plants to use to help keep her family's animals healthy. This lead Rita to herbalism in her late twenties. Rita considers herself a Western holistic herbalist.

Rita takes us on a deep dive into what energetics as the foundation of health. She talks about what energetics actually means, how to better observe your dog to gain an understanding of their individual energetic profile, and how the energetics of different foods and herbs can be used to support optimum health. You’ll learn some specific tips for how to tell if your dog is a warm dog or a cool dog, which proteins to feed warm dogs vs cool dogs, and Rita shares how to get started with adding in herbs to support your dog’s health and find balance.

Get a notepad or your phone, because you’re going to want to take notes!

To find out more about Rita’s work, visit her websites

https://canineherbalist.com and https://canineherbalism.com. Don’t forget to check out her podcast, Dogs Are Individuals. You can find that wherever you listen to podcasts!

To preorder Rita’s book The Herbal Dog: Holistic Canine Herbalism Applications and Practice which comes out in February, please consider using the affiliate links below. I receive a small commission at no cost to you, and it helps to keep the podcast up and running.

Amazon USA

https://amzn.to/3RJhZvl

Amazon UK

https://amzn.to/3RJhZvl

If you would like some personal support with finding an energetically aligned fresh food diet for your dog, I do have some openings coming up for nutrition consultations, and I’d love to help you! You can reach out to me on Instagram @mysticdogmama and I’d be happy to chat and see how I can best support you.

And, if you would like me to cover any particular topics on future episodes, or you’d like me to reach out to a potential guest, just let me know! Again, you can reach me on Instagram @mysticdogmama

This episode is sponsored by Aspirationery, which, in full transparency, is another project of mine where we create books, notebooks, and stationery to help you become all you aspire to be. You can check out our shadow work and moon magic journals and workbooks, as well as our popular “My First Period Tracker” for young girls and tweens on Instagram @aspirationery.

DISCLAIMER: This is not a substitute for medical advice or other relevant professional advice.

My guest today, Elizabeth Anne Hill, talks to us about the soul part of Mystic Dog Mama’s focus on nourishing our dogs and ourselves by sharing her really unique and fascinating story of being catapulted onto her spiritual path after the death of her twin sister-and the unexpected role that animals are playing in her journey. 

Elizabeth’s spiritual journey began in 2002 with the death of her identical twin sister, Catherine Mary Hill, who then assisted Elizabeth from across the veil in writing her first book, Twin Souls: A Message of Hope for the new Millennium. Then, in 2008, Elizabeth learned through a trance channel that she was to begin a journey around the world, with no safety net, to transmute limiting belief systems and then share the wisdom she gained. Now, in 2024 — sixteen years and twenty countries later, with all that is occurring on the world stage — now is a good time to share this wisdom.

This is part of a series of conversations I will be having with ordinary people like you and me who are exploring what the path of the modern mystic looks like. 

Elizabeth also shares some practical things that you can do to begin connecting more deeply with your own higher self, your own unique wisdom, which is really helpful if you’re asking your guides for help and getting frustrated that you’re just finding feathers and seeing angel numbers, but have no idea what to do with that!

I really hope you enjoy this conversation, and that if you are having a similar kind of experience, that you know you are not alone on this path. I’d love to hear your takeaways, so have a listen, and then message me on Instagram @mysticdogmama to let me know about your own experience! I’d love to hear about it!

Just a quick note that this episode was sponsored by Aspirationery, which, in full transparency, is another project of mine where we create books, notebooks, and stationery to help you become all you aspire to be. You can check out our shadow work and moon magic journals and workbooks, as well as our popular “My First Period Tracker” for young girls and tweens on Instagram @aspirationery.

To learn more about Elizabeth and to support her journey:

Website: ⁠elizabethannehill.com⁠

Main Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/elizabeth.a.hill.75

Author/speaker page on Facebook: facebook.com/twinsouls444

House sitting page: facebook.com/peacefulhomeowners

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/twinEAH

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elizabethannehill888/

For donations: https://www.paypal.me/ElizabethAnneHill or use my email twinsouls444@gmail.com. Venmo: @Elizabeth-Hill-888, or Cashapp: $twin44888

DISCLAIMER: This is not a substitute for medical advice or other relevant professional advice.

I’m so excited to introduce you to today’s guest, Surabhi Venkatesh! Surabhi is a certified dog behaviour and nutrition coach based in India, and she founded Luchi and Mutton’s after her own two rescue pups presented challenges that required her to look deeper, taking a whole dog - and whole human - approach.

In this episode, we have a candid conversation about some of the challenges we have both faced with our own dogs, and all the complexities of being dog parents to complex dogs. We also talk about how meeting our dogs with radical empathy in their healing journeys, made us realise the need for approaching ourselves with that same level of empathy in our own healing journeys. If you have got a complex dog, and honestly even if you don’t, I know you’ll find value in hearing this.

Surabhi shares her experience of studying with Sindhoor Pangal at BHARCS in Bangalore where she learned about asking the why of our dog’s behaviours, and how to hold space for our dogs’, and our own, big feelings. Oh my goodness, there are just so many nuggets in this chat, truthfully too many to list! Surabhi is such a wonderful human, and her approach to dogs is inspiring.

We do touch on some aspects of nutrition and different cultural approaches to feeding our dogs, but we’re saving a deep dive into that for a future episode. So, if there’s something you’d like us to address when it comes to canine nutrition and how to best support your dog’s health through food, let me know, and I’ll make sure that we address it! Just DM me on Instagram @mysticdogmama

Just a note that this episode was sponsored by Aspirationery, which, in full transparency, is another project of mine where we create books, notebooks, and stationery to help you become all you aspire to be. You can check out our shadow work and moon magic journals and workbooks, as well as our popular “My First Period Tracker” for young girls and tweens on Instagram @aspirationery.

Ok, let’s go!

To learn more about Surabhi, how to work with her, and her podcast, visit her website https://luchiandmuttons.com

To learn more about BHARCS, visit: https://www.bharcs.com/

TIME STAMPS

00:22 Intro

03:15 Meet Surabhi and hear her journey into canine nutrition and behaviour because of her rescue dogs, Luchi and Mutton : “How do I just keep this dog alive??” to “How do we survive this??”

12:50 BHARCS - a relationship approach to dogs with your dog as your teacher

14:10 Understanding pet guardianship as an opportunity to reparent yourself

25:35 Leaning into what we are experiencing vs what we think we should be experiencing

38:00 It takes a village to raise a dog - finding safe spaces to support yourself in your journey with your dog

41:20 Surabhi’s experience of empathy-based dog training through BHARCS

51:00 A new perspective on resource guarding: not sharing your dessert!

54:45 Evolutions in dog-human relationships: emotions

56:40 The need for diversity in our conversations about dogs

1:12:00 Discounting the “magic bullet” for our dogs’ health

1:23:00 How to connect with Surabhi and learn about her podcast + what Luchi and Mutton taught Surabhi about what it means to be human

1:25:00 Outro

This is a really special episode for me, because today we are celebrating 6 months of the Mystic Dog Mama podcast, and 6 months of growing this beautiful community together!

In this special episode, I have created a compilation. If you’ve been with me for a while, you’ll know that I ask all of my guests what dogs have taught them about what it means to be human. The answers are so profound and beautiful, and they offer a real opportunity to reflect on who we are as individuals, and who we aspire to be. I’ve brought all of my guests’ answers to this particular question together in this episode, so you can hear them again in one timeline. I hope you enjoy hearing the breadth and depth of their responses. I’ve listed everyone in the time stamps below, so you can see the speaking order.

When I first decided to create the podcast, I set the intention that this would be a safe space to bring people together to talk about what nourishment for our dogs, ourselves, and the planet could look like. But, I never imagined that this little corner of the internet could create such a sense of home for myself, and for those of you joining me in this journey. We live in a strange time-space continuum that can be so divisive, and so alienating. It’s such a testament to the canine spirit that a little 10lb chihuahua walked into my life, and became the catalyst for creating such a beautiful community. I am grateful to each and every one of my guests, and each and every one of you listening. This means the world to me to have you and your pups walking the spiritual path alongside me and Lucky.

A quick note that this episode was sponsored by Aspirationery, which, in full transparency, is another project of mine where we create books, notebooks, and stationery to help you become all you aspire to be. You can check out our shadow work and moon magic journals and workbooks, as well as our popular “My First Period Tracker” for young girls and tweens on Instagram @aspirationery.

Ok, let’s go!

TIME STAMPS

00:22 INTRO

03:38 David Ian Howe, archaeologist

12:05 Vivian Birlie, canine reflexologist

14:09 G.G. Silverman, author and creative

16:16 Dr Tom Lonsdale, veterinarian and author

21:30 Dr Laura Donaldson, professional dog trainer and behavior consultant

25:51 Sarah Vrba, astrology and tarot expert

27:73 Susan Raven, author and musician

28:40 Laura Thomas, host of Rescued by a Dog podcast and author

30:31 Berdhanya Swami Tierra, spiritual teacher

44:38 Caroline Griffith, pet nutrition consultant and founder of Canine Flow

46:31 Jessica Green, integrative health practitioner and health coach

47:39 Kay Stewart, veterinary technician and lead educator at Feed Real Institute

48:34 Rachel Knott, zoopharmacognosy expert and animal communicator

50:25 Dr Odette Suter, veterinarian

53:16 Veronica Mezzetti-Draia, human design expert and coach

57:56 Niki French, professional dog trainer, author, and host of PupTalk

59:38 Wendy Welpton, natural movement expert and host of Make Movement Matter podcast

1:02:56 Kim Brophey, professional dog trainer and behaviour consultant, applied ethologist, and author

1:05:11 Rhi Anderson, life coach

1:08:37 Simone Mueller, professional dog trainer and behaviour consultant, and author

1:09:56 Dr Saskia von Diest, Nature communicator and founder of Ecofluency

1:11:52 Jess Adam, therapist and coach

1:13:50 Sally Morningstar, author, photographer, and hedgewitch

1:16:12 Amy Arnold, professional life fulfilment coach

1:18:04 Hannah Zulueta, canine nutritionist

1:20:14 OUTRO

DISCLAIMER: This is not a substitute for medical advice or other relevant professional advice. 

It’s really exciting for me to introduce you to today’s guest, Hannah Zulueta! Hannah is a certified canine nutritionist, and is currently studying to become a doctor of acupuncture, Traditional Chinese Medicine, and Herbalism for the human end of the leash. You may know Hannah from her popular blog and Instagram account, @dailydogfoodrecipes where she shares how she applies a Traditional Chinese Medicine approach to health and feeding her own dogs, Maggie, Orbit, and Mr Higgins.

Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine, or you might see it abbreviated as TCVM is really coming into the mainstream of holistic dog care. I invited Hannah to come and have a conversation with me to unpack what this really means and looks like on a practical level. Something that I just love about Hannah’s approach to feeding your dog, and to TCVM, is her focus on simplicity. She says that if you can feed yourself and your family, you can feed your dogs, too, and I wholeheartedly agree.

We talk about Hannah’s own journey into TCVM and canine nutrition, starting with how her family fed her dogs while growing up in Papua, New Guinea. She shares the fundamentals of Traditional Chinese Medicine, where it came from as a medicine for the common people, and how you can begin applying its principles to your own dog’s health to restore harmony. Hannah also addresses how she would approach the top health issues that you told me you have with your dogs: allergies, yeast, and anal glands, oh my!I absolutely LOVED talking with Hannah. She is so wise, and gracious with her energy. I know you’re going to love this episode, too!

To learn more about Hannah and her TCVM approach to canine nutrition, visit her blog: https://dailydogfoodrecipes.com, or connect with her on Instagram https://instagram.com/dailydogfoodrecipes

If you’d like to dive a bit deeper into TCVM, Hannah has a wonderful community with mini-courses on specific topics related to caring for your dog with TCVM. I only ever endorse people and programs that I believe in, and I know firsthand that Hannah’s Harmony Circle is a fantastic resource and community that I, myself, am learning from. I’m sharing the affiliate links below in case you, too, would like to check out the Harmony Circle and the courses in it. I receive receive a small commission if you choose to use these links, which helps keep the podcast up and running. So, if it resonates with you, I would be grateful if you chose to use them to sign up.

https://daily-dog-food-recipes.circle.so/checkout/harmony-circle-group?affiliate_code=02a640

https://daily-dog-food-recipes.circle.so/checkout/allergy-reset?affiliate_code=02a640

Finally, a note that this episode was sponsored by Aspirationery, which, in full transparency, is another project of mine where we create books, notebooks, and stationery to help you become all you aspire to be. You can check out our shadow work and moon magic journals and workbooks, as well as our popular “My First Period Tracker” for young girls and tweens on Instagram https://instagram.com/aspirationery

Ok, let’s go!

TIME STAMPS

00:22 Intro

03:20 Introducing Hannah Zulueta + her journey into canine nutrition and Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine

12:30 What is Traditional Chinese Medicine and what are its roots?

17:50 What are the five constitutions and how do I know which one my dog is?

35:00 Some of the current debates in the fresh food space

43:20 Hannah addresses how she would use a TCM approach to your biggest questions: allergies, yeast, and anal glands

1:02:00 Hannah’s tips on where to start practicing TCM yourself today

1:07:00 How to work with and learn from Hannah

1:14:00 What have Hannah’s dogs taught her about what it means to be human?

1:16:00 Outro

DISCLAIMER: This is not a substitute for medical advice or other relevant professional advice.

I am thrilled to introduce you to my guest for today’s Spotlight Series episode, Amy Arnold! Amy has such a unique and  interesting story that echoes what so many of us experience - the dissatisfaction that comes from a life that is no longer resonant, and the quest to discover just what that kind of life might look and feel like. After 26 years as a practicing plastic surgeon, Amy left the medical profession behind and started down the path of finding what purpose meant to her. She explored a variety of avenues, including an 11-day vision quest, studying shamanism, and even writing. She now brings together her life experiences and skills to support other women to find their own true sense of purpose, their true story.

We talked a lot about the nature of stories - our personal stories, our cultural stories, and even the stories we have about our expectations of our pets. We talked about how our dogs mirror back to us the dysfunction of our culture’s stories by the expectations we place on them, and they how they offer us the gift of seeing where our own personal stories are asking to be modified - which is something Amy has personally experienced with her gorgeous 11 year old Italian Greyhound, Sophia. In this conversation, we also highlight our power to change our stories, all while acknowledging that this process brings a lot of discomfort, especially when we are in that liminal space in-between letting go of one story, and the next one hasn’t yet appeared.

Amy has a beautiful gift for Mystic Dog Mama listeners! She has generously crafted a 12-week group coaching program at a really special rate specifically for Mystic Dog Mama listeners! In order to run it, she will need 3 or more people for the group, so I highly encourage you to reach out to Amy if this is something you think you might be interested in! For more information visit: https://www.yourtruestorycoaching.com/special-offer

Learn more about and connect with Amy:

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556233196692

https://www.instagram.com/amyarnoldstories/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/coachamyarnold/

Here are a some links to the books Amy and I mentioned. They are affiliate links, which means that if you choose to purchase through them, I will receive a commission that helps to keep the podcast up and running.

