Pets and Mental Wellness: Amanda Marks of Resilient Counseling On How to Maximize the Mental Health Benefits of Having a Pet

An Interview With Wanda Malhotra

Stress Reduction: Interacting with pets, such as petting a dog or cat, has been shown to reduce stress and lower cortisol levels. Petting animals can also trigger the release of oxytocin, a hormone that promotes bonding and reduces stress.

Pets have always been more than just companions; they play a pivotal role in enhancing our mental well-being. From the unconditional love of a dog to the calming presence of a cat, pets have a unique way of alleviating stress, anxiety, and loneliness. But how do we truly harness the therapeutic potential of our furry, feathered, or scaled friends? How can they aid in promoting mindfulness, reducing depression, or even enhancing social interactions? In this interview series, we are talking to veterinarians, psychologists, therapists, pet trainers, and other experts who can shed light on how to maximize the mental health benefits of having a pet. As a part of this series I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Amanda Marks, LPC.

Amanda Marks is a licensed professional counselor in the state of Georgia where she works with individuals that struggle with the aftermath of trauma, anxiety and disordered eating. She is also a yoga teacher with over 500 hours of yoga training and incorporates yogic principles into her work as a therapist. She believes in living intuitively, authentically and is not afraid to take up space. She is also in a codependent relationship with her labradoodle, Charlotte.

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we start, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your background and your childhood backstory?

Sure! I was born in Atlanta, GA and grew up in Marietta, just outside of Atlanta. My childhood was a lot of fun as my family had a lake on our property and I spent my time playing soccer and outside with my dogs. We got to travel often as a family as well. Looking back it’s clear to me that my love for travel and animals started at a very young age. I attended undergrad at the University of Georgia and studied psychology, going on to get my Masters degree and then started working as a therapist.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career?

One of the most interesting things that has happened to me was when I was selected to go teach yoga in India! I was looking at various opportunities of teaching yoga abroad and saw that an ashram in Goa, India was looking for a yoga teacher to teach Yin yoga for a week. I was very surprised to see this, as yin is a style I specialize in and the fact that they only needed some for a week! I immediately applied and was surprised to hear back from them a couple days later. Much to my surprise, I had misread the initial post and they were looking for someone to co-lead a Yin Yoga Teacher training program! I hadn’t even been a yoga teacher for a year at that point, but had studied and practiced yin for a few years at that point in time. After discussing it further, I was offered the position and approximately 2 weeks later, I was on a flight to India where I had never been before!

Is there a particular book that made a significant impact on you? Can you share a story or explain why it resonated with you so much?

A book that made a big impact on me personally and professionally is “The Happiness Trap” by Russ Harris. It was one of my first introductions to Acceptance and Commitment Therapy which really resonated with me and prompted me to obtain additional training in it. It helped me understand the importance of identifying my values and making decisions that aligned with my values. I also realized I had the tendency to fall into the happiness trap and believe that if I could just “be happy” my life would be great… but this isn’t the case. Happiness is a feeling and not a chronic state of being. It can be exhausting to chronically chase happiness and believe that it solves all of our problems. Learning to accept our feelings and not push them away and fall into toxic positivity has been life changing for myself!

Ok, thank you for all that. Now let’s move to the main focus of our interview. Can you share a personal story about how a pet has helped you or someone you know to improve mental wellness?

My father had an accident years ago that left him paralyzed from the chest down. I moved home to help take care of him and soon realized that I missed having a dog as I had grown up with them. I ended up getting my dog, Bella, who helped me so much during those difficult years of working full-time and helping to take care of my father. She was always there by my side, making me laugh and comforting me on difficult days. My father passed away a few years after his accident due to complications and Bella remained by my side, my loyal companion. During this same time period, I was with my partner at the time and we were nearing our 10 year anniversary when he passed away suddenly and unexpectedly, leaving me completely shocked and feeling like my world had just exploded. Bella was my constant during this time as well. These two significant and traumatic losses, within just a few years of each other, lead to post-traumatic stress symptoms and Bella helped to keep me going during those dark days. She became my travel companion and often came to work with me, helping my clients feel safe and supported. She lived to be almost 15 years old and I still miss her daily.

While human interaction is essential for emotional well-being, in what ways do interactions with pets offer unique benefits that human relationships might not provide?

I think some of the unique benefits that pets offer that differ from human interaction is unconditional love and support. Pets are not judgmental and can offer people safe places to share their fears or worries. Pets rely completely on us for their survival and the love and concern that they show us can be like nothing we have experienced before. The relationships that we have with our pets are more simple in nature, they don’t have the complexities that human relationships have. Our pets can be a secure base for us and be a model for healthy attachment and relationships.

Can you explain how this works? How do pets, particularly common ones like dogs and cats, biologically and psychologically help to alleviate human stress levels and anxieties?

Research has shown us that the human animal bond can increase our access to our “rest and digest” system in our nervous system, the place where we feel safe and connected. Pets can also decrease our levels of cortisol (stress hormone) and studies have shown that our heart rates and blood pressure will also decrease. The bond we have with dogs and cats can also increase oxytocin levels, which is responsible for love and bonding.

In the backdrop of global events like pandemics or natural disasters, how have you seen pets playing a role in alleviating anxiety and providing comfort? Can you share some instances where pets have been integrated into therapeutic practices? How do they complement traditional therapeutic techniques?

