The Family Pet & Mental Health

I know a woman who's therapist wrote her a prescription for a cat. The therapist thought that the cat would bring the woman comfort and companionship during a difficult divorce. The woman got the cat and for 20 years she was able to use the cat's expenses as a tax write off.

Pets can be great therapy. They love unconditionally and they require little more than food, shelter and love. Another wonderful side effect of having a pet is that caring for and connecting with a pet teaches the owner empathy and compassion. Children who grow up with a pet in the home are more likely to learn these lessons than those who do not.

However getting a pet while children are under the age of 5 can be a risky situation for the pet. Although children will eventually learn empathy by interacting with a pet the learning process takes time and it is important for parents to closely supervise the interactions between the child and the pet.

When the child does something that hurts the pet it is important for the parent to react in a way that helps the child understand that the pet has both physical and emotional feelings. Children as young as 2 years old can begin to understand the connection between hitting (or pulling a tail) and the sensation of pain in others. The parent just needs to take time to explain it calmly.

So go ahead and get that family pet. But don't expect the child to be responsible for it. Just help them learn how to love it.

Learning About What Makes You Happy - and how to relieve daily stress

Today I spent time with a client who was beginning to feel as if she had lost control over her ability to run her life. Life was too busy and every aspect of her business seemed far too underdeveloped and she couldn't see the light at the end of the tunnel.Because she has issues with instant gratification I tried to help her understand how relieving it would be to remove some stress factor's from her life that cause or add to the stress in ones self or in the home. Findind ways to eliminate chaos in her home or office might be one way to relieve stress improve her level of confidence and thereby limit helping her to find quiet time to herself where she cam rejuvenate for a moment.

One of the best ways for people to relieve stress is to have at least on really good hobby. Fixing up old cars, running, biking, getting away for a weekend with your wife or working on a project for your special someone all might be great ways to release stress in your life. Instead of focusing on how hard life is for you, begin thinking about how you can make yourself more productive by re-energizing your own batteries a little everyday. Even if reading a novel is your therapy, arrange to do id for 10-15 minutes a day during what otherwise may have been a stressful period.

The problem is that when we are in the midst of the ongoing chaos, we tell ourselves that we don't have time for a hobby. NOT TRUE! You are just too busy being busy and the thought of tending to your own needs may cause you to feel guilty, unworthy, not-good-enough. But settling into a couple of relaxing activities twice a day can significantly improve your work productivity and your ability to function at home and in the world.