Show Notes
Summary: On this episode of the Act To Live Podcast, Jaime talks about her incredible humorous and entertaining cat, Tully. Scott adds to the storytelling with tales of his dogs. They both acknowledged that having access to animals makes their lives interesting and their pets add to the well-being of their lives. They also discussed some research conducted with pet owners that showed people who own pets are healthy, happier, and more well adjusted. Lastly, research about the use of Pet Therapy with kids who have cancer found that these wonderful kids worried less and their parents noted improvements in school functioning. ACTion Event of the Week: If you have a pet, take some time this week to focus on them and thank them for what they give you. If you don't own a pet, take some time to look at pictures of animals, or if you know someone who has a pet, spend some time with these animals. Join us on the next Act To Live Podcast when we explore the topics of compassion fatigue and burn out, and how they differ. So come on! Let's take a walk. References: American Humane. (2017) Major Study Indicates That Therapy Dogs Provide Significant Benefits to Families of Children Undergoing Treatment for Cancer. https://americanhumane.org/press-release/major-study-indicates-that-therapy-dogs-provide-significant-benefits-to-families-of-children-undergoing-treatment-for-cancer/?gclid=Cj0KCQiAw_H-BRD-ARIsALQE_2M3a-GCsAUNMAWFw9GKxLfn-xBZXg_WcrYjDTug5bWGinOrz5FEs6caAl3FEALw_wcB Kim Mils (2011). The Truth About Cats and Dogs: Pets Are Good for Mental Health of 'Everyday People' : Study finds thinking about one's pet is as beneficial as thinking about friends. https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2011/07/cats-dogs Kristen C. Jacobson & Laura Chang (2018).Associations Between Pet Ownership and Attitudes Toward Pets With Youth Socioemotional Outcomes. Frontiers in Psychology. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.02304/full
More from Act to Live
Summary: On this episode of Act To Live, Jaime begins by sharing a recent conversation with a friend which centered around the idea that some people may be driven by hope while others may be driven by faith. Jaime asks Scott his perspective on the idea and the two then delve into the meaning of both terms and the roles these entities may have in life. The duo arrives at the idea that perhaps these concepts allow us to make sense of, and even find comfort in, the uncertainties and unknowns of life. ACTion Event of the Week: Take some time to explore the concepts of hope and faith. What roles do they play in your life - particularly in more challenging situations. How might you focus on strengthening either of these skill sets? Where do we walk next? Join us on the next episode of Act to Live as we delve into the multifaceted topic of change! References: Unknown (2023). The psychology behind faith. PsychoLogs Magazine. https://www.psychologs.com/the-psychology-behind-faith/ Preston, C. (2021). The Psychology of Hope: Rebuilding in the face of ongoing adversity. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/mental-health-in-the-workplace/202110/the-psychology-of-hope
Quote: "Never help a child with a task that he feels he can succeed." – Maria Montesorri "Development is a series of rebirths." –Maria Montesorri Summary: On this episode of Act To Live, Scott and Jaime are joined by Kirsten Nichter. Kirsten is a special education teacher and parent coach. Through her experiences working with young children, Kirsten realized her passion for helping parents. Kirsten shares her story of becoming a parent coach, as well as guiding Scott and Jaime in exploring topics like self-compassion (as a parent), building resilience within oneself and their children, and more! ACTion Event of the Week: Each day, take a few minutes to answer the following two questions - What was your parenting win today? What is something that you are grateful for? Where do we walk next? Join us on the next episode of Act to Live as we explore HOPE and FAITH! Kirsten links: https://www.connectionsparentcoaching.com/ https://www.instagram.com/connectionsparentcoaching/ https://www.facebook.com/ConnectionsParentCoaching References: Chow, K. (2017). Building Resilience Through Play Based Learning. Housman Institute. Li W, Tan F, Zhou Z, Xue Y, Gu C, Xu X. Parents' Response to Children's Performance and Children's Self-Esteem: Parent-Child Relationship and Friendship Quality as Mediators. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 May 15;19(10):6012. Neff, K. (2015). Self-Compassion: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself. Siegel, D. and Bryson, T. P. (2019). The Yes Brain: How to Cultivate Courage, Curiosity, and Resilience in Your Child.
Quote: Trust is "the most effective way of relating to and working with others" and "one of the most powerful forms of motivation and inspiration." -Stephen Covey Summary: On this episode of Act To Live, Scott and Jaime are joined by Dr. James Panico. James guides a thought-provoking discussion about trust. How is it defined? What role can it play in one's life? What happens when trust is harmed? And more!
Summary: On this episode of Act To Live, Scott and Jaime take some time to share pieces of their unique stories. They then delve into the idea of stories - the ways stories differ depending on who's living or viewing them, the ways stories can change (often unexpectedly) over time, and the impact time and space can have on one's ability to tell a story. ACTion Event of the Week: Write YOUR story! Take some time to ponder and reflect. Then, sit down and start writing. Perhaps from the beginning…or maybe you choose to focus on a time or event that stands out most in your mind. Where do we walk next? Join us on the next episode of Act to Live as we explore HOPE and FAITH! References: Dibdin, E. (2022, March). The Mental Health Benefits of Journaling. Psychology Central. https://psychcentral.com/lib/the-health-benefits-of-journaling Dingfelder, S. (2011, January). Our stories, ourselves. American Psychological Association. https://www.apa.org/monitor/2011/01/stories McAdams, D.P. (2006). The Redemptive Self: Stories Americans Live by. New York: Oxford University Press. Sutton, J. (2018, May). 5 Benefits of Journaling for Mental health. Positive Psychology. https://positivepsychology.com/benefits-of-journaling/
Summary: On this episode of Act To Live, Scott and Jaime introduce the theme of Season Six - exploration! Each episode will feature a single word meant for listeners to explore right along with the duo. Jaime and Scott begin the episode by defining exploration and the role it plays in their lives currently. They then discuss some ways that we can engage in self-exploration and a few of the benefits. ACTion Event of the Week: Take some time to think about an area of your life in which you'd like to explore. Then, dive in…in any way that feels right to you…write, meditate, talk with family and friends, etc. Where do we walk next? Join us on the next episode of Act to Live as we explore FAITH and HOPE!