Tricia Hersey’s Rest Is Resistance

Amazon USA: https://amzn.to/3VHIsMP

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/3IKScOE

Charles Eisenstein’s The More Beautiful World Our Hearts Know Is Possible

Amazon USA: https://amzn.to/4aohj56

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/3K8fo9U

Finally, a quick note that this episode was sponsored by Aspirationery, which, in full transparency, is another project of mine where we create books, notebooks, and stationery to help you become all you aspire to be. You can check out our shadow work and moon magic journals and workbooks, as well as our popular “My First Period Tracker” for young girls and tweens on Instagram @aspirationery.

TIME STAMPS

00:22 Intro

03:30 Meet Amy Arnold + hear her journal from plastic surgeon to shamanism to supporting women to lead fulfilling lives

15:45 Amy’s takeaways from an 11-day vision quest

27:45 The role of stories in our modern time 

45:50 Using discernment on the spiritual path

57:30 How Sophia, an 11-yr old Italian Greyhound is serving as Amy’s teacher

1:03:00 Amy’s nuggets of wisdom from her coaching practice + her wonderful gift to listeners

1:11:00 What Sophia has taught Amy about what it means to be human

1:13:00 Outro

DISCLAIMER: This is not a substitute for medical advice or other relevant professional advice.

Today, I wanted to introduce you to someone who has been a big part of my own spiritual journey along the mystical path over the past several years. author, photographer, and hedgewitch, Sally Morningstar. I’ve wanted to include conversations about finding the spiritual path, and walking it with our dogs becauseI believe a big part of why dogs choose us is because throughout time they have played the most beautiful role of walking us home to our true selves.

Throughout her life, Nature has been Sally Morningstar's greatest teacher. Her deep love of the wyrd and the wild is the inspiration behind her writing, photography, and magical mentoring  of those seeking to live consciously and mindfully upon this Earth. From the age of 18 Sally began her own search for spiritual answers, which led her to psychic teachers and spiritual mentors in both the Eastern and Western Mystery Traditions, including Vipassana, Zen, Sati (the way of mindfulness) Dzogchen, Shamanism and even saw her becoming a High Priestess in Wicca. Ultimately, though none of that felt right for her until she discovered a sense of home within hedgewitchcraft, which, at its core, is based upon creating right relationship with all of Nature and her Creation. What I love about Sally’s story is that she often talks about how she has been a hedgewitch all her life without realising it until her later years, and that that is often they way it goes when we are meant to walk a particular path. That the path is always there, we just may not have noticed it until we arrive at that place of knowing.I

n our conversation, Sally talks about her personal journey and what it means to follow the old ways in our modern context. We talk about what magic really is, how we are all a part of it, and how the most magical path of life is the journey of self-discovery. Sally also shares how her sweet 19-yr old canine companion, Rosie Dumpling, has been key to her path.

To learn more about Sally and her work, visit her website: www.sallymorningstar.com

Below is an affiliate link to Sally’s amazing The Witches’ Oracle divinatory deck and book. By choosing to use this affiliate link, I may receive a commission for qualifying purchases, which helps to keep the podcast up and running!

Amazon USA: https://amzn.to/3yl4B9X

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/3WH5UKi

To enter my giveaway for the chance to win a FREE animal communication session with your pet, remember to rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and send me a screenshot of your review on Instagram @mysticdogmama Please get it to my by May 24th 2024, and I’ll be announcing the winner on our special 6-month anniversary episode airing June 8th!

This next week is Period Poverty Awareness Week. We can’t talk about nourishing ourselves mind, body, and soul, without also addressing the need for awareness around menstrual health. My other project, Aspirationery, supports this podcast through creating books, notebooks, and stationery to support you in becoming all you aspire to be. This includes creating journals and workbooks to remove period stigma, and empower young girls and tweens to learn about their menstrual cycles, as well as supporting women to align with the power of your menstrual cycles through cyclical living. I invite you to check out these journals on the Aspirationery Instagram account, and consider if these books might help support you, or a young girl in your life to feel more empowered. https://instagram.com/aspirationery

TIME STAMPS:

00:22 Intro

06:04 Meet hedgewitch Sally Morningstar + her 19yo pup Rosie Dumpling

12:25 Understanding + Walking the Wisdom Path

19:45 The Old Ways in the Modern Context

31:35 How to discover your soul’s path

45:00 Communicating with our animals

56:00 How our dogs help us to connect to all that is

1:00:00 What Rosie has taught Sally about what it means to be human


1:03:00 Outro

How can you create emotional sustainability in your life with your dog?

This week’s episode is completely focused on YOU as the dog parent. ESPECIALLY if you’re the parent of a reactive or challenging pup like Lucky. 

My guest today is Jess Adam of Handlers and Humans! Handlers and Humans is all about bringing mental health to the dog world, and Jess is the perfect person to do this! As a licensed psychotherapist, she is also the dog mama to a beautiful 10 yr-old lab-pit mix named Dio, who has experienced his fair share of challenges with anxiety and reactivity, as well as being a lovable, silly, perfect boy. Through Handlers and Humans, Jess brings her skills and experience from the mental health and coaching worlds, to help other dog parents navigate the highs, lows, and various challenges that come with having a dog who struggles a bit with some aspects of the world. She also helps dog trainers know how to better support their human clients.

This is such an important conversation to have. When we have a reactive dog, or a dog with other complex feelings and behaviours, it can be tempting to keep the focus on our dog’s behaviours, their needs, and keeping them under threshold, but I know firsthand, as I’m sure many of you do, too, when we have reactive encounters when we are out with our dogs, we, too, experience the fear, shame, embarrassment, and even trauma associated with those encounters. And this can send us over OUR threshold. Speaking for myself, I know that my nervous system can become just as dysregulated as Lucky’s due to an off-lead dog running up to him, or just because I have to be constantly vigilant, looking out for potential triggers that we need to avoid. It’s exhausting, and it can feel really isolating, so I’m thrilled that Jess is having this conversation today to highlight the need to care for our own mental health, and recognise our own thresholds. She also shares some really great tips for how to do just that.

Jess and I cover a lot of ground: from allowing ourselves to feel the grief that comes when our expectations of having a dog don’t match our experience, to acknowledging the emotional impact of having a reactive dog on us, and finally, to getting to the point where we can see the gifts that lie within life with a complex dog.

I know you are going to get so much out of this episode, and it’s my hope that you leave this feeling seen, as well as having some practical things that you can do today to support yourself on your journey with your dog.

And Don’t forget, I’m holding a giveaway to win a free animal communication session! If you’d like to be considered for the opportunity to win this free animal communication session with me for your pet, all you have to do is rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, take a screenshot of your review, and send it to me on Instagram @mysticdogmama. I’ll draw one lucky name and announce the winner in our special 6-month anniversary episode that airs Saturday, June 8th 2024. To be considered for this, please make sure to send me your screenshot no later than Friday, May 24th, 2024.

https://instagram.com/mysticdogmama

https://www.handlersandhumans.com/

https://www.instagram.com/handlersandhumans

DISCLAIMER: This is not a substitute for medical advice or other relevant professional advice.

TIME STAMPS:

00:22 INTRO

05:37 MEETING JESS ADAM OF HANDLERS AND HUMANS & HER REACTIVE DOG, DIO

14:00 YOU DIDN’T CAUSE YOUR DOG’S REACTIVITY

21:00 WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU ARE OVER THRESHOLD - USEFUL APPROACHES AND TOOLS

38:25 NOBODY NEEDS FIXING, INCLUDING YOUR REACTIVE DOG

43:30 GRIEVING THE LIFE YOU ENVISIONED WITH YOUR DOG

50:00 GUIDING AND STEWARDING OUR DOGS TO LEARN HOW TO LIVE WELL WITH US

1:01:00 WHAT DIO HAS TAUGHT JESS ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS TO BE HUMAN

1:06:00 OUTRO + MY 3 TAKEAWAYS

"This is how we stitch the world together."

I hope you’ve got a cup of tea with you, because you’re going to want to settle in for this BEAUTIFUL conversation.

Have you ever experienced a deep longing to connect more deeply to your dog, to the natural world, to the cosmos? Well, you are going to LOVE this episode.

My guest today is Dr Saskia von Diest. Saskia earned a PhD in plant pathology, and has a background in postdoctoral research on how intuitive interspecies communication is used in agriculture. Since then, Saskia has pursued her passion for supporting others in having their experience of communicating with non-human Nature, and develop that both for their own benefit, and for the collective benefit. She has been communicating with various forms of Nature for 11 years, and with 15 years’ experience in teaching and facilitating in various countries, Saskia loves creating opportunities for individuals and groups to connect and communicate with Nature’s healing power and practical wisdom. She’s also trained in Family Constellations and in the Way of the Warrior Healer. Saskia founded Ecofluency in 2021, to consult, teach, and facilitate Nature communication experiences, for individuals, groups and organisations, and to promote other voices in this field.

In this conversation today, Saskia and I talk about how Ecofluency developed, and we do a deep dive into what it means to connect and communicate with all of life, all of consciousness, and why this is so needed in today’s world.

Spoiler alert: Not only can YOU communicate directly with nature, but you are ALREADY doing it!! 

Saskia shares her own story of how entering into Nature communication helped her heal a deep sense of loneliness. She also talks about a communication session where a client’s dog who was crossing the rainbow bridge helped to reframe and shed more light on the spiritual roles that humans and dogs are playing for one another. Saskia also shares a surprising message from the land to a client who wanted to protect it. And she provides us with some really easy tips for starting your own nature communication journey today with your own dog. 

This is one of those conversations that will remind you of just how important your personal thread is to this whole tapestry of life, and leave you changed.

If you would like to work with Saskia, starting May 6th 2024, she is running a 6-week online course that is designed for all experience levels. For more information, visit Saskia’s website, https://ecofluency.org, where you can find out more about her offerings, including this course and a Summer Solstice workshop she will be holding in the UK.

If you’d like to enter to be considered for the opportunity to win a free animal communication session with me for your pet, all you have to do is rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, take a screenshot of your review, and send it to me on Instagram @mysticdogmama. I’ll draw one lucky name and announce the winner in our special 6-month anniversary episode that airs Saturday, June 8th 2024. To be considered for this, please make sure to send me your screenshot no later than Friday, May 24th.

DISCLAIMER: This is not a substitute for medical advice or other relevant professional advice.

TIME STAMPS:

00:22 INTRO

06:50 Meet Dr Saskia von Diest of Ecofluency: from PhD in agriculture to Nature communication

24:00 What is Ecofluency? Finding our way back home

31:31 Communicating with electrons and comets - it’s all possible!

43:11 Show yourself love and compassion to heal the Earth 

50:40 How Nature communication and having a dog are catalysts to spiritual awakening

54:25 A beautiful lesson from a dog crossing the rainbow bridge

1:00:00 Easy tips to start exploring Nature communication today + Saskia’s upcoming courses

1:11:00 What Nature has taught Saskia about what it means to be human

1:12:15 OUTRO + Details on animal communication giveaway!

Happy Dog Days of Summer!

How do we help ourselves and our dogs move through triggering situations more quickly, and become more empowered in the process?

This is a short episode I made after reflecting on a conversation I had with Sharon Vincuilla of Holistic Dog Expert, who I will be interviewing for an upcoming podcast episode! Sharon and I were talking about the idea of co-regulating with our dogs (which we will do a deep dive into, so if you want me to ask her specific questions, let me know!). And in the conversation, we talked about the power of asking different questions to help us through difficult situations, and to help us learn from them.

So, in this Sumer Series episode I share some tips I have found helpful when it comes to using questions to reframe issues in my own life or with Lucky with the intention that this help you when you encounter triggers.

Have you found any particular ways of helping you work through triggers? I'd love to hear! Either leave a comment, or message me on Instagram ⁠@mysticdogmama⁠ and let me know!

And also let me know if you'd like me to create future episodes on any particular topics related to nourishing your dog, and yourself, mind, body and soul!

As we close out summer and head towards autumn, I have opened up special Back to School spots for holistic canine nutrition and wellness packages with a 15% discount! This is a fantastic opportunity if you have been wanting to get some support and guidance on how to support your dog with a fresh food diet, if you have a dog with a health challenge, or if you would like to experience an animal communication session or reiki session. You can find more information on ⁠https://mysticdogmama.com⁠

To learn more about Sharon, visit her website:

⁠https://holisticdogexpert.com⁠

Today we are talking all things predation. What is that, you might ask?? Well, predation is a natural sequence of behaviours that your dog loves to do, and some of it, you might not be so thrilled about. It includes things like sniffing and stalking, as well as behaviours like chasing and eating things they find on the walk. In fact, most of your dog’s favourite hobbies are actually linked to predatory behaviour. I mean, did you see that reel I shared of Lucky hunting for socks?? Straight out of a wildlife documentary film! My guest today is Simone Mueller, a certified dog trainer and dog behaviour consultant from Germany who specialises in force-free anti-predation training, and she joins me to share some really easy ways you can turn your dog’s natural predilections for predation into training gold! Her training, workshops, and books, all focus on Predation Substitute Training, which involves creating fun activities that serve as safe alternatives for your dog to express their need and desires to engage in predation.

So, if your dog is reactive, tends to chase things like squirrels while you’re screaming at her to come back, or scavenges everything he finds on the ground, you’ll learn some helpful tips and tricks you can apply today. From creating games that match your dog’s passions, to talking to your dog as a practice, Simone answers listener questions, and shares some really practical ways you can help your dog be more dog in a safe and fun way.

Simone Mueller, MA is a certified dog trainer and dog behaviour consultant (ATN) from Germany who specialises in force-free anti-predation training and is the author of the three books of the Predation Substitute Training series and is proud to be an Associate Trainer at the Scotland-based Lothlorien Dog Training Club (AT-LDTC) and a member of The Initiative of Force-Free Dog Training, the Pet Professional Guild (PPG), and the Pet Dog Trainers of Europe (PDTE).

Follow Simone’s work on Facebook and Instagram: #predationsubstitutetraining

Learn more: http://www.predation-substitute-training.com

To purchase Simone’s books, please consider using the following affiliate links. When you use these links, the podcast may receive a commission at no extra cost to you, and this helps to keep the podcast running.

“Hunting Together: Harnessing Predatory Chasing in Family Dogs through Motivation-Based Training (Predation Substitute Training)”

Amazon USA: https://amzn.to/3VlDyoi

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/3TCZeei

This episode was sponsored by Aspirationery, which, in full transparency, is another project of mine where we create books, notebooks, and stationery to help you become all you aspire to be. You can check out our shadow work and moon magic journals and workbooks, as well as our popular “My First Period Tracker” for young girls and tweens on Instagram @aspirationery.

TIME STAMPS

00:22 INTRO

04:05 Introducing Simone Mueller and her dog, Malinka, who led her to dog training

06:58 What is predation, and what is predation substitute training?

14:00 The hormonal cycle that is part of predation

18:00 Markers of predatory behavior in your dog

20:15 Introducing predatory substitute training activities to your dog

30:40 Domestic dogs are more determined than wild canines

33:45 Simone answers listener questions

57:30 What dogs have taught Simone about being human

59:20 OUTRO

DISCLAIMER: This is not a substitute for medical advice or other relevant professional advice.

Thank you for joining me for this special episode of the Mystic Dog Mama Spotlight Series. These are episodes where I invite incredible mystic dog mamas to come on the podcast and talk about their stories, and how their dogs, or in today’s case, dogs and horses, have had an impact on their lives. It’s an opportunity to explore the variety of ways animals are impacting us, and it’s one of my favourite parts of the podcast.

