After a hard season, life with my rescue dog Theo showed me the value of slowing down. Explore personalized Ayurveda inside the Self-Care Club.

From The Mud to The Mat: Trust, Trauma, and Tail Wags

When I moved into my new home, I had a vision: a life full of visits from friends, long hikes on winding trails, early morning walks with coffee in hand, and finally feeling… settled.

I had just gone through a nasty breakup. I had just turned 40. I had lost one of my best friends. My heart was cracked wide open, and I was craving connection—or so I thought.

Enter Theo.

A five-year-old pit mix who had spent two years in a shelter. When I met him, he was sweet, friendly, charming—the kind of dog you imagine instantly syncing up with. He wagged his tail. He leaned into my leg. It felt like magic.

So, I brought him home.

But here’s the kicker: the Theo I met in the shelter wasn’t the full story. Once he settled into my space, a different side of him started to shine. He became intensely protective. He drew a line in the sand—no men allowed (not even my dad), and only a select few humans made the cut for his inner circle. The rest? Not welcome.

At first, I panicked. I’d imagined fun hikes with friends and keeping myself busy so I could keep moving forward and not get stuck in the sadness I’d been carrying for months. Instead, I found myself working with a trainer, studying dog body language, and restructuring my entire life around helping Theo feel safe.

And somewhere in all of this, I realized—he was helping me feel safe, too.

I thought I needed to be surrounded by people. I thought I needed constant stimulation and social interaction to heal. But what I actually needed was structure, stillness, quiet mornings… and a dog who I refused to continue to overstimulate.

Theo didn’t need challenging hikes. Neither did I. We were both tired—emotionally, energetically, and in desperate need of restoration. So we began taking small, intentional steps. Fenced-in play areas instead of crowded parks. Quiet mornings where he watched me sip tea and stretch while I watched him breathe and settle. It was more healing than I ever expected.

At first, I felt isolated and sad. I missed people who could talk back. But I started to see that maybe I didn’t need to talk about everything that had happened. Maybe I needed to be with it. To sit in it. To feel the full arc of it.

Theo gave me that permission.

Healing doesn’t always mean "getting back out there." Sometimes it means stepping back. Sometimes the most transformative medicine is space, simplicity, and the kind of silence that invites us to finally listen—to ourselves.

Over the last few years, I’ve always run toward the next thing—hosting, traveling, connecting. But this season? This chapter is about home. Routine. Grounding. It’s nourishing dinners, scheduled walks, a bedtime routine. And Theo, curled up nearby, reminding me that we’re both learning to trust again.

We’re working on socializing him. We’re working toward trail walks and friend dates. His needs are being met—he gets his zoomies in safe, fenced-in spaces (he even had a five-acre farm to himself for a while… until he discovered horses weren’t his vibe). Progress is happening. Slowly. Carefully. Kindly.

And as that progress unfolds, so does mine.

Theo has been one of my greatest teachers. He’s teaching me that slowing down is sacred. That silence isn’t empty. That creating safety—for ourselves and others—is one of the most profound acts of healing there is.

This journey has also inspired something new I want to share with you: a space where you can reconnect to your own rhythms and rituals.

✨ You're Invited: Free Ayurveda Self-Care Club Info Session ✨
🗓 Wednesday, June 25th
🕠 5:30 PM (Eastern Time)
📍 Live on Zoom (CLICK HERE TO REGISTER + GET ACCESS LINK)

Are you curious about how to make Ayurveda actually work for your lifestyle—without one-size-fits-all practices?

Join us for a free info session to learn more about the upcoming launch of the Ayurveda Self-Care Club—a new offering designed to guide you through Ayurvedic rituals, routines, and self-care strategies in a way that’s tailored to YOU.

In this info session, we’ll talk about:

🌿 Why timing, season, and constitution matter for things like abhyanga (oil massage), nasya (nasal oil), dry brushing, and more
🌿 Why not all practices are for everyone—and what to do instead
🌿 How to approach popular self-care tools with clarity, confidence, and proper awareness
🌿 What to expect inside the Self-Care Club—and how this can support your healing, rhythm, and routine
🌿 Who this is for (hint: if you’ve ever felt overwhelmed or confused about what to do for your dosha, this is for you)

Whether you’re brand new to Ayurveda or already incorporating practices into your day, this free session will meet you where you are.

💛 Open to all. No prior Ayurveda experience necessary.

👉 Save your spot now and come learn how to elevate your self-care the Ayurvedic way.

REGISTER HERE