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	<title>Better Relationships &#187; mourning</title>
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	<link>https://www.better-relationships.com</link>
	<description>Marriage &#38; Couples Counseling, Psychotherapy, Premarital Counseling</description>
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		<title>Pets and Emotional Wellness</title>
		<link>https://www.better-relationships.com/pets-and-emotional-wellness/</link>
		<comments>https://www.better-relationships.com/pets-and-emotional-wellness/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 11 Apr 2019 01:15:42 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jim Swaniger]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[DEPRESSION]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[GRIEF & LOSS]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[RELATIONSHIPS]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[attachement]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[coping with grief]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[grieving]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mourning]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pet loss]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pets]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pets and health]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[What a revolutionary breakthrough it would be if we found a way to lower blood pressure, lessen the ravages of depression, boost our immune systems, enhance our sense of emotional well being, decrease our feelings of loneliness, increase motivation, elevate our self-image, and promote our ability to trust! These are only some of the benefits of pet ownership. Under most circumstances, having a pet is a healthy and healing experience. Since ancient times pets have been part of the human experience. Early contacts between humans and dogs benefited both species. The dogs were fed scraps of food, bones and other leftovers, until they developed a dependent relationship with humans. Then, in turn, the dogs served as guards, warning humans of intruders approaching their encampments. Today an estimated 50 million households have pets. In addition to 120 million pet dogs and cats, people make pets of birds, fish, rabbits, hamsters, as well as a variety of exotic pets, including pigs and reptiles. With the decrease in attachment bonds in our society over the last several decades, we have seen increases in depression, loneliness, lack of trust, and a heightened sense of vulnerability. People don’t feel the closeness, the sense of social engagement, and the intimacy with others that they experienced in the past – when people were more likely to live in the same community throughout their lives, when communication was more personal, when travel was not as widely available. The role played by pets in our lives is likely to become more significant within this context since pets can serve as substitute sources of attachment. Pets can compensate for some of the losses we feel in an increasingly impersonal era. Emotional Attachment Pets are an important source of emotional attachment that can be as significant as, and sometimes even stronger than, the bonds formed between people. The purpose of attachment, according to developmental theory, is to form an affectionate bond and to provide a sense of safety and security. These needs, which emerge early in one’s life, are directed toward a few specific people and tend to endure throughout one’s [&#8230;]]]></description>
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		<title>Coping with Grief and Loss</title>
		<link>https://www.better-relationships.com/some-thoughts-on-grieving/</link>
		<comments>https://www.better-relationships.com/some-thoughts-on-grieving/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 26 Oct 2016 19:46:08 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jim Swaniger]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[GRIEF & LOSS]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[coping with grief]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[death]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[grief]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[grief counseling]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[grieving]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mourning]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.better-relationships.com/?p=3334</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Our ability to grieve and adapt to the loss of a loved one is an important feature in the course of our lives. Change can stimulate growth. Loss can give rise to gain. If we do not grieve the loss, it can drain us of energy and interfere with our living fully in the present. If we do not mourn, we may spend our lives under the spell of old issues and past relationships and failing to connect with experiences in the present. It is during the time of grieving that many people begin grief counseling with a professional therapist since they are likely better prepared than most to empathize with you and guide you through your journey of grief. Affirmations for Grief When you grieve, remember that: Losses are a fact of life. Every relationship is only temporary. I need to be aware as possible of what is happening. I will not always feel the way I do now. My loved one would want me to get on with life again. Tears are a sign of strength. I am willing to give this all the time it takes I need to do a lot of talking and crying – as much as it takes. My loved one’s departure allows me to find out more about who I am. My life has been disrupted, and now I will work to get it back on track again. My grieving is my own – I, and not others will determine what form it takes. Nobody else can take this life journey from me. I will be happy again.  “Give sorrow words: the grief that does not speak whispers the o’er-fraught heart and bids it break”  - William Shakespeare (Macbeth, Act IV, Scene 3) Recommended Reading: “How To Go On Living When Someone You Love Dies” by Therese A. Rando Helpful Website: WebMD.com Please call me at 949-760-7171 or text 949-244-8572 with any questions or email me at jimswaniger@gmail.com to schedule an appointment. Click here for an overview of my book &#8220;Building Better Relationships &#8211; A Guidebook for Men.&#8221;]]></description>
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