Today’s guest is Rhiannon Anderson. Rhi shares her experiences of living with Muscular Dystrophy, and how equine therapy and a connection with horses, -in particular a beautiful Clydesdale mix named Larry - have helped her to navigate a world that isn’t built for disabled people. She talks about the ways Larry has helped her experience profound emotional and healing breakthroughs, and given her the confidence to step more fully into an expanded version of herself. Rhi also talks about her beautiful border collie, Millie, who acted as both a physical and emotional support, and even learned some useful tricks like pulling off Rhi’s socks, even if she did get carried away with it!

Rhi also shares how she developed her blog, Living Abled, as a way to deal with the fears and stresses during Covid, and how this personal project ended up catalysing a whole community, and led her to starting her own life coaching business to help support other people in their struggles.

At just 24 years of age, Rhi is an incredible young woman who is such an inspiration! I know you’re going to love hearing her story, and I hope you are just as inspired as I am by her!

And, just before we get started, a quick reminder that this episode is supported by Aspirationery, which, in full transparency, is another project of mine where we create books, notebooks, and stationery to help you become all you aspire to be. You can check out our shadow work and moon magic journals and workbooks, as well as our popular “My First Period Tracker” for young girls and tweens on Instagram @aspirationery.

If you, or someone you know, would like to be featured in an upcoming Spotlight Series episode, please reach out to me in Instagram @mysticdogmama!

Find out more about Rhi’s coaching services at: https://livingabled.com.au

Connect with Rhi on Instagram https://instagram.com/living_abled

TIME STAMPS

00:22  Intro

03:16  Introducing Rhiannon Anderson of Living Abled

06:00  The roles that dogs and horses have played in Rhi’s life living with Muscular Dystrophy

08:47  Talking about Rhi’s perspectives on the conversations around ableism and disability

10:55 Horses offering the opportunity to do the inner work, without judgment

13:30 What does equine-assisted therapy look like for Rhi?

19:50 How equine-assisted therapy helped Rhi process grief

26:30 Rhi shares her own breakthrough experiences with Larry the Clydesdale

37:50 Rhi’s Living Abled blog as an outlet that then catalyzed a community

42:00 From law to life coaching

47:00 How to work with Rhi

51:20 We are the ones writing and telling our stories

54:00 Rhi’s takeaways

56:30 What have horses and dogs have taught Rhi about being human

DISCLAIMER: This is not a substitute for medical advice or other relevant professional advice.

Yep! Your dog has a purpose, too! Today is a really juicy episode, and if you love to have those big-picture conversations, as well as get into some practical suggestions of how you can create change for you and your dog today, then you’re going to love this chat I had with dog trainer, dog behaviorist, and ethologist, Kim Brophey! 

You may know Kim from her TedX talk on why framing our dogs as “pets” has been to their detriment, or maybe you have come across her applied ethology-based L.E.G.S course, which involves taking a step beyond training to also look at a dog’s behaviour in relation to its environment, its genetics, and its individual self. Kim aims to build bridges and invite others to contribute to a new conversation about dogs- one that challenges us to redefine how we perceive, talk about, and treat our canine companions as a society.

Whether you’re familiar with her work or not, I know you’re going to get so many nuggets out of this conversation, so definitely message me on Instagram @mysticdogmama with your “aha” moments! I’d love to hear them!

Kim and I go deep into how behaviour issues don’t exist in the wild, and how our dogs’ behaviours are telling us about how we may or may not be meeting their needs, and what we can do about that. We also talk about how our dogs are the new “canary in the coal mine,” showing us where we are going wrong - not only in relation to our dogs’ health and wellbeing, but to our own, and the planet’s, and how shifting our perspective from a focus on training our dogs for obedience, instead to creating a state of welfare for them, can have life-changing results -again, for our dogs, but also for ourselves.

THIS is the conversation we need to be having alongside doing all the things to help our dogs better live in and cope with the world we have put them in. I really hope you enjoy it as much as I did! Kim mentions some resources in this chat, and I’ve left links for you in the show notes, along with how you can connect with Kim and her work.

Just a quick note that this episode was sponsored by Aspirationery, which, in full transparency, is another project of mine where we create books, notebooks, and stationery to help you become all you aspire to be. You can check out our shadow work and moon magic journals and workbooks, as well as our popular “My First Period Tracker” for young girls and tweens on Instagram @aspirationery.

To find out more about Kim and her work, visit: https://familydogmediation.com or follow her on social media @familydogmediation

And to purchase a copy of Kim’s book, “Meet Your Dog,” please consider using the following affiliate links. When you do, I may receive a commission, which helps keep the podcast running.

Amazon USA: https://amzn.to/3wReDyN

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/3v7OA67

The article that Kim mentioned: 

Montgomery, J. Evolutionary Mismatch, Emotional Homeostasis, and “Emotional Addiction”: A Unifying Model of Psychological Dysfunction. Evolutionary Psychological Science 4, 428–442 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40806-018-0153-9

TIME STAMPS

00:22 INTRO

03:50 How the idea of “pet” has affected how we understand who our dogs are

10:30 Dogs as our canary in the coal mine

14:00 The need to look upstream when we identify a problem

21:50 Behavior problems don’t happen in nature, so why do our dogs have them?

29:30 What are your dog’s L.E.G.S. and how do they affect your dog’s behavior?

41:45 Applying L.E.G.S. to your own dog - and yourself!

50:04 Even positive reinforcement is coercive

56:15 Resisting the temptation to blame ourselves, or our dogs - it’s not you, it’s the system

1:01:00 The more separated we feel from nature, the more we need our dogs

1:03:00 What does the future look like for dogs?

1:08:00 What dogs have taught Kim about what it means to be human

1:10:00 OUTRO

DISCLAIMER: This is not a substitute for medical advice or other relevant professional advice.

We all know we should exercise, but we don’t all know how we need to move

Well, whatever it is you’re doing while listening to the podcast, (apart from driving!) I know today’s guest, Wendy Welpton, is going to inspire you to think about how you can incorporate new ways of moving while you’re doing it. Wendy founded Reclaim Movement after a running injury at age 40 turned into 4 years of chronic pain. In her search for answers and to reclaim her own movement again she discovered natural movement. Natural movement, if you aren’t familiar with it, is the philosophy of training real life practical movements to be able to keep using them as we age. It also involves strengthening and mobilising whole-body movement patterns that are underused in today’s modern world. When Wendy started using natural movement in how own life, it made her realise she had found a way to move for life. Wendy’s aim is to help you embrace a movement-rich life, at any age, to improve mobility, strength and confidence to keep moving well and doing the things you love for as long as you want. 

I first came across Wendy’s work through her Instagram reels where she shares really simple ways to incorporate a variety of movements into the things we are already doing. Wendy’s philosophy is that it’s not about adding more things to your to-do list, but instead, doing what you’re already doing more intentionally, whether that’s practicing balancing on one foot to put your shoes on, sitting on the floor to fold laundry, or even squatting to clean you dog’s paws after a muddy walk.

In our conversation today, Wendy and I talk about really simple ways you can start modifying and improving the quality of your movements right now, regardless of your mobility level. We also talk about how to turn your everyday routines with your dog, including your daily walk, into joyful opportunities to support your strength and mobility - along with your dog’s - so that you two can have many years of health, happiness, and fun together.

As we get started, I wanted to take a moment to let you know that this episode is supported by Aspirationery, which, in full transparency, is another project of mine where we create books, notebooks, and stationery to help you become all you aspire to be. You can check out our shadow work and moon magic journals and workbooks, as well as our popular “My First Period Tracker” for young girls and tweens on Instagram @aspirationery.

Ok, on that note, let’s get moving!

TIME STAMPS

00:22 INTRO

03:55 Introducing Wendy Welpton of Reclaim Movement. What is natural movement?

05:25 Wendy’s journey from 4 years of chronic pain to natural movement

13:30 Easily adding natural movement into your daily activities

17:45 Gratitude for our body vs punishing our body

19:50 The value of getting on the ground regularly - especially with your dog!

27:30 The dog walk as a prime opportunity to engage your body - and your dog’s body - in new, playful ways

34:19 Embrace your inner weirdo

38:20 Shake things up and find more joy

43:00 The mind-body connection for releasing pain, and stuck emotions

47:10 Top tips for walking in alignment and preventing falling

54:18 Work with Wendy

57:02 What dogs have taught Wendy about what it means to be human

59:04 OUTRO

Get in touch with me on Instagram @mysticdogmama

More about Reclaim Movement:

Website & Free Resources - https://reclaimmovement.co.uk

Instagram - https://instagram.com/@reclaim.movement

YouTube - https://youtube.com/@reclaim.movement

Podcast - ‘Make Movement Matter’ on Spotify or Apple Podcasts

Check out the videos Wendy mentioned on walking techniques:

Want to walk more efficiently? 2 simple body adjustments you can implement today

Uncovering the surprising pre-walk routine you didn't know you needed!youtu.be

5 Natural Movements to prepare your body for walking wellyoutu.be

DISCLAIMER: This is not a substitute for medical advice or other relevant professional advice.

You are going to love this conversation with this week’s guest, Niki French! Today, Niki shares her dog training backstory, and why she decided to write the bestselling book, “STOP walking Your Dog” along with founding the international #dontwalkyourdogday which happens every April 2nd. We dive into how the whole idea - and pressure! - of taking our dogs for walks in the ways that we do is actually a human invention that isn’t necessarily the best thing for every dog. Niki also talks through a real-life example of how to help a senior dog with joint issues adjust to a new routine.

Niki is a self-described, “dog-mad, people-loving, award-winning dog trainer, author, and podcaster”. After a bicycle accident in 2014 interrupted her 30-year career as an international Sales and Marketing Director (queue the Universe stepping in!) Niki pursued her childhood dream of working with animals. In 2019 she set up Pup Talk and Twickenham Dog Services, in collaboration with her CEO Bodie, a lively Collie Lurcher Cross, that she rescued from Battersea Dogs and Cats Home in London. 

Niki’s area of expertise is really in helping dog-owners to learn how to leave stress and frustration behind with simple, fun, and transformational games to help build a stronger bond with their pup. If you’re anything like me, and the dog walk can be just as stressful for you as it is for your dog, I just know you’re going to come away from this episode feeling seen, and with a bunch of new tools for your tool belt! 

Even if you don’t have a reactive dog like Lucky, you’ll gain some really helpful tips and tricks that you can be using to enrich your dog’s experience, or to give them something really fun to do when going for a walk isn’t an option. You might even want to try out some of these suggestions this coming April 2nd to celebrate and take part in #dontwalkyourdogday

To find out more about Niki, her courses, and Don’t Walk Your Dog Awareness Day, visit her website: https://puptalk.co.uk

Instagram/X/TikTok/Threads @puptalk101

You can also find her amazing podcast, Pup Talk The Podcast on all major platforms, including https://puptalk.libsyn.com/

Please consider using the following affiliate links to purchase Niki’s book, ‘Stop Walking Your Dog: A Guide to Training Your Nervous, Reactive, or Over-Excited Pup’. When you do, I may receive a commission on qualifying purchases at no cost to you. This helps support the podcast to keep it running!

Amazon USA: https://amzn.to/3PkMVAV

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/3wZRjim

And Tricia Hersey’s book, “Rest Is Resistance: A Manifesto” that I mention can be purchased at the following affiliate link, if you’re interested in checking it out:

Amazon USA: https://amzn.to/3VHIsMP

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/3IKScOE

Finally, a quick note that this episode was sponsored by Aspirationery, which, in full transparency, is another project of mine where we create books, notebooks, and stationery to help you become all you aspire to be. You can check out our shadow work and moon magic journals and workbooks, as well as our popular “My First Period Tracker” for young girls and tweens on Instagram @aspirationery.

TIME STAMPS

00:22 INTRO

05:54 Introducing Niki French!

14:00 Finding your mentors, voice, and confidence

16:45 The dog as WOMAN’S best friend + women rising to claim our voices

19:25 Why sometimes not walking your dog might be the best thing for your pup

34:15 Why your dog might have difficulty resting and switching off

41:15 Practical alternatives to the dog walk you can do today

53:00 What Niki suggests for a senior dog with joint issues that needs to reduce his walks, but loves the routine of walks, and how you can apply this to your dog

1:03:40 Practical tips to mix up what a walk looks like

1:06:15 #dontwalkyourdogday Join in the fun on April 2nd!

1:10:45 What dogs have taught Niki about what it means to be human

1:13:32 OUTRO

DISCLAIMER: This is not a substitute for medical advice or other relevant professional advice.

Ditch the “musts” and “shoulds” and come back to who you truly are

If you’re anything like me, I’m sure you love taking every personality test under the sun, or diving into horoscopes, or other modalities that shed some light on who you are and what you are here for. Sometimes you’ve got to kiss a bunch of frogs, or dip your toe in a bunch of modalities to find the ones that resonate with you and your personal journey. 

So, today, I wanted to invite my guest, Veronica Mezzetti-Draia, to introduce you to Human Design because she is, by far, one of the most incredible presenters of Human Design that I have come across, and she makes it really understandable how you can easily and effectively apply it in your life. When I discovered one of Veronica’s videos describing Manifesting Generators (which is my Human Design energy type), I felt seen in a way I hadn’t done before. She’s honestly amazing, and I absolutely know you are going to LOVE hearing what she has to say. Veronica is a mindset coach and Human Design guide who found Human Design to be so powerful in her own life and business, that she trained in it in order to better support her clients to craft a life of ease that aligns with their unique energy flows.

Something I really like about Human Design is that in life we are often given one-size-fits all advice - and you’ll probably recognize that we also we this for dogs! - but the reality is that we are all designed differently, with different ways of making decisions, with different things that light us up, and with different ways of dealing with the various challenges that life throws our way. Human Design looks at you as the unique individual you are, and gives you personalised guidelines and strategies for being the most expansive, aligned version of yourself. As Veronica says in our conversation today, when you can learn about, love, and leverage YOUR superpowers, you can learn to make aligned decisions and take aligned action. What feels better than that?? To me, Human Design feels like a permission slip to just be yourself, and I truly believe that the greatest gift you can give yourself, your dog, and the world, is to just be uniquely you.

You might find it helpful to have your own chart handy to look at while she explains what all the different components are. You can download it for free on Veronica’s website, https://www.veronicamezzettidraia.com, or you can use any other free online chart generator.

This episode is supported by Aspirationery, which, in full transparency, is another project of mine where we create books, notebooks, and stationery to help you become all you aspire to be. You can check out our shadow work and moon magic journals and workbooks, as well as our popular “My First Period Tracker” for young girls and tweens on Instagram @aspirationery.

If you would like to learn more about Veronica’s coaching and Human Design Services, or you’d like to download your free Human Design chart, visit her website: https://www.veronicamezzettidraia.com/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@VeronicaMezzettiDraia

Instagram: https://instagram.com/veronicamezzettidraia

TIME STAMPS

00:22 INTRO

04:53 Introducing Veronica Mezzetti-Draia and Human Design

17:35 Human Design is returning to who you actually are

21:45 An overview of your Human Design chart, or Bodygraph, and what it all means

30:28 The energy types - “The Power Rangers” - learn, love, and leverage your superpowers

38:29 The 3 things you need to know about your Human Design chart to revolutionize your life

56:25 How knowing your design helps you to better connect with your dog, and with others

1:09:00 The power of releasing the narrative

1:16:50 What Veronica’s dogs have taught her about what it means to be human

1:22:00 Outro

DISCLAIMER: This is not a substitute for medical advice or other relevant professional advice.

