Heal yourself - Heal your dog.
Making the connection with our dogs and making the connection within ourselves.
I believe that the emotional environment that we live in is fundamental to everything. If we want to elicit changes on any level we need to start here. I also believe that the profound nature of our emotional connection with our companion animals is often over looked and we are mutually affected by each others emotional state. This can work positively and negatively.
Any significant relationship involves layers of conscious and unconscious emotions. These layers are being built from the moment we meet. Past experiences as well as future expectations all effect how we relate to one another in the present. The relationship we have with our dogs is no exception.
This can become particularly relevant when a behavioural problem arises. We can feel increasingly worried, afraid, out of control and generally more stressed. Sometimes our reactions are due to unconscious emotional 'buttons' being pressed. Unfortunately, as long as these emotional sensitivities remain in the subconscious we have no control over their influence on our thoughts and behaviours.
I will help you to explore these feelings and recognise their significance. Bringing these emotions to the surface of awareness enables us to relate to our dogs more mindfully and to appreciate the subtlties in our communication.
I encourage you to reflect on our sessions and use them to gain a more objective perspective from which to observe how you are feeling as you interact with your dog on a daily basis. These insights will develop self-awareness and can deepen the emotional connection with your dog
Through my own personal and professional experiences I have come to realise that behaviour modification techniques and strategies achieve very little if we don't work with the underlying emotional state at the same time.
This type of exploration can increase our awareness and provide a deeper understanding of how and why we relate to our animals as we do. With increased awareness comes a greater degree of choice and control over our emotional responses. As well as strengthening our bond with our animal.
