Here it is:

Don’t rely on your pet to provide ALL your emotional care and comfort. If you need mental health care, try (and I well understand how incredibly difficult this can be) to find appropriate counseling or some sort of professional who can partner with you to help you feel better. Our animals are like sponges on four legs, and many of them pick up everything we experience. I can guarantee no one knows you as well as your dog or cat because they sense so much about you. It can be painful for them to be the only one their human goes to for comfort or emotional support when troublesome times are at hand—it’s overwhelming.

One way this stresses them is they may think they are causing your upset if they are unable to discern the root cause of your distress. Another is many pets spend very little time away from their home, and so they have no way of clearing their energy, or decompressing from their emotionally charged environment. They are literally marinating in the energy of the emotional state you are experiencing. I have also talked with animals  whose reaction is to feel helpless and unsure about how to help their human.  That powerlessness they suffer makes the situation even worse for them. 

Before we continue, I want to share some information that will hopefully assuage any despair you are feeling about what I have just written. PLEASE do not feel guilty because your animal senses your distress and therefore gets down or upset also!!! We experience the same situation ourselves when our roommates or partners are depressed or irritable. It is natural and normal that we pick up the energy of those we live with, or spend the most time with. That is simply how energy works. This is NOT your fault! You are not doing something wrong. Despite all I do to protect my cat from my energy, if I am super wound up and having a rough time, my cat barfs almost daily. I hate it and feel so badly for her. I do all I can to clear her energy, but there is only so much to be done. 

Yes, many animals do want to comfort their upset humans. Many of them are also very uncomfortable with being there if their human is crying and agitated. Whatever their behavior, accept that is what is best for them. Don’t take it personally if they don’t stay right by you, and please allow them to do what they need. I repeat, do not take it personally. Animals vary, just like people, with their ability to cope with turmoil. 

So yes, we do rely on our animals for comfort, and that is ok. Problems can arise if there is literally no one else their person confides in, and that person relies solely on their animal to help them.

 I asked a fellow animal communicator to share her thoughts about this. Kathryn Barajas Bjork said, “I think it’s important for people to know that there is a limit to how much you depend on your pet. Yes, they are our companions. But they aren’t there to be our therapists too.” (Kathryn offers some great products and services that are different than mine—she is fabulous! Check her out at www.crazyredhairedlady.com.)

 Like us, the animals can get physically sick or begin to act out when faced with these circumstances. Most folks have some sort of support system and/or healthy coping skills so that their pet is simply another friend who is there when the going gets rough. That is what your animal needs—for you to have at least a few outlets of some sort that help you manage life.

If you find you do rely solely on your pet, please consider doing what you can to develop other resources, as you are able. You and your pet will both feel better if you can. 

What can you do if your pet is displaying symptoms of distress when you are suffering? There are quite a few effective ways of alleviating your pet’s despondent mood. 

One of the best I have found is to use a flower essence called Golden Armor for yourself and your pet daily, consistently. It protects and buffers us from all kinds of negative energies. It is so effective. I and my animals have used it daily for years. Here is a link to it:https://www.greenhopeessences.com/essences/golden-armor

I suggest buying a smaller bottle because they are only potent for around a year. Make sure you read about how to properly use it so you receive the most benefit. Their website states that essences typically are for short term use only, but considering I am a psychic medium/animal communicator, I pick up a lot of energy. My cat is also very sensitive, so we continue to use Golden Armor daily because who needs to be dragged down with low vibrations? Not me, or her.

Animals frequently ask me to have their humans burn sage in their home at least once a week or so during times of high stress. You can also carefully burn it around your pet (I always keep the sage over the ceramic bowl I keep it in), and  make sure you are burning it around the areas they spend the most time. Burning it frequently around yourself helps your pet too. According to Brigette Baker, another animal communicator I trust whose website is below, “Diffusing high grade/good quality sage essential oil…NOT clary sage, just good old sage—is also another option.”

Placing crystals around their bed and common hangouts can be beneficial. Here is a blog from the pet products website, Chewy, about what crystals to use: https://be.chewy.com/healing-crystals-and-their-meaning-for-your-pets/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=12473032557&utm_content=136991732821&gclid=CjwKCAjwscGjBhAXEiwAswQqNO5KQjJ1fHg8Ua3exqIy3KsYjnNVzKZpQ3GIKlnCQKAtDEzkGmGB6xoC8_IQAvD_BwE

 Make sure you clear the energy of the crystals before you use them. I had a dog who was completely thrown off by the energy of the crystals her dad had just bought, and she was fine once the human had cleansed them.  Himalayan salt lamps, placed where the animal can’t reach them, are also a fantastic way of lightening up energy. 

Diffusing essential oils can bring joy, but check with your vet or other trusted animal care professional before using these. Discuss what oils will work well considering any sensitivities or illnesses your pet has. Remember their noses are way more perceptive than ours, so a little goes a long way. Brigette Baker, the communicator I mentioned above, creates essential oil blends that may help your friend. She can also make ones specifically for your pet. Her website is www.reiki317.com.

If you are extra stressed, provide your pet with more play and exercise to help them blow off steam. If your cat seems to avoid you when you are blah, allow them their space. It’s nothing at all against you; they need to manage their energy just like we do. 

Remember to always give yourself, and your pet, grace. Do the best you can, and they will sense that and appreciate it. You aren’t going to be perfect, and you don’t need to be in order to give your pet a joyful life. 

Not sure how your pet is feeling? I am happy to schedule a session with you so you can find out! Please contact me by text or phone call at 317-440-8783, or email me at annie@laughingsoul.org.