This episode is a special bonus episode that I created after a listener got in touch asking if I would speak more about Lucky’s journey. We were chatting on Instagram, and she wanted to hear more about the progress I have made with some of Lucky’s behaviours and how he has made some huge leaps and bounds recently with getting comfortable with things that used to really frighten him. So, I sat down and did some reflection on what I think has worked, what hasn’t worked, and what we’re still working through, in hopes that perhaps you might benefit from my successes, as well as learn from my failures.

🐶 🥦 🦴❤️ If you would like to take advantage of my reduced rate personalised canine nutrition consultation and diet plan for your dog as part of a case study for my ongoing canine nutrition education, comment NUTRITION in the comments, send me a DM on Instagram, or email me: mysticdogmama@gmail.com, and I'll send you a link to my intake form.

Instagram: https://instagram.com/mysticdogmama

Here are affiliate links for the 30ft leash I use for Lucky. When you purchase from these links, I may receive a commission from qualifying purchases, which helps support this podcast.

Amazon USA: https://amzn.to/3wRrdy1

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/4ckHcF2

00:22 Intro

02:34 Intro to Lucky's backstory: putting the pieces together to Lucky's reactivity

07:42 The impact of gut health on reactivity

08:45 The pandemic pup phenomenon

10:50 Where the problems started, and what you can learn from this

15:30 How do you say "anal glands" in Spanish?? How a random trip to a homeopath who performed the Emotion Code revealed the missing piece to Lucky's puzzle

20:00 Breaking down Lucky's reactivity: what worked for us, what didn't work for us

44:31 My litmus test that this is all working: Lucky let someone else pet him for the very first time - EVER!

46:30 Allowing myself to mourn the dog I envisioned having

47:30 Recap of the 6 takeaways from Lucky's journey you might want to apply with your dog

Thank you so much for listening! 

DISCLAIMER: This is not a substitute for medical advice or other relevant professional advice.

This is no ordinary microbiome conversation!

Well, you are really going to love the conversation I’m sharing with you today that I had with holistic veterinarian, Dr Odette Suter. She is lovingly well-known as Dr Poop Lady because of her passion for and expertise in the microbiome and the importance of gut health to your dog’s overall health. To give you a bit of Dr Suter’s background, she graduated from veterinary school in Switzerland in 1994. Early on, she recognized the limitations of conventional medicine and questioned its role in true healing. Her unconventional upbringing combined with her own healing journey has led her to explore many holistic avenues to uncover and treat the underlying cause of disease of her animal patients.

As a truly holistic vet, she is passionate about education and has written the international best-selling book “What Your Vet Never Told You – Secrets to Supporting Peak Health for Your Animal.” Dr Suter is a sought-after speaker and teacher in the field of holistic veterinary medicine, and she has developed her own training and mentorship program for pet parents and professionals alike to empower them to think like a holistic vet and maximize their animals’ health

This is not your ordinary microbiome conversation! We definitely do get into what the microbiome is and how to best support it for your dog’s health, but it was such a gift, and so much fun, to be able to talk with Dr Suter about the bigger questions that the microbiome invites us to ask, including, if we, and our dogs, are mostly made of microbes, who are we really, at the core, and how can a better understanding of the microbiome shed light on how we might heal our dogs, ourselves, and the planet?

Not only will you take away some tips on actions you can take today to better support your dog’s microbiome, but I’m hoping that you’ll also come away with a more expanded sense of who you are and the uniqueness of, well, YOU!

If you are enjoying the podcast, I would SO appreciate you subscribing, liking, rating, and reviewing it! It means so much because those things are really important for making the podcast easier to find, and letting other mystic dog mamas, and papas, know that this community is out there for them!

Shall we get started? OK. let’s go!

To learn more about Dr Odette Suter’s masterclass and mentorship program, visit her website: https://odettesuterdvm.com

And to purchase her book, “What Your Vet Never Told You – Secrets to Supporting Peak Health for Your Animal,” please consider using the affiliate link below, at no cost to you.

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases, and this helps to support the Mystic Dog Mama podcast and channel.

Affiliate links:

Amazon USA https://amzn.to/3woLURy  

Amazon UK https://amzn.to/3TJAvoY

TIME STAMPS

00:22 INTRO

05:00 Introducing Dr Odette Suter and the microbiome

08:19 What exactly is the microbiome?

11:00 If we are mostly microbes, who are we really?

13:50 Microbes invite us to reconnect to ourselves, our bodies, and the fabric of life

17:25 Studying the microbiome is creating a paradigm shift in both the conventional medicine world and the holistic world

19:29 The impact of the microbiome on cancer therapy

24:45 Helping rescue dogs to build up their microbiome

26:20 Are probiotics more harmful than helpful?

32:50 what about leaky gut?

36:36 Your dog innately knows how to heal themselves

42:44 How animals are our catalysts for transformation

45:20 How animals are teaching us that everything is perfect as it is

51:00 The gut reflects what is happening in nature

52:30 We are shifting paradigms

1:00:00 Things to support your dog today

1:04:00 How to learn from and work with Dr Suter

1:06:26 What have dogs taught Dr Suter about what it means to be human

1:10:00 OUTRO

DISCLAIMER: This is not a substitute for medical advice or other relevant professional advice.

What if your dog could point you to exactly what they - and you -  need in order to heal? Well, they can!

In today’s conversation, I talk with Rachel Knott, the owner of My Animal Matters, about how applying the practice of zoopharmacognosy with our dogs can open up an entire world of insights into the relationship between our dogs’ health issues, behaviours, and ourselves. I know it sounds like the most incredible Scrabble word (and if you ever manage to accomplish that, you definitely have to take a photo of that board and send it to me!) but zoopharmacognosy basically translates to animal medicine knowing, and speaks to ALL animals’ innate wisdom when it comes to healing - including our own!

Whether you have a dog who has health or behavioural issues that you have struggled seeing success with, or you just want to learn how to better support your dog in staying healthy, or you want to learn about deepening your bond with your dog, then you’re going to really get a lot out of this chat!

Rachel shares her own story of how a wake-up call while working in the corporate world, then being laid off, led her to working in Battersea Dogs Home in London where her next chapter of working with dogs began. She also talks about how this journey with dogs helped her to see the relationship between our stress and our dogs’ stress, and how by learning the practices of deep listening, animal communication, and botanical self-healing, she has been able to support countless dogs - and their owners - on a journey back to physical, emotional, and spiritual health.

From a border collie suffering from obsessively chasing shadows, to dogs with allergies and skin issues, and even her own dog who displayed aggressive behaviour.  She also shares tips on how you can start to practice self-selection with your own dog today by using some simple items in your kitchen cupboards.

00:21  INTRO

04:10  INTRODUCING RACHEL KNOTT (+ LUCKY!)

05:55  RACHEL SHARES HER OWN STORY FROM THE CORPORATE WORLD TO WORKING WITH DOGS - WHEN THE UNIVERSE FORCES YOU TO FOLLOW YOUR PASSION

08:40  MAKING THE CONNECTION BETWEEN YOUR DOG’S STRESS AND YOUR OWN

10:02  YOUR DOG KNOWS WHAT IT NEEDS TO HEAL

17:00  WHAT IS ZOOPHARMACOGNOSY?

21:30  RECLAIMING OUR TRUST IN OUR OWN HEALTH

25:18  REBUILDING TRUST IN OUR DOGS  - AND IN OURSELVES

32:46  CASE STUDY: A BORDER COLLIE WHO OBSESSIVELY CHASES SHADOWS, AND AN OWNER DEALING WITH GRIEF

30:11  CASE STUDY: COSMO THE BOSTON TERRIER TEACHES RACHEL ABOUT ANGER

52:00  LEARNING TO REALLY OBSERVE YOUR DOG

54:10  HOW ZOOPHARMACOGNOSY HELPED A DOG WITH SEVERE SKIN ISSUE WHO HAD TRIED EVERYTHING

57:30  CASE STUDY: WHEN A LARGE DOG BECOMES RACHEL’S TEACHER

1:01:00 EMBRACING CURIOSITY AND BEING OK WITH NOT KNOWING

1:02:00 THE IMPORTANCE OF DEEP LISTENING

1:04:00 RELEASING THE IDEA OF THE EXPERT AND OUR ATTACHMENTS TO LABELS

1:10:00 HOW TO DO SELF-SELECTION WITH YOUR DOG TODAY USING THINGS IN YOUR KITCHEN CUPBOARD

1:14:00 WHAT DOGS HAVE TAUGHT RACHEL ABOUT WHAT DOGS HAVE TAUGHT HER ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS TO BE HUMAN

To find out more about Rachel’s work, including her botanical self-healing course, and upcoming Animal Reflections course with Denis Liam Murphy, visit her website: https://myanimalmatters.co.uk/

Check out Denis Liam Murphy's Book The Blame Game: How to Recover from the World's Oldest Addiction. By using the following affiliate links, I earn a commission and you help support the podcast, at no extra cost to you:

https://amzn.to/49SzzUM

https://amzn.to/3vgbb0d

You can also follow Rachel on Instagram at: https//:instagram.com/myanimalmatters

Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please like, review, and rate it. It really helps other mystic dog mamas who are looking for support and community to find the podcast.

https://instagram.com/mysticdogmama

DISCLAIMER: This is not a substitute for medical advice or other relevant professional advice.

You are what you eat, and the same is true of your dog.

I’m really looking forward to sharing today’s episode with you because I just know you’re going to get so much out of it. Whether you’re brand new to the idea of fresh feeding, or you’re a seasoned pro, this conversation with Kay Stewart, a registered Veterinary Technician who is a researcher, writer, and lead educator of the Feed Real Institute, is packed full of goodies on how to best feed your dog. The Feed Real Institute is such a valuable resource for fresh food feeding, with tons of articles, a feeding calculator, courses, workshops, and even the Feed Real Summit, which are all designed to make feeding your dog real food a breeze.

I know how utterly confusing it is when you’re just trying to do the best for your dog, and you don’t know where to start. Or even if you’ve been fresh feeding your dog for a while. there are so many different philosophies on how to feed your dog, that you sometimes wonder if you’re doing the right thing. I am hoping that this episode will help bring you some clarity.

Kay and I cover a lot of ground, including why fresh food is a better choice for your dog, the importance of using species-appropriate bioavailable ingredients, and even some useful tips for transitioning your dog from kibble to fresh food. 

Kay shares her incredible expertise to help you take the fear and complication out of fresh food feeding as we demystify and debunk the AAFCO, NRC, and FEDIAF guidelines to make it easier for you to embark on, or deepen, your fresh feeding journey. You’ll come away with some helpful tips and resources, whether you just want to start by adding fresh food toppers to your dog’s kibble, or you want to up your DIY raw game. There’s something for everyone!

Are you ready? Ok, let’s go!

TIME STAMPS

00:21  INTRO

05:39 Introducing Kay Stewart, veterinary technician and lead educator of Feed Real Institute, from animal research to getting back into alignment as a fresh food advocate

10:15. Kay’s paradigm shift from kibble to fresh

13:11 Where to start your fresh food journey

14:40 The science behind the benefits of fresh feeding

16:22 What are the problems with kibble and why is fresh food a better option? 

20:53 What are AAFCO, NRC, FEDIAF, and what do their guidelines mean about what is in my dog’s food?

28:28 What does species-appropriate mean and why is it important?

32:55 The longevity of dogs has decreased since the 1970s when kibble became the mainstay

35:00 Putting the pieces together - what you need to feed your dog fresh food

43:10 Feeding the dog in front of you and why spreadsheet models might not be providing you with the certainty you think they are

48:00 Taking a holistic approach - looking beyond food

51:00 Start topping your dog’s kibble with fresh food today with these easy tips

57:20 The benefits of allowing your dog to pick and choose their food items, and what this is telling you

59:00 The fun and joy YOU will experience when feeding your dog fresh food

1:00:00 The Feed Real Summit in San Diego, CA October 5-6, 2024

1:04:20 What dogs have taught Kay about what it means to be human

1:06:00 OUTRO and Takeaways

If you want to learn more about Feed Real, their courses, food calculator, and upcoming summit October 5-6, 2024, check out their website: https://feedreal.com

And you can check out the episode where I spoke with Dr Tom Lonsdale about raw meaty bones as the key to the carnivore code here.

DISCLAIMER: This is not a substitute for medical advice or other relevant professional advice.

In this episode of the Summer Series, I'm doing a refresher on your dog's energetics, after a lovely listener reached out after trying to figure out her own dogs' energetics.

I give some tips and tricks on how to identify your dog's primary element of their constitution, as well as whether or not they run more towards cool or warm, and how you can then balance this with food. I also share ways to check your dog's behavioural quirks, and how the time of day they do them might point us to areas of imbalance.

As always, let me know what topics you'd like me to cover in future episodes, or any guests you'd like me to reach out to! Just message me on Instagram @mysticdogmama, or leave a comment on YouTube or Spotify

Enjoy this episode, and enjoy your dog days of summer!

Until next time!

Book I mentioned (This is an Amazon Affiliate link. I receive commission if you choose to purchase through this link, at no cost to you. This helps keep the podcast up and running, so thank you for considering it!)

Dr Cheryl Schwarz Four Paws Five Directions

Amazon USA: https://amzn.to/3Allx10

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/46Ju0r0

And here's a link to Dr Judy Morgan's free pet personality quiz:

https://drjudymorgan.com/products/pet-personality-quiz

In this listener request bonus episode, I answer the question of what is the Universe’s secret sauce of time travel, and share my thoughts on how you can transform your life and step into the version of yourself you want to become by consciously connecting with the breadcrumbs your future self is leaving you right now. I’ll also share with you 3.5 tips you can apply in this very moment to start connecting with your future self today!

TIME STAMPS

00:21 INTRO

01:00 TRUSTING YOUR OWN PATH FOR SENSITIVE SOULS

02:50 THE UNIVERSE’S SECRET SAUCE OF TIME TRAVEL - YOU ARE COMMUNICATING WITH YOURSELF ACROSS TIME AND SPACE

05:25 WHAT HAS A DISH RACK GOT TO DO WITH OWNING A DOG?

13:50 THE LAW OF EMERGENCE - YOU HAVE EVERYTHING ALREADY WITHIN YOU

17:08 EVEN IN THE DARKEST TIMES THE FUTURE VERSION OF OURSELVES ARE CALLING BACK TO US

18:00 3.5 TIPS FOR YOU TO CONNECT WITH THE FUTURE VERSION OF YOURSELF TODAY

23:00 TRUST YOUR VOICE + OUTRO

Let me know what other topics you'd like me to cover in future episodes to help you live your best mystic dog mama (or papa!) life with your dog! Message me on Instagram @mysticdogmama

DISCLAIMER: This is not a substitute for medical advice or other relevant professional advice.

BALANCE YOUR BODY SO YOU CAN FLOW THROUGH THIS STAGE OF LIFE WITH EASE

If you’ve been in or around the fresh food dog feeding world for any length of time, I’m sure you’ve come across those posts in Instagram of beautiful plates of dog food, with a whole host of amazing and exotic ingredients, with the caption “My dog eats better than me”. In this episode we flip that script, and focus on how you can give yourself and your health the same loving attention you give your dog.