We have all heard stories of “Covid pets” as many individuals went out and adopted pets during lockdown and quarantine. I think this helped to provide comfort and support to us in a time where we were being told that interacting with other humans was unsafe and maybe even deadly. I think having a pet also helps us remember that we have to take care of ourselves, we need to care for the pet since they are completely reliant on us. I know clients of mine that lived alone relied heavily on their pets during the pandemic for a sense of safety, security and comfort. Many therapists offer Animal Assisted Therapy and I have offered this in the past. By having Bella in sessions, many of my guarded or highly anxious clients found it easier to talk when they could casually sit and pet her during sessions. Bella often provided comfort to my clients while they were processing past traumas or other difficult situations. As an EMDR therapist, I often have clients recall their beloved pets from when they were younger to use as a resource during their sessions and for difficult times outside of sessions.

Not all pets are dogs or cats. From birds to fish to reptiles, how can individuals choose the right pet that aligns with their mental health needs?

Great question! I think it’s important to think about your lifestyle while choosing the right pet for you and your needs. Dogs can be a lot of work and if someone is gone from home a lot, they may need a pet that is more self-sufficient and easier to take care of. I think it’s also about comfort and what types of pets do you feel comfortable around? If you have a fear of dogs, a dog may not be the best pet for you!

How does the act of taking care of a pet — feeding, grooming, exercising — contribute to an individual’s sense of purpose and mental well-being?

Taking care of pets can greatly enhance an individual’s sense of purpose and overall emotional health. Pets solely rely on their owners to take care of them, by feeding them, grooming them and making sure other basic needs are met. Pets that need exercise can be wonderful companions to those suffering with depression since it requires us to get outside and move ourselves! Pets can also be used to help symptoms of anxiety as we can co-regulate with them and help those with social anxiety by getting out of the house. By being responsible for another being, it helps us to realize that there are things bigger than us and that we do have a sense of purpose by being responsible for the life of someone else.

The past 5 years have been filled with upheaval and political uncertainty. Many people have become anxious from the dramatic jolts of the news cycle. From your experience or research, what are your “Five Ways To Maximize the Mental Health Benefits of Having a Pet?” Can you please share a story or example for each?

1. Stress Reduction: Interacting with pets, such as petting a dog or cat, has been shown to reduce stress and lower cortisol levels. Petting animals can also trigger the release of oxytocin, a hormone that promotes bonding and reduces stress.
2. Social Support: Pets can serve as companions, offering a sense of social support and reducing feelings of loneliness and isolation. This is very important for those who may live alone or have limited social interactions.
3. Biofeedback: The presence of pets can have a calming effect on the autonomic nervous system which can help to regulate blood pressure, heart rate and other physiological responses to stress.
4. Mood Improvement and Regulation: Spending time with pets, especially in activities like playing or just being around them, can increase the release of endorphins and serotonin in the brain, which are associated with happiness and well-being. This can lead to improved mood and reduced symptoms of anxiety and depression. Having a pet can help us learn coping skills and how to regulate our emotions.
5. Distraction from Negative Thoughts: Interacting with pets can divert out attention from anxious and negative thoughts, providing a temporary escape from stress and worry.

The loss of a pet can be deeply traumatic. How can individuals navigate this grief, and how does it compare to other forms of loss in terms of mental health impact?

The loss of a pet is extremely difficult and often traumatic. I think it can affect us more due to the reasons I’ve talked about earlier, such as how they provide us with true, unconditional love and support. Our pets see us at our worst and when we are most vulnerable and to lose that constant companion is devastating. I think it’s important to not minimize the loss by saying “it was just a pet, I shouldn’t be this upset.” Allow yourself to be upset and to grieve your loss. Seek support from a therapist if you need to. I think it’s also important to recognize that grief isn’t linear and has no timeline.

You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of peace to the greatest amount of people, what would that be?

Wow, what a great question. I would like to inspire a meditation movement. Regular meditation has helped me tremendously. It has brought peace to my life by helping me with the concept of non-attachment, or Aparigraha, as it’s known yoga philosophy. I believe what the Easterners say about Western culture with many of our stuggles and issues being a result of our attachment and “clinging” too much to ideas, expectations and outcomes. We would all have more peace in our lives if we were less attached.

We are very blessed that some very prominent names in Business, VC funding, Sports and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them. :-)

Some may be surprised by this answer, but many won’t be. I would love to have a private meal with Dave Matthews. I have been a fan of his since I was in high school, decades ago. His music has also been a constant in my life and has helped me to make many friends and helped me during difficult times in my life. Music can be very cathartic and I would love the opportunity to tell him the impact that his music has made on my life and how I’ve found love, sorrow, and community with his words.

How can our readers further follow your work online?

Readers can follow me on Facebook at Facebook.com/AmandaMarksRYTLPC and on Instagram at Instagram.com/amandamarks.lpc.ryt My blog is located on my website ResilientCounseling.net

Thank you so much for sharing these important insights. We wish you continued success and good health!

About the Interviewer: Wanda Malhotra is a wellness entrepreneur, lifestyle journalist, and the CEO of Crunchy Mama Box, a mission-driven platform promoting conscious living. CMB empowers individuals with educational resources and vetted products to help them make informed choices. Passionate about social causes like environmental preservation and animal welfare, Wanda writes about clean beauty, wellness, nutrition, social impact and sustainability, simplifying wellness with curated resources. Join Wanda and the Crunchy Mama Box community in embracing a healthier, more sustainable lifestyle at CrunchyMamaBox.com.