By Mike DuBose with David Hurst, DVM Animal owners will go through horrific grieving when their furry companions die — sometimes multiple times with different loving companions. The Journal of Mental Health Counseling documents the deaths of pets can be equally traumatic or worse than close friends and family membersContinue Reading
By Mike DuBose with Dr. David Hurst, DVM We recently shared the physical and mental positive benefits of having pets. We now turn our attention to a sad part of our series—euthanasia—which in Greek means “Good Death.” Deciding to euthanize our beloved pets—even with a poor quality of life dueContinue Reading
By Mike DuBose with Dr. David Hurst, DVM In our earlier article, we described how our pets bring us great joy and comfort, along with many physical and mental health benefits. Unfortunately, we will outlive our best friends. Animals leave our lives through a variety of ways such as tragicContinue Reading
By Mike DuBose with David Hurst, DVM Animal lovers acknowledge the great joy that pets bring them. Two-thirds of American households have pets that live with them (45% dogs and 30% cats). In fact, April contains the celebration “National Pet Day.” Over the last 50+ married years, Debra and IContinue Reading
By Mike DuBose Our last article focused on medication dangers. Here are some other important thoughts. Save money: Consumer Reports determined “Many Americans, even with insurance, spend more than they should on medications ($1,300+ annually).” Studies show that families are experiencing skyrocketing inflation and some are reducing household expenses toContinue Reading
Part 1 By Mike DuBose America’s prosperity and access to great healthcare options provide us with many benefits. Our excellent living conditions have pushed the average American’s life expectancy to nearly 80 years (compared to 54 years in 1914). While the pandemic shortened the length of our lifespans, many ofContinue Reading
By Mike DuBose All of us experience major distress during our lifetimes. As a result, our thoughts and emotions impact happiness, productivity, and relationships. Our mental and physical health are greatly affected by moods and circumstances. Some of us bounce back from life’s major problems, while others need extra helpContinue Reading
By Mike DuBose In our last article, we defined trauma and examined how many of us (or someone you know) are haunted by past tragedies. We learned that trauma has endless categories and how it impacts people differently throughout their lives. Sadly, as I researched the American staggering trauma statistics,Continue Reading
By Mike DuBose Following our recent series of finding happiness, we now turn to the darker end of the spectrum. Many of us have personally experienced or witnessed major trauma during our lifetimes that has resulted in unhappiness, traveling down unresolved, very painful roads of suffering, some from childhood orContinue Reading
By Mike DuBose In our last article, we encouraged you to look back over the last few years and assess your happiness using a scale (1=Miserable and 10=Extremely Happy). We wanted you to pause, dig deep into your soul, and evaluate your life’s journey. That’s important because you have toContinue Reading
By Mike DuBose Happiness is defined as a state of well-being—a joyful, meaningful life of contentment with a purpose. On the other hand, it’s never guaranteed. It can be overwhelming, as some researchers have noted, and being happy takes hard work, sometimes referred to as “endless struggles.” Where are youContinue Reading