Many of us mystic dog mamas are of the perimenopause age, or will be in the next few years, so in this In this episode, integrative health practitioner and health coach, Jessica Green, gives us some fantastic guidance on how to navigate this period of our life with ease by using food and nutritional supplements. She provides a great overview of what is going on in our bodies during perimenopause, symptoms you might be experiencing, and some great foods you can incorporate into your diet to help ease symptoms and help you feel your best!  

And, as a bonus, many of the whole foods and supplements Jessica recommends for your health during perimenopause, are foods and supplements that you may already be incorporating into your dog’s diet (or could be!), so you probably already have them in your kitchen!

Get a pen and paper ready, because this episode is chock full of useful info and tips, and you’re going to want to take notes!

TIMESTAMPS

00:20  INTRO

05:50  MY DOG EATS BETTER THAN ME - LET’S FLIP THAT SCRIPT

08:00  FROM SUSTAINABLE BUILDING EXPERT TO INTEGRATIVE HEALTH PRACTITIONER AND HEALTH COACH

11:28  THE VALUE OF WORKING WITH A HEALTH COACH ALONG WITH YOUR DOCTOR

15:50  WHY THE NEED TO FOCUS ON PERIMENOPAUSE AND MENOPAUSE?

21:15  WHAT IS PERIMENOPAUSE, AND HOW IS IT DIFFERENT FROM MENOPAUSE?

26:10  THE ROLE OF YOUR ADRENALS AND STRESS IN YOUR EXPERIENCE OF PERIMENOPAUSE

31:10  HOW DO YOU KNOW WHAT STAGE OF PERIMENOPAUSE YOU ARE IN?

34:03  HOW THE THYROID MIGHT AFFECT YOUR SKIN DURING PERIMENOPAUSE

35:40  MUSCLE CRAMPING AND MAGNESIUM DEFICIENCY 

38:35  INFLAMMATION AND HOW TO REDUCE IT

40:56  THE IMPORTANCE OF SUPPORTING THE GUT MICROBIOME

45:40  SIMPLE WAYS TO REDUCE OUR EXPOSURE TO TOXINS AND ENDOCRINE-DISRUPTORS

50:17 JESSICA’S TIPS ON FOODS AND NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS: THINGS TO ADD AND THINGS TO AVOID

57:00 JESSICA’S NEW BOOK

1:00:00 WHAT JESSICA’S DOG TAUGHT HER ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS TO BE HUMAN

1:01:00 OUTRO

You can find out more about Jessica Green and her work:

https://jessicagreenwellness.com 

https://instagram.com/jessicagreenwellness

https://facebook.com/jessicagreenwellness

https://youtube.com/@jessicagreenwellness

This episode is supported by Aspirationery, where we make books, notebooks, and stationery to help you become all you aspire to be! I have made a special journal and workbook especially for tracking your cycle, symptoms, and navigating the identity shifts that occur during perimenopause. It’s a great way to keep track of things so you can identify patterns, and have something to reference when you talk with your doctor, naturopath, or health coach. It would also be a great tool alongside Jessica’s upcoming book. The perimenopause journal should be available by the time this episode airs, or just shortly thereafter, so check out our Instagram page for updates and availability. That’s @aspirationery.

As always, I’d love to hear from you about other topics you’d like me to cover on future episodes, so please reach out to me on Instagram @mysticdogmama. I absolutely love hearing from you!

Until next time!

DISCLAIMER: This is not a substitute for medical advice or other relevant professional advice.

If at any time you think the dog wants to be in charge, we in Canine Flow, say that's because the dog HAS a charge.

I’ve got a question for you. Have you tried “all the things” when it comes to dealing with your dog’s reactive behaviours, but you’re still struggling and feeling at your wit’s end? Or, do you just know that there’s a deeper way to connect with your dog, and you’re curious about how to make that happen?

Then you are definitely going to love today’s episode! I spoke with Caroline Griffith, an author, speaker, lecturer, qualified nutritional therapist, and founder of Canine Flow, who has been working in the pet industry for more than 28 years. She is phenomenal, and I am proud to call her my own teacher, mentor, and friend.

Caroline’s take on all things dogs is so refreshing, because she brings the heart back into focus- both your dog’s, and your own.

Canine Flow is more than just a modality to work on your dog’s behaviour. It is a way of being with your dog that invites you to understand your dog - and, again, yourself - from an energetic and emotional space. This isn’t “woo”, there is science behind the assertion that the heart is an electromagnetic organ that drives the way we experience and engage with the world around us.

As Caroline talks about in this episode, she feels that the missing part of the equation when it comes to dogs, and what happens to be their lesson for us as humans, is to unite the mind and the heart in coherence. When we support our dogs in grounding their emotional charge, they become calm and happy, and the very behaviours we have been trying to change, start to be a non-factor.

We talk about what Canine Flow is and what it isn’t, how it complements traditional positive reinforcement techniques, as well as how our dogs are inviting us to step into our own heart space. Caroline also shares her experience of connecting to the canine consciousness that she refers to as the sacred canine heart, and she graciously does a reading for all of us with her sacred canine oracle deck.

I also share some of my personal experiences as a student of Caroline’s Canine Flow course that she will be offering again in March, so you can hear my take on it and how it has supported Lucky and me. Stick with me until the outro, because I will also share with you 3 tips on how you can apply aspects of Canine Flow with your dog today.

This episode is supported by Aspirationery, which, in full transparency, is another project of mine where we create books, notebooks, and stationery to help you become all you aspire to be. You can check out our shadow work and moon magic journals and workbooks, as well as our popular “My First Period Tracker” for young girls and tweens on Instagram @aspirationery.

Ok, grab a cup of tea, or your leash, and let’s go!

TIME STAMPS

00:22  INTRO

04:15  INTRODUCING CAROLINE GRIFFITH

07:00  INTRODUCTION TO CANINE FLOW - TRANSFORM YOURSELF AND YOUR DOG

08:15  CANINE FLOW: A HEART-BASED APPROACH TO UNDERSTANDING YOUR DOG AND HIS BEHAVIOUR

15:15  EMOTIONAL CHARGE AND YOUR DOG’S BEHAVIOUR

25:35  REFRAMING ENRICHMENT: FULFILLING THE DOG EMOTIONALLY NOT TIRING THE DOG OUT MENTALLY

30:30  OUR DOGS ARE SHOWING US HOW TO LIVE AS HEART-BASED BEINGS

35:30  HOW YOUR DOG’S BEHAVIOUR CHANGES WHEN THEY ARE IN FLOW

43:45  THE HEART HAS A MEASURABLE CHARGE

53:55  THE STORY OF STEWIE

59:40  LUCKY’S POSITIVE RESPONSE TO CANINE HYPNOTHERAPY IN CANINE FLOW

1:09:00 YOU ARE ENOUGH

1:10:00 WE GROUND BY OFFERING OUR CREATIVITY

1:13:00 A MESSAGE FOR ALL OF US FROM THE SACRED CANINE HEART 

1:28:00 WHAT DOGS HAVE TAUGHT CAROLINE ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS TO BE HUMAN

1:30:00 OUTRO + TIPS TO START APPLYING CANINE FLOW WITH YOUR DOG TODAY

To learn more about Canine Flow or to reach out to Caroline, visit https://canineflow.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/spiritualdogs

Link to Stewie's Canine Flow session

DISCLAIMER: This is not a substitute for medical advice or other relevant professional advice.

“The mother is in each out breath. You give birth through prana to yourself, to your state of being.”

Today, you are in for a real treat as I chat with my guest, spiritual teacher, author, and mystic, Berdhanya Swami Tierra. She teaches those individuals who are sincerely interested in self-cultivation and inner mastery. Her passion and mission are in offering an uplifting and inspirational platform for the awakening of humanity. Berdhanya supports inner awakening and personal freedom through meditation, mystical teachings, self-inquiry and contemplation.

In this beautiful conversation today, Berdhanya Swami Tierra and I talk about what it means to be walking the mystical path with our dogs, and how to reconnect to our own divine feminine energies and womb chakra. We talk about how the ultimate invitation of life is to be more of yourself in every moment, and how through a process of kinship, we are learning to become more of ourselves through our relationship with our dogs. Berdhanya says that to be a mother, to be a dog mother, is to be aware that we are creating each and every moment with the power of our out breath, and that through acknowledging this, we can more fully step into our role as alchemists.

Berdhanya Swami Tierra has such a wise gentleness about her, and being in her presence is such a gift. Along with useful practices we can try, she also graciously offers so much for us to contemplate, including how we are connected to our dogs, to the elements and the elementals, and all the magic that surrounds us and flows through us. 

Grab a cup of tea, and snuggle up with your dog, because you’re going to enjoy this one!

To learn more about Berdhanya Swami Tierra, her courses, and other offerings, visit her website at: https://berdhanya.com. You can also find her teachings on YouTube at https://youtube.com/@berdhanya

If you are enjoying the podcast, please subscribe, tell a friend, rate it, and review it. It really helps other mystic dog mamas who are looking for community and support to find the podcast. And while you’re at it, let me know what other topics you’d like me to cover to help you live your best Mystic Dog Mama (or Papa!) life with your own pup! You can message me on Instagram @mysticdogmama

And a final note that this episode was supported by Aspirationery, which in full transparency, is another project of mine. At Aspirationery, we make books, notebooks, and stationery to help you become all you aspire to be! You can check out our shadow work & moon magic journals and workbooks on Instagram @Aspirationery and on Amazon.

Ok, until next time!

TIMESTAMPS

00:20 Intro

02:36 Welcoming Berdhanya Swami Tierra

04:29 Berdhanya’s journey on the path of the modern-day mystic

06:50 The difference between awareness and consciousness

09:15 The archetype of the healer: how healing occurs

15:05 Womxn are the alchemists

17:35 The collective “witch wound”

19:00 Taking the first steps towards your own embodiment of being a mystic dog mama

24:15 The courage to confront the unlimited possibility

26:00 The need for empowerment vs the need for realization

30:50 The power of the womb chakra and the attribute of the mother archetype

34:00 Our kinship with the elementals and the elements -we are nature

36:00 The science of Ayurveda and Yoga - taking care of your element

41:00 What is the new paradigm asking of us and offering us?

42:00 Stepping into the power of the feminine

44:55 Coming into relationship with the goddess

52:50 Redefining the mother

59:35 What dogs are teaching us about what it means to be human

01:14:00 Where to find out more about Berdhanya Swami Tierra’s works

01:17:00 Outro

DISCLAIMER: This is not a substitute for medical advice or other relevant professional advice.

I think what it means to be human, at the core, is the same as what it means to be a dog…to love and be loved

My guest today is Laura Thomas, host of the Rescued by a Dog podcast, author, musician, documentary maker, and all-around creative, and a mystic dog mama herself. I reached out to Laura after finding myself binge-listening to her podcast where she invites guests who have had some pretty extraordinary experiences of their dogs quite literally saving their lives in a variety of unbelievable circumstances. Laura also shares her beautiful story of how her dog Cody saved her during her battle with long Covid. 

I wanted to bring Laura on to Mystic Dog Mama to talk about some of her favourite stories she’s been witness to on her podcast, to share her own story with her dogs, and to talk more in depth about what  - and how - our dogs are teaching us about what it means to be human.

This was such a fun episode to record, despite the fact that a construction crew decided to start working just as we were recording, and both my dog, Lucky, and Laura’s dog, Izzy, were super eager to be involved in the podcast! I’ve done my best to edit out the annoying constructions noises, so I apologise in advance, but I’ve left in the dog interactions, because, I mean, this is Mystic Dog Mama, and I will always forgive interruptions of the canine variety! If you want to see some cameos of Lucky and Izzy, definitely check out the video version on Spotify or YouTube where you’ll get to see Lucky plant a wet one on my cheek just as Laura describes how dogs are teaching us about unconditional love! If that’s not wonderfully magical and mystical, I don’t know what is.

You can find Rescued by a Dog wherever you stream podcasts, or on Buzzsprout:

https://rescuedbyadog.buzzsprout.com/

You can find Laura’s book, Not Just a Dog, anywhere that books are sold.

This was a listener-inspired episode, because you have mentioned that you’d love to hear inspiring stories of people and their dogs! Keep the feedback coming! Let me know what topics you’d like me to cover on future episodes to help you live your best mystic dog mama (or papa!) life with your own pup! Message me on Instagram @mysticdogmama.

This episode is supported by Aspirationery, which in full transparency, is another project of mine. At Aspirationery, we make books, notebooks, and stationery to help you become all you aspire to be! You can check out our shadow work & moon magic journals and workbooks on Instagram @Aspirationery

Ok! Until next time!

TIMESTAMPS

00:20 Intro

03:22 Welcome Laura Thomas

05:00 Laura shares her story of moving to Austin to run a last chance dog rescue program, her battle with long COVID, and the inspiration to start the Rescued by a Dog podcast

11:25 Craving the intimacy of storytelling

13:20 Dogs save us when we have lost ourselves, Laura and I talk about some of our favourite stories on her podcast

23:50 What do we mean that dogs are our healers?

28:00 The magical moment when you know you have found your dog

29:30 Animal communication: you are already doing it!

36:00 What dogs know

40:35 Laura’s mystical novel of a dog saving a woman’s life that was inspired by a true story

45:20 Dogs meet you wherever you are at on your spiritual journey

50:00 What dogs have taught Laura about what it means to be human

55:00 Outro

DISCLAIMER: This is not a substitute for medical advice or other relevant professional advice.

So, I have a question for you.

Were you one of those kids who believed in fairies, who believed that animals could talk, and that even your toys might get up to no good when you weren’t home? Did you just love being outside because it felt like home? And the world was full of magic?

Yeah, that was me, too! And I feel like much of my spiritual journey as an adult has been an attempt to get back to those feelings I had as a child. I think it’s probably what many of us are looking for - that reconnection, that remembering of the magic that surrounds us, and that is within us.

In this episode, I welcome singer-songwriter and author, Susan Raven, who joins me in conversation about her spiritual awakening journey and how this led her back into intimate relationship with nature spirits. She talks about how coming across Rudolf Steiner’s philosophical and scientific writings on the topic of Anthroposophy and the supersensible world - the energetic world that lies beyond our 5 senses - catalysed a transformative understanding of the very nature of the energies and consciousness that is at the very heart of the natural world. She also talks about how her experience of the process of songwriting became a collaborative, intimate back and forth with the landscape itself. Susan wrote the book Nature Spirits the Rememberance: A Guide to the Elemental Kingdom as a “stirrup up to the saddle,” as she says, into the works of Rudolf Steiner and his discoveries of the supersensible world - and how this is being backed up by current research into quantum physics and biodynamic agriculture practices. It marries the mythologies of old with a contemporary understanding. The book also provides easy practices for you to try in order to connect to this unseen, energetic world, too. 

Now, you might be saying, what on earth does this have to do with my dog??  Well, as I mention in the episode, our dogs really are a gateway into the natural world, and into these unseen sensibilities. I’m hoping that Susan’s perspectives that she shares in this talk and in her book might offer you a new, magical lens, as you and your dog head out on your walks, and connect with nature, with the land, - and one another -  in a deeper way.

Susan has such a beautiful, poetic way about her, and I invite you to sit back with a cup of tea and enjoy the journey she takes us on. 

TIMESTAMPS

00:20 INTRO

03:30 INTRODUCING SUSAN RAVEN

04:10 NATURE SPIRITS & ELEMENTALS AS OUR COMMUNITY

05:25 SUSAN’S JOURNEY WITH THE NATURE SPIRITS AS A SONGWRITER

10:15 SUSAN’S SPIRITUAL AWAKENING & HER INTRO TO RUDOLF STEINER’S WORK

16:35 THE CALL TO RECONNECT WITH NATURE SPIRITS

19:00 WHAT ARE NATURE SPIRITS AND ELEMENTALS?

28:25 RE-MEMBERING THE NATURE SPIRITS

32:20 THE LABORATORY TABLE AS AN ALTAR - bringing the soul to science

33:55 THE ROLE OF DIS-EASE

38:45 COMMUNICATING WITH OUR ANIMALS

43:35 COLLABORATING WITH ELEMENTALS TO CREATE OUR OWN REALITY

52:25 STEINER’S 6 STEPS TO SELF-DEVELOPMENT

56:35 DOGS AS GATEWAYS INTO THE NATURAL WORLD

1:02:32 EXERCISE TO CONNECT WITH YOUR OWN BODY ELEMENTAL

1:08:08 FINAL WORDS FROM SUSAN

1:20:00 OUTRO 

To find out more about and connect with Susan Raven:

Website: https://www.susanraven.com/

Susan’s book: https://www.susanraven.com/nature_spirits.php

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@SusanRaven

Facebook: https://facebook.com/susanraven.music

This episode was supported by Aspirationery, which in full transparency, is another project of mine. At Aspirationery, we make books, notebooks, and stationery to help you become all you aspire to be! You can check out our shadow work & moon magic journals and workbooks on Instagram @Aspirationery and on Amazon.

DISCLAIMER: This is not a substitute for medical advice or other relevant professional advice.

So, what does the tarot have to do with dogs??

In today’s episode, I am joined by intuitive tarot and astrology expert, and fellow mystic dog mama, Sarah Vrba. Honestly, connecting with Sarah in this conversation was like meeting with a kindred spirit, I enjoyed it so much. I’ve been following Sarah’s work on her YouTube channel for a good few years now where she has created a beautiful and permission-giving space for the sensitive ones among us to reconnect to ourselves, and embrace the wild nature within us.

So, what do dogs and the tarot have to do with one another? If you’ve never worked with the tarot before, it is a system of cards that uses imagery and symbolism to describe the archetypal “fool’s journey” or “hero’s journey” that we are all on as humans. In this chat, Sarah and I talk about how the archetype of the dog appears in key moments of The Fool’s journey throughout the Rider Waite Smith tarot deck, inviting us to be present to what is truly available to us, and beckoning to embrace our wild nature. 

We get into all kinds of juicy topics, from becoming ok with being a work in process publicly, to deconstructing cultural conditioning, and learning to claim our needs -  lessons we have both learned from our dogs. We also talk about how dogs invite us to explore and embrace our wild selves with abandon, and how Chihuahua time is a real thing! Sarah has such a warm and inviting energy, and I just know you’re going to love connecting with her. If you want to learn more about Sarah and her work, I have left links below.

If you are enjoying this podcast, I would be so grateful if you could like, subscribe, rate it, and leave a review! All of these things are so important for helping other mystic dog mamas find the podcast, and get the support they are looking for to best nourish their dogs - and themselves - mind, body, and soul.

And, as always, let me know what topics you’d like me to cover in upcoming episodes, or questions you have around nourishing your dog (or yourself!)! This really is a community space, so if there’s something you want to bring up for discussion, I’m all ears! Again, just reach out to me on Instagram @mysticdogmama

Sarah’s YouTube Channel https://youtube.com/@sarahvrba

Sarah’s Patreon https://patreon.com/sarahvrba

Sarah’s website https://sarahvrba.com

Sarah’s Instagram https://instagram.com/sarahvrba

This episode is supported by Aspirationery, which, in full transparency, is another project of mine where we create books, notebooks, and stationery to help you become all you aspire to be! If you are looking for a safe space to explore and embrace your wild self, our moon magic and shadow work journals and workbooks might be a useful support for you. You can take a peek at them on our Aspirationery instagram account, https://instagram.com/aspirationery.

TIMESTAMPS

00:20 Intro

05:15 How tarot and astrology have shaped Sarah’s journey, and helped her get back to the wild river of life

06:55 Tarot and astrology to reclaim your personal power and embrace the deep, dark places within ourselves

11:18 What is the mystical path for Sarah?

12:40 Deconstructing the conditioning - across cultures

16:30 Allowing things to be messy

19:00 Negotiating identity

21:00 Productivity culture

22:20 The archetype of the dog in tarot and what it is teaching us about our wild selves

28:35 Sarah and I talk shadow work with our dogs

31:55 The will of the world, surrendering to a greater plan

37:20 When your deepest fears are really your greatest friends - lessons from our dogs

43:45 How dogs change our relationship to nature and our own needs

49:15 Dogs lead us through the veil, and return us to ourselves

53:30 Chihuahuas have their own time and the biggest energy field

55:30 Questions that Sarah offers you to explore your own path

1:04:00 What Sarah’s dog has taught her about what it means to be human

DISCLAIMER: This is not a substitute for medical advice or other relevant professional advice.

What if “bad behaviours” are actually your dog communicating they don’t feel safe?

If you have experienced challenges with your dog’s behaviour, and traditional operant approaches haven’t really helped, then this conversation is for you! It’s also for you if you’re interested in understanding your dog’s behaviour from a more emotional and trauma-informed perspective. AND, it’s also for you if you want to learn how to be a better advocate for your dog. 

I mean, basically, anyone who likes dogs, works with dogs, or lives with dogs needs to listen to what Laura has to say, because when more people are able to have compassion for dogs’ trauma and their own traumas, I am convinced the world will become a more loving place.

Dr Laura Donaldson is a former university professor-turned certified dog trainer, certified dog behaviour consultant, and Karen Pryor certified training partner whose work really focuses on, in my opinion, creating a paradigm shift around how we frame and approach “undesirable” behaviours in our dogs like reactivity and aggression. Laura has dedicated herself to improving the wellbeing of dogs by getting rid of the notion of the “well-behaved” dog, and instead, focusing on how to support dogs in experiencing deep safety, and emotional resilience, so that they can navigate anything they encounter in the world.

In this conversation, Laura and I talk about how asking our dogs the question “what do i need to learn from you to help you feel safe in this context?” can be truly be life-changing for your dog, and for you. We talk about how understanding the impact of trauma on our dogs, and the links between trauma and aggression, can help us to understand and have compassion for our own traumas. We also discuss some techniques that you can use with your own dog to help them release and ground the charge they feel in their bodies from trauma, including Laura’s grounding work, and other processes like Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) and energy work.

Laura is launching a new training this January called Transforming Puppies, which she talks a bit about in this conversation you’re about to hear. You can find out more about this training, and all of Laura’s other trainings on her course platform, which you can find below.

For more information about Dr Laura Donaldson and her work, visit her website:

https://fourpawsfourdirections.com/

You can find out more and register for her webinars on her course platform:

https://laura-s-school-1f3f.thinkific.com/collections

This episode is supported by Aspirationery, which, in full transparency, is another project of mine where we create books, notebooks, and stationery to help you become all you aspire to be! If you are looking for a safe space to explore shadow work and your own traumas, our moon magic and shadow work journals and workbooks might be a useful support for you. You can take a peek at them on our Aspirationery instagram account.

TIMESTAMPS

00:22 Intro

05:50 Prioritizing your dog’s emotional needs through grounding

08:15 The body keeps the score - trauma is stored in the body

11:15 Understanding and redefining “bad” behaviors

19:20 The link between trauma and aggressive behavior in dogs

21:05 Redefining reactivity in dogs: why this label doesn’t work

31:00  Building emotional resilience in your dog

33:35 How Laura embarked on this journey

38:38 Why trying to stop the behavior is not a helpful approach

45:25 Practical tips you can do to help your dog with trauma, including EFT and the Triple Heater meridian

50:44 Teaching your dog non-violent social processing as a strategy 

56:33 A client example: a dog in Manhattan who was too scared to go outside

1:03:24 Transforming puppies and puppy class: Changing the expectation of dogs being seen and not heard

1:12:05 How Laura’s experiences with dogs have helped her address her own trauma

DISCLAIMER: This is not a substitute for medical advice or other relevant professional advice.

“Raw meaty bones are the key to the carnivore code.”

Have you ever felt confused and overwhelmed about how to best feed your dog, and aren’t really sure where to start? Or, are you a seasoned raw feeder, but your dog is still suffering from bad breath and tartar build-up?

This week, we take things back to basics, and start with a topic that I see so many people struggling with when it comes to fresh food feeding, and that is the subject of raw meaty bones. To help get to grips with this, I am joined by renowned veterinarian and one of the world’s leading natural feeding experts and the preeminent advocate for raw meaty bones, Dr Tom Lonsdale.

Dr Lonsdale has dedicated himself to protecting pets for five decades as a highly respected and accomplished veterinarian. He first began to suspect that an industrial diet of highly processed commercial pet food could be causing a wide range of serious health issues for dogs and cats in the late 1980s. He discovered that numerous ailments, including periodontal disease, could be rectified by swapping what he refers to as ’junk pet food’ for high-quality raw meaty bones.

This marked the beginning of three decades of observation, research and campaigning to improve the health and wellbeing of pets through a diet of raw meaty bones. As well as helping pet owners and their pets through the advocation of raw meaty bones, he has given voice to the voiceless by consistently calling for global pet food manufacturers and those veterinary schools and practices that he accuses of colluding with pet food manufacturers to be held accountable for their actions.

In this conversation, Dr Lonsdale and I talk about how he came to the realisation that raw meaty bones are the key to the carnivore code, and how he awoke from a dream one Christmas morning in the early 1990s with his cybernetics and periodontal disease hypothesis fully formed. This hypothesis suggests that nature operates through a series of interconnected feedback loops, and the way she helps to keep the carnivore population in check is through periodontal disease. It is a fascinating topic, and I know you’re going to enjoy hearing him talk about it. He also shares his touching and heartfelt response to my question of what dogs have taught him about what it means to be human.

You can find out more about Dr Tom Lonsdale’s work, books, and videos by visiting his website: https://thepetfoodcon.com

Work Wonders: Feed Your Dog Raw Meaty Bones https://amzn.to/48TQkNZ

Multi-Billion-Dollar Pet Food Fraud: Hiding in Plain Sight https://amzn.to/3Pl0wIm

Raw Meaty Bones: Promote Health https://amzn.to/4cdX0cG

Work Wonders: Feed Your Dog Raw Meaty Bones https://amzn.to/3v73mdj

Thank you so much for listening!I hope you enjoyed it! Please subscribe to the podcast, and let me know what other topics you’d like me to cover to help you live your best Mystic Dog Mama (or Papa!) life with your own pup! Instagram: https://instagram.com/mysticdogmama

TIMESTAMPS

00:20 Intro

06:20 Meet Dr Tom Lonsdale

08:35 Raw Meaty Bones 101: What they are, and how they benefit your dog

12:00 Feeding vs Nutrition

15:00 Is feeding Raw Meaty Bones too simple?

18:56 Junk food and dental disease

27:00 How Dr Lonsdale came to the conclusion that raw meaty bones are the key to the carnivore code

59:00 What does Dr Lonsdale see as the future of the veterinary industry?

1:10:15 What have dogs taught Dr Lonsdale about what it means to be human?

This episode is supported by Aspirationery, which, in full transparency, is another project of mine where we create books, notebooks, and stationery to help you become all you aspire to be! Come check out our moon magic and shadow work journals and workbooks on our ⁠Aspirationery ⁠instagram account.

DISCLAIMER: Please consult your holistic veterinarian for any medical advice

“She’s more than just a dog, she’s an amazing parallel universe..”

Thank you for joining me today! And if you are listening to this around the time it is released, Happy New Year! As we wind up one year and begin a new one, I thought it was the perfect time to release the first episode of the Mystic Dog Mama Spotlight Series, where I shine the spotlight on other mystic dog mamas and their stories with their dogs.

My very first guest in this series is such a beautiful and amazing soul, and I’m so excited to introduce you to her, and her former paraplegic rescue dog, Edie. G.G. Silverman is an award-winning author of fiction and poetry, as well as a visual artist, educator, and writing coach. Her writing has recently been shortlisted for the 2023 Dzanc Short Story Collection Prize, and her manuscript, The Blood Year Daughter, was recently named a finalist for the 2023 St Lawrence Book Awards. GG also describes herself as disabled, neurodivergent, and the daughter of immigrants, all of which have informed her path. When not obsessing over her writing, art, or her dog, G.G. enjoys yoga, gardening, cooking, and traipsing through the evergreen forests of the Pacific Northwest, searching for magic and medicine.

In this conversation, GG and I talk about the role of everyday creativity in the spiritual paths we are walking with our dogs. We also explore the ways in which our dogs invite us to let in more magic into the everyday, and ask us how we can become even better versions of ourselves. GG and I share a love of the mystical, and have both embraced the path of the hedgewitch - a path which seeks the magic and medicine in everything we encounter, including belly rubs. GG talks about finding love notes from the universe, and it is my hope that as we enter this new year, that this conversation is one such love note for you, reminding you that magic is, indeed, everywhere, and your dog is right by your side, helping sniff it out!

Want to share your story in the spotlight series, or have suggestions for another incredible mystic dog mama that you’d like me to feature? Message me on Instagram @mysticdogmama!

Please subscribe to the podcast, and let me know what other topics you’d like me to cover to help you live your best Mystic Dog Mama (or Papa!) life with your own pup!

Finally, as we close out 2023, I hope you take GG’s word of the year, “Shine,” and carry it forward  into 2024 in your corner of the world! We can never have too much light. 

Wishing you a wonderful and happy new year, filled with loads of reasons to celebrate!

Until next time!

To connect with G.G. please visit https://www.ggsilverman.com.

Tarot deck I mentioned: Tarot of Mystical Moments by Catrin Welz-Stein

Oracle cards I mentioned: The Wild Unknown Animal Spirit Deck by Kim Krans

TIMESTAMPS

0:22 Intro

03:40 Introducing The Mystic Dog Mama Spotlight Series

06:10 Meet G.G. and her rescue pup, Edie the Frenchie

13:26 Navigating IVDD and auto-immune disease with Edie

17:37 Dogs are sent to us: one heart-centered being to another

24:00 Tarot and Oracle guidance

27:17 Clarissa Pinkola Estes (Women Who Run with the Wolves) and the healing power of archetypes

29:43 The mystery of the mystical, and the edges of the hedges

30:40 Reconnecting with the wonder of the everyday

33:15 Permaculture as a worldview: from problems to parameters

41:00 Our dogs are empowering us to make positive change

43:20 G.G.’s word of the year: SHINE

44:45 Connecting with our ancestors, and the mystical practice of swallowing the sun

47:35 What is the medicine here, in this moment, in a holographic universe?

59:00 Lessons from the matsutake mushroom - embrace the edges

1:02:00 Our dogs teach us about getting back to the wildness of our original body

1:04:00 We are just vessels to serve our microbiome

1:10:00 When the universe sends you love notes when you’re just about to give up

DISCLAIMER: This is not a substitute for medical advice or other relevant professional advice.

Welcome to another Solo Summer Series episode! This week's topic: Nutrition!

Many of you have been reaching out with questions on how to best feed your dog a fresh food diet, and you asked what my take on the new Forever Dog Life Book is. So, in this episode I give a rundown of my thoughts on this new recipe book for fresh feeders, and share my "food pyramid" for dogs and how I put together Lucky's diet and nutrition plans for clients.

I will be doing a series of episodes on nutrition, so if you would like me to dive into a specific topic or area to help you better feed your dog, just let me know! DM me on Instagram @mysticdogmama

And if you would like my support in building a fresh food diet for your dog, or creating a therapeutic nutrition and wellness plan for your dog with a health condition, I am now opening up bookings for canine nutrition and wellness consults! Reach out to me on Instagram to find out more!

Links I mentioned:

Feed Real Institute Calculator

https://www.feedreal.com/calculator

WSAVA Body Condition Score Guide:

https://wsava.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Body-Condition-Score-Dog.pdf

You have the power in your own fingertips to help heal your dog!

This is the second part two of my two-part conversation with dog reflexologist and acupuncturist, Vivian Birlie. If you haven’t checked out part one of this chat yet, I highly recommend you do that first. Also, if you are listening to this episode, you might want to also check out the video on either Spotify or YouTube, because Vivian will do some live demonstrations of several key reflexology and acupressure points, including the anal gland points, that you can use on your own dog, and it’s really helpful to see them.

In addition to the demonstrations, Vivian also shares some more success stories as inspiration, including a client case where reflexology helped to lower Maggie’s extremely elevated liver enzymes after conventional approaches didn’t help.

And just a note of correction, I mention that leaky gut involves permeability of the gut lining, but I do mistakenly say stomach, too. I just wanted to clarify, as I inadvertently misspoke and caught that in the editing. Leaky gut results from permeability in the intestinal lining.

To watch the video, visit our YouTube page: https://youtube.com/@mysticdogmama

Please subscribe to the podcast, and DM me on Instagram @mysticdogmama to let me know what other topics you’d like me to cover to help you live your best Mystic Dog Mama (or Papa!) life with your own pup!

You can learn more about Vivian, her books, and her courses on her website:

https://sanocanis.com/

Please consider purchasing Vivian’s book “Dog Reflexology and Acupressure for Owners” through the following Amazon Affiliate links. This helps to support the podcast, without any extra cost to you.

Amazon USA: https://amzn.to/4ag0Ujj

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/4ajFUIw

Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/sanocanis

Link to Vivian’s YouTube video on the anal gland points: https://youtu.be/NInGGb5Ats8?si=9WssjgpBIrND2X4o

This episode is supported by Aspirationery, which, in full transparency, is another project of mine where we create books, notebooks, and stationery to help you become all you aspire to be! Right now we are featuring our moon magic and shadow work journals and workbooks where you can explore your personal connection to the moon cycle, as well as how the moon is inviting you to unravel the stories, narratives, and mythologies that you may be consciously and unconsciously living your life. They are wonderful tools to gently support you in creating NEW mythologies and dreaming up the life you want to lead. You can check them out on our Aspirationery instagram account, @Aspirationery.

TIMESTAMPS:

0:22 Intro

2:05 Maggie’s struggle with elevated liver enzymes and how reflexology helped her heal

7:17 Using reflexology as a preventative tool

13:30 Vivian demonstrates how to use acupressure to help your pup’s anal glands, as well as the painkiller point

22:10 How to learn how to do reflexology and acupressure on your own pup with Vivian’s online courses

32:40 What have dogs taught Vivian about what it means to be human

DISCLAIMER: Neither Vivian Birlie nor Dr Alexia Mellor are veterinarians, and the information provided in this podcast should not be construed as medical advice.

“You are the last option. If you can’t help us, we will have to put her to sleep…”

Have you ever been told by your veterinarian that there is nothing more they can do about an ailment your dog has? Have you tried “all the things” to relieve chronic allergies to no avail? Or have you completely rearranged your life because your dog’s separation anxiety or reactivity is never getting better?

Dog reflexologist and acupuncturist, Vivian Birlie, has saved countless dogs from being euthanised because they suffered from severe, debilitating issues ranging from arthritis, allergies, and separation anxiety. She has also written the first textbook on dog reflexology and helps people learn how to practice dog reflexology and acupressure through her courses and vet certified education programmes.

In this first part of a two-part conversation, Vivian and I chat about all things reflexology. She gives an overview of what reflexology actually is, how she adapted this healing modality for dogs, and how our dogs can heal from reflexology. You’ll also hear Vivian talk about two incredible examples of the benefits of reflexology. First, she shares how Ludwig, a rescue dog suffering from extreme separation anxiety, found relief and calm through reflexology. And secondly, Vivian shares the personal experience she had with her own dog, Sally, who faced amputation after conventional approaches to her crippling arthritis failed. Get your tissues ready, because if you’re anything like me, you just might well up listening to this story! But the good news is, that through a regular practice of reflexology, Vivian saved Sally’s leg!

In Part 2 of this conversation, Vivian and her beautiful pup, Foibos, do some practical deomonstrations of how to actually do reflexology and acupressure on your own dog to help with some common ailments, including blocked anal glands. She shares more incredible client success stories, and how you can easily add reflexology to your holistic approach to caring for your dog.

0:20 Intro

07:15 Welcoming Vivian Birlie - What is dog reflexology and how did Vivian develop the first textbook for it?

16:50 The principles of reflexology and how it works with the nervous system

30:15 The effects of stress on the nervous system and dis-ease

31:40 The meridians in the body (Traditional Chinese Medicine perspective) - a holistic way of thinking

36:00 When we mirror our dog’s illness

41:50 How can reflexology help your dog?

42:45 The story of Ludwig: how reflexology helped with his extreme separation anxiety

48:25 The story of Sally: how reflexology helped her arthritis and saved her leg from amputation

57:10  The story of Kiwi and her extreme allergies: Vivian was her last option

Thank you so much for listening!I hope you enjoyed it! I Come on over to Instagram @MysticDogMama and share with me your biggest takeaway from this episode! I would love to hear from you.

And while you’re at it, please subscribe to the podcast, and let me know what other topics you’d like me to cover to help you live your best Mystic Dog Mama (or Papa!) life with your own pup!

You can learn more about Vivian, her books, and her courses on her website:

https://sanocanis.com/

Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/sanocanis

Please consider purchasing Vivian’s book “Dog Reflexology and Acupressure for Owners” through the following Amazon Affiliate links. This helps to support the podcast, without any extra cost to you.

Amazon USA: https://amzn.to/4ag0Ujj

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/4ajFUIw

This episode is supported by Aspirationery, which in full transparency, is another project of mine. At Aspirationery, we make books, notebooks, and stationery to help you become all you aspire to be! You can check out our shadow work & moon magic journals and workbooks on Instagram ⁠@Aspirationery⁠ and on ⁠Amazon⁠.

DISCLAIMER: Neither Vivian Birlie nor Dr Alexia Mellor are veterinarians, and the information provided in this podcast should not be construed as medical advice.

“…It blew my mind so much when I learned this I got vertigo and had to lay down because it fundamentally changed my world…”

In this second part of my conversation with archaeologist David Ian Howe, we take a much more personal tack. David talks about struggles with ADHD and learning he has aphantasia, and how both have shaped his world. I also talk a bit more about how Lucky came into my life, and how having to wing my PhD defense taught me so much about who I am, and how I engage with the world. Both David and I share our thoughts on the importance of embracing your superpowers, David also gives his two cents on the future of dogs, and advocates for the importance of teaching archaeology as a skill for developing empathy and curiosity.

This episode is supported by Aspirationery, which in full transparency, is another project of mine. At Aspirationery, we make books, notebooks, and stationery to help you become all you aspire to be! You can check out our shadow work & moon magic journals and workbooks on Instagram @Aspirationery and on Amazon.

Thank you so much for listening!I hope you enjoyed it! I Come on over to Instagram @MysticDogMama and share with me your biggest takeaway from this episode! I would love to hear from you.

And while you’re at it, please subscribe to the podcast, and let me know what other topics you’d like me to cover to help you live your best Mystic Dog Mama (or Papa!) life with your own pup!

You can find out more about David and his work:

David’s website: https://davidianhowe.com

David’s Instagram: https://instagram.com/ethnocynology

David’s YouTube: https://youtube.com/@davidianhowe

0:22 Intro

2:15 Pivoting from art and climate change research into canine nutrition

4:15 My Fool’s Journey with Lucky

11:20 Ditching the “shoulds”

13:01 How winging my PhD defense taught me about who I am

16:05 Embracing your unique expression and superpowers

18:00 David’s trajectory

19:20 David’s mind-blowing moment that changed his life

23:00 Embracing your superpowers 

28:30 Having a dog is a fundamental aspect of what it means to be human

30:00 - David’s thoughts on the future of dogs

33:20 Archaeology is more than Indiana Jones

36:00 Outro

DISCLAIMER: This is not a substitute for medical advice or other relevant professional advice.

“Dogs are wolves that are evolved to life among homo sapiens…” 

In this first episode of a two-part conversation, archaeologist David Ian Howe and I talk about how that 10lb Chihuahua who steals my covers is actually a little wolf who has ingeniously won the game of evolution. David’s lifelong love of dogs and passionate curiosity for archaeology have led him to explore the amazing story of how dogs and humans have co-evolved, and how it is impossible to talk about the human story without talking about the story of dogs. We cover a wide range of topics, including the mythological aspect of dogs, dogs and trauma, and how dogs are encouraging us to step up and become the highest versions of ourselves.

Thank you so much for listening!I hope you enjoyed it! I Come on over to Instagram ⁠@MysticDogMama⁠ and share with me your biggest takeaway from this episode! I would love to hear from you.

And while you’re at it, please subscribe to the podcast, and let me know what other topics you’d like me to cover to help you live your best Mystic Dog Mama (or Papa!) life with your own pup!

This episode is supported by Aspirationery, which in full transparency, is another project of mine. At Aspirationery, we make books, notebooks, and stationery to help you become all you aspire to be! You can check out our shadow work & moon magic journals and workbooks on Instagram @Aspirationery and on Amazon.

To find out more about David and his work:

David’s website: https://davidianhowe.com

David’s Instagram: https://instagram.com/ethnocynology

David’s YouTube: https://youtube.com/@davidianhowe

David’s TED-Ed presentation I reference on the history of dogs:

https://youtu.be/8_KWmzLObQ4?si=D6Na3-qUbAYJWju2

Timestamp

0:22 Intro

05:00 How David got into archaeology and the co-evolution of dogs and humans

10:20 Archaeology as a resource

11:15 The mythological aspect of dogs

12:20 Our dogs as our mirrors and spiritual guides

16:00 How to help our domestic wolves adapt to our human-designed world

20:00 Dogs as individuals

25:40 The roles of dogs in the past and today - what our myths show us

31:05 The agency of dogs in the past and present 

33:27 Dogs in films

35:25 Talking with our dogs

38:57 Wolves won the evolutionary game

41:54 Dogs are emotional beings more than thinking beings

44:55 Trauma in dogs and humans 

51:00 Helping our dogs by helping ourselves

52:15 The new religion - being alone in the woods with your dog

57:00 Epigenetics and ancestral healing within ourselves and our dogs

1:04:00 What has David’s dog taught him about being human?

DISCLAIMER: This is not a substitute for medical advice or other relevant professional advice.

“So, a woman experiencing an existential crisis walks into a curandero’s healing studio in a Mexican village …” It may sound like the beginning to a bizarre joke, but in this very first episode of Mystic Dog Mama, you’ll meet me, your host, Dr Alexia Mellor, as I share with you my own true story of how my dog, Lucky, came into my life in the most magical way I could imagine, and helped me redefine purpose.

SPOILER ALERT: Purpose isn't what you've been told it is!

What often draws many of us to the spiritual path in the first place is a desire to find a deeper sense of meaning. I know that was true for me. But, what do you do when you can’t quite seem to find it? I’ll share with you some of my own ups and downs along this path, lessons I’ve learned from Lucky about what purpose is and how to find it, as well as some fun and practical tips on how you can discover your own unique sense of purpose.

If you’re struggling to identify your deepest core values, I have a free PDF I use with my coaching clients to help them discover their core values, or Unique Compass Points. You can get your very own copy by DMing me on Instagram @MysticDogMama.

This episode is supported by Aspirationery, which in full transparency, is another project of mine. At Aspirationery, we make books, notebooks, and stationery to help you become all you aspire to be! You can check out our shadow work & moon magic journals and workbooks on Instagram @Aspirationery and on Amazon.

Thank you so much for listening!I hope you enjoyed it! I Come on over to Instagram @MysticDogMama and share with me which of the 5 tips you found to be the most helpful. I would love to hear from you.

And while you’re at it, please subscribe to the podcast, and let me know what other topics you’d like me to cover to help you live your best Mystic Dog Mama (or Papa!) life with your own pup!

TIMESTAMPS

03:50 My Origin Story - from artist and academic to canine nutrition and animal communication

04:38 Want to know the Universe’s secret sauce for time travel? 

06:00 What exactly is a mystic dog mama

07:45 The bond between humans and dogs 

08:13 What is a modern-day mystic?

10:00 What does the dark night of the soul have to do with discovering purpose?

15:50 Starting my pilgrimage during the Covid-19 pandemic

16:45 How meeting a curandero led to Lucky

19:19 The perfect storm: Pandemic Pups

20:16 Do you really need a PhD to make your dog’s food? 

22:55 Enter purpose

23:55 Creating daily sacred rituals

25:37 Feeling the magnetic pull forward of purpose

32:24 Dropping the need to find my why

33:45 Checking in with core values

35:00 5 tips and tricks to find your unique purpose that I learned from my dog, Lucky

46:26 Outro   

Share this episode with a friend!

https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/mysticdogmama/episodes/When-Purpose-Paws-at-Your-Door-5-Tips-on-Discovering-Your-Purpose-I-Learned-from-My-Dog-e2cs07g

DISCLAIMER: This is not a substitute for medical advice or other relevant professional advice.

Hello, and welcome to Season One of Mystic Dog Mama, the podcast for soul-led dog mamas! I'm your host, Dr. Alexia Mellor. This is the place for inspiring stories, as well as practical tips and tricks from leading experts on how to lead a more holistic, nourished, and soulful life with your canine companion.

Come along with me on this adventure as I'm joined during this inaugural season by some of the most inspiring pet experts, spiritual leaders, and health professionals, as we explore what our dogs are teaching us about what it means to be human.

Connect with me on Instagram @mysticdogmama, and tell me your dog's name and the biggest lesson they've taught you - I'd love to hear!

Our first episode launches on December 9th, with new episodes released every Saturday -just in time to download for your favorite weekend walk with your dog! Please be sure to subscribe so you don't miss an episode!

Grab your headphones, and your leash, and let's go!

It's 8/8 today! And you know what that means, Lion's Gate! The time when the Dog Star meets the Sun in Leo. This is an amazing time for reflecting on and creating all the wonderful things life has to offer.

And as the Dog meets the Lion, it's also an invitation for deep self-inquiry to explore how we can learn from our dogs and live a much more heart-led, self-compassionate life.

I share with you 5 questions and practices I will be using for myself today to take advantage of this auspicious time in order to create a more soulful life for myself and Lucky, and I invite you to try them out if you feel called!

Wishing you a happy and bountiful Lion's Gate!

Let me know if you find this helpful! You can DM me on Instagram @mysticdogmama

Hello hello! This is the first of the Dog Days of Summer Series where I cover topics you're curious about, and answer your questions on how to best nourish your dog - and yourself - mind, body, and soul.

Today's episode is all about animal communication, and I share a few simple ways you can deepen your intuition and develop your skills so you can communicate with your own dog!

If there's a topic you'd like me to cover in this summer series, just send me a DM on Instagram @mysticdogmama and let me know!

If you would like to make an animal communication session booking with me, or if you're interested in learning to communicate with animals and would like me to create a workshop for your, let me know! Reach out on Instagram @mysticdogmama!

Things I mentioned:

Mat Auryn's book Psychic Witch

Affiliate links (I may receive a commission if you purchase through these links at no cost to you):

Amazon USA https://amzn.to/3Ac1EJy

Amazon UK https://amzn.to/46uJkHY

Maureen Scanlon's podcast I Never Knew But My Dog Did

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/i-never-knew-ink-but-my-dog-did-by-lifecoach-maureen/id1633091784

I’m really excited to share this week’s conversation that I had with Annika McDade of Canine Connection Coaching and Training. Annika is such a beautiful soul, and her approach to working with dogs, and their humans, is so resonant, so in alignment with the Mystic Dog Mama philosophy. She brings science and soul to her approach in training dogs, but also in supporting their humans to develop deeper connections with their canine companions, and ultimately with themselves.

Annika and I talk about the concept of our dogs being a sacred mirror for us, and she shares her own experiences and journey of exploring how dogs serve as these mirrors, inviting us to deepen our connections to them and ourselves. She also shares some really useful tips and tricks that you can use to practically deal with some of your dog’s reactive behaviours and anxiety.

So, if you have been curious about how to deepen your relationship with your dog - mind, heart, and soul - then this is the episode for you!

Connect with Annika McDade:

Instagram: @canineconnectioncoaching

Website: https://canineconnectioncoaching.ca

If you would like me to do a short episode on a particular topic related to nourishing your dog - or yourself - mind, body, or soul, for my upcoming series, just send me a message on Instagram @mysticdogmama!

I am also opening my books up for canine nutrition and wellness consultations! So, if you are curious about how fresh food can benefit your dog’s health, or if your dog is struggling with a health condition, or you’re already a fresh feeder but you would like to learn how to optimise your dog’s diet, I’d love to help you! Some really beautiful feedback I have received from clients has been “this is the first time I’ve felt really heard by anyone in the veterinary field,” and “oh my goodness, this is so helpful, for the first time I feel really hopeful about my dog’s health journey and our relationship”. So, if you need some help and support, just DM me on Instagram @mysticdogmama, and I’ll be happy to have a chat!

This episode was sponsored by Aspirationery, which, in full transparency, is another project of mine where we create books, notebooks, and stationery to help you become all you aspire to be. You can check out our shadow work and moon magic journals and workbooks, as well as our popular “My First Period Tracker” for young girls and tweens on Instagram @aspirationery

DISCLAIMER: This is not a substitute for medical advice or other relevant professional advice.

Today’s episode is a really special Spotlight Series episode where I bring on other mystic dog mamas to talk about their journeys, and their stories with their dogs. My guest today is Barbara Thompson, who I am grateful to say has become a friend of mine after we first met through the podcasting community. Barbara came to her own spiritual awakening experience rather unexpectedly as a result of her sweet soul dog, a pug named Floss. 

In our conversation, Barbara shares how Floss, and then her dog Mazey, catalysed a deep and transformative personal growth process that asked Barbara to go through the dark trenches and come out the other side a new person. From being a former bodybuilder with a less-than healthy relationship to her body and food, to now being an inspiration as a licensed therapist and nutritionist, Barbara’s dogs, or her “girls” as she lovingly calls them, have been her support the whole way. They’ve also supported her clients by serving as therapy dogs! And now, she and her gorgeous little puppy, Tully, are embarking on a new journey towards health together as I help support them in learning how to feed Tully a fresh food diet.

This is such a beautiful chat, and we cover a lot of ground that I think many of us can relate to. Just as a heads up, we do touch on some sensitive subjects of having battled with suicidal thoughts, and with eating disorders, so if that is triggering to you, you may want to skip this one. Again, I absolutely encourage you to seek the appropriate help that you need, if this is the case.

To connect with Barbara:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/self_care_studio

The Studio Chat Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/2fXhFt72cnU4kSysloUXcd

Website:  https://selfcarebybarbarathompson.com.au

If you are interested in learning how to feed your own dog a fresh diet, or you have a dog with a health condition and want some support with a fresh therapeutic diet, or you’re already a fresh feeder and just want a bit of guidance on how you can make your dog’s diet even better, reach out to me on Instagram @mysticdogmama! I’m putting together a new course, and I’m opening up spaces for canine nutrition consults, and would love to support you! Like I said, just DM me on Instagram @mysticdogmama for more information.

In a couple of weeks I’m going to switch things up for a bit over the dog days of summer here in the Northern Hemisphere. I’ll be sharing some shorter solo episodes with you where I’ll talk about some of the things that you guys are asking me, or mentioning that you’re curious about when it comes to nourishing your dogs and yourselves mind, body, and soul. So, if there’s something you would like me to talk about in one of these shorter episodes, just send me a message on Instagram @mysticdogmama and let me know!

This episode was sponsored by Aspirationery, which, in full transparency, is another project of mine where we create books, notebooks, and stationery to help you become all you aspire to be. You can check out our shadow work and moon magic journals and workbooks, as well as our popular “My First Period Tracker” for young girls and tweens on Instagram @aspirationery.

This is the next episode in a series where I am bringing in different guests to talk about the spiritual side of our journeys here with our dogs, and creating a space for conversations about what the modern day mystical path actually looks like.

Mariana is also a “recovering academic,” who went from researching emergent futures to boldly following the mystical path. We met while working on a project together in Barcelona, and quickly discovered that we were both undergoing some pretty significant personal and spiritual transformations at the same time. Since then, we have shared our experiences with one another about the difficulties and the opportunities that the spiritual path has offered us. Unbeknownst to one another, we both started reading and applying the lessons of A Course in Miracles at the same time - during the lockdown of 2020. Throughout the years, we have talked about how important it is to share our experiences and learnings, because the mystical path can be a challenging and lonely one if we try to do it alone.

This conversation is really a masterclass in everyday mysticism. It’s not about going off to a retreat or an ashram - although those things are great and have their own value - but Mariana and I talk about finding the beauty and wisdom in the very mundane of our everyday lives.

We touch on how A Course in Miracles created a new trajectory for our spiritual inquiries, how everything - including our dogs - is a sacred mirror that invites us into the questions of who we are and what is reality, and how mysticism is the activism that is needed in today’s world. Mariana also shares how she has started a community for those of us who are interested in lucid dreaming, and how to use the dream world in our spiritual evolution.

Just a little word of caution, we do briefly speak a bit about our experiences with deep depression and suicidal thoughts, so if you find this subject matter sensitive and would prefer to skip over it, we speak about this from about 1:14:00 to 1:24:00. If you are struggling with depression or suicide, please seek the appropriate professional support that you need.

To connect with Mariana, visit her Instagram https://instagram.com/lucid.school

To order A Course in Miracles. please consider using the affiliate links below. I receive a small commission at no cost to you, and it helps to keep the podcast up and running.

Amazon USA: https://amzn.to/3xPzV0F

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/4csJbH3

If you would like me to cover any particular topics on future episodes, or you’d like me to reach out to a potential guest, just let me know! Feel free to  reach out to me on Instagram @mysticdogmama

Finally, this episode is sponsored by Aspirationery, which, in full transparency, is another project of mine where we create books, notebooks, and stationery to help you become all you aspire to be. You can check out our shadow work and moon magic journals and workbooks, as well as our popular “My First Period Tracker” for young girls and tweens on Instagram @aspirationery.

DISCLAIMER: This is not a substitute for medical advice or other relevant professional advice.

In this week’s episode, I chat with Beth Bigler of Honoring Our Animals. Beth is a pet loss grief counsellor who is offering a really important and valuable space for us to explore the various kinds of grief we will inevitably experience in our lives, especially when we invite our four-legged beloveds into our lives.

Beth and I have one of the most important conversations I think I’ve had around the topic of grief, of our culture’s complete avoidance of the grieving and mourning experiences, and how we can transform with and through the process of honouring our animals, and honouring ourselves.This is not a sad conversation, don’t worry. But, it is a validating one.

We talk about all different kinds of grief - whether that’s the grief we feel around not having the kind of dog we thought we would have, or the grief of feeling we are not a good enough pet parent, as well as the grief of anticipating our pet’s passing, and the grief we feel when they have crossed over. Beth shares so many helpful tips, and she speaks from personal experience because it was her own experience of seeing a pet loss grief counsellor when her beloved cat Arnie was passing from cancer that catapulted her into this work.

Beth also shares how her relationship with Arnie has continued to grow and deepen even as he is on the other side.Whether you are currently experiencing grief, whether you did in the past and didn’t feel supported, whether you’re wanting to know how to support another who is in the grieving and mourning processes, or whether you just want to know more ways to deepen your relationship with your pet in life and on the other side, this is such an impactful episode.

And I hope that it helps create the space here in this community to honor, recognise, and hold space for us all as we experience the big emotions we have in our lives.

You can connect with Beth on her website https://honoringouranimals.com⁠ and Instagram ⁠https://instagram.com/honoringouranimals⁠

If you are enjoying the podcast, I would be SO GRATEFUL if you would consider subscribing and leaving a review on Apple podcast. I wish Spotify had that option, but only Apple does at the moment. Reviews are so helpful for me to know what you are enjoying so that I can make sure to create content you find helpful, and reviews also really help others to find the podcast and find the support they are looking for in this beautiful, beautiful community we are creating together! You guys are just so amazing, and I am so grateful for each and every one of you!⁠

https://mysticdogmama.com⁠Instagram: ⁠https://instagram.com/mysticdogmama⁠

OMG this is SUCH A FUN EPISODE!

To celebrate International Podcast Day which takes place on September 30th, this week’s episode is a Spotlight Series episode where I talk with fellow mystic dog mama and podcaster, as well as author, coach, and medium Maureen Scanlon!

You know when you meet someone and you think to yourself, “This person is just SO COOL?” that’s how I felt meeting Maureen! Maureen has an incredible backstory that includes being in an abusive marriage, and then making her way as a single mother. And she also shares how her dogs were pivotal in her self-love, self-awakening journey. But what is most incredible about Maureen is her resiliency and her ability to transform past pains and difficulties into the very strength and gifts that she now uses to support people as an author, coach, and medium.

In this episode, we cover so much interesting stuff!

Maureen talks about how she discovered her amazing gift of talking to dead people, and how you can nurture your own gift!

How to have “no regerts” - no, that’s not a typo!

And we go into so much more about what exploring the spiritual path can teach us about choosing the version of ourselves we want to become

Maureen leaves us with really useful and practical Tips for developing compassion, starting with self-compassion, and creating the life we love - and how we can learn ALL of this from our dogs!

And she shares the reminder, just in case nobody has told you this today: YOU ARE AMAZING

I’ve left links to Maureen’s podcast and website in the show notes, so be sure to check them out.

AND, to celebrate International Podcast Day, I’m doing a giveaway! Yes, that’s right! I’m giving away a free copy of my brand new ebook, The N.E.W. Approach to Feeding Your Dog Fresh Food. This really is the ultimate guide to simply and easily make your dog fresh food. It’s not a recipe book - I teach you the basics and fundamentals of putting a healthy diet together for your dog so that you can totally customise it based upon your dog’s needs, what’s available to you, what’s in season, and what your dog likes! No more guesswork, and no more worry that you’re not doing it right. I include how to feed raw meaty bones, how to work out how much your dog needs to eat, how much of each ingredient they need, and I even include bone broth recipes, garlic guidance, and weekly meal planners and shopping lists. And because this is the N.E.W. Approach, I’ve also included information on food energetics and the energetic profiles of the most common foods, as well as some easy wellbeing practices you can start implementing today.

SO, if you’d like to enter the giveaway for your chance to with the ebook, all you have to do is write a review of the Mystic Dog Mama podcast on Apple Podcasts, take a screenshot of your review, and DM me the screenshot on Instagram @mysticdogmama. Or, if you’d prefer, email it to me at alexia@mysticdogmama.com. All of this info will be in the show notes. I am accepting entries until Thursday, the 3rd of October at 5pm Eastern, and the winner will be announced on Friday the 4th of October!

To learn more about Maureen and how to work with her: https://lifecoachmaureen.com

To listen to my interview on Maureen's podcast I Never Knew But My Dog Did (INK): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/i-never-knew-ink-but-my-dog-did-by-lifecoach-maureen/id1633091784?i=1000664123686

My website: https://mysticdogmama.com

Are you going through your own personal Groundhog Day, asking yourself why the same things keep happening over and over again to you? Are you yelling at the Universe, “I thought I already learned this lesson!”? then this episode is for you!

In this bonus chat, I share with you a SUPER helpful concept I came across that has been unbelievably helpful to me as I navigate a season of lots of transition, and I wanted to let you know about it in case it helps YOU! 

You’ll learn:

• What the “echo” is, and how it’s actually a sign of some deep healing you have completed

• How engaging with the difficult situations in your life as though you are in a lucid dream can be really empowering

• How to use the experience of the echo to step into the next version of yourself

I’ve been having so many lightbulb moments and lightbulb experiences recently thanks to becoming aware of the echo, and it’s radically changed how I am experiencing some pretty stressful times. I really hope this resonates with you and that you can use it if you’re in a similar kind of situation right now, and even if you’re not, you’ll have this in your back pocket the next time you are dealing with some stress and uncertainty.

Enjoy! And let me know if you’ve experienced the echo before, and what you found helpful! DM me on Instagram @mysticdogmama, or leave a comment!

Until next time!

Website: https://mysticdogmama.com

You are in for a TREAT! Today, my guest is Lisa Spector of My Zen Pet. Lisa has such an incredible story. From graduating from the world renowned Julliard School, to pursuing a concert career, opening up a music school, and even raising puppies for Guide Dogs for the Blind, Lisa has been on an incredible journey that has shown her the power that music holds - for dogs and humans alike.

In this episode, Lisa talks about her journey into canine sound therapy, and she shares with us some really useful ways we can use music to calm our dogs’ nervous systems to both prevent and treat all kinds of anxiety. And she also shares why just putting any ol’ classical music on for your dog when you go out during the day, or during fireworks, might not actually be a helpful thing! Don’t worry, Lisa shares exactly what IS helpful to your dog’s nervous system, too.

AND you’ll be treated to a mini concert you can share with your dog, as Lisa plays for us some of her calming music. It’s so beautiful, and you’re going to feel just as relaxed as your dog, so get comfy!

Check out Lisa’s website ⁠https://myzenpet.com⁠ to learn more about her Dog Gone Calm Training Program and to stream her Dog Gone Calm album for your dog! You can also follow Lisa on Instagram ⁠@my_zen_pet⁠.

Visit ⁠https://mysticdogmama.com⁠ for more information on booking a holistic nutrition and wellness consultation, and to get your copy of my ebook The N.E.W. Approach to feeding your dog!

Finally, can I please ask you for a favour? If you are enjoying the podcast, a simple and really meaningful way you can support me is by rating the podcast and leaving a review on Apple podcasts. I know, I wish Spotify allowed reviews, too! Alas! But seriously, it really helps me to know what you are enjoying, and it is SO HELPFUL for helping others to find the podcast, and find this beautiful community we are creating together. I am so grateful for each an every one of you!

OK, until next time!