30 Years Later: What My Dog, Cat, and Life Have Taught Me About Mental Health
- Tami West, PhD
- Aug 20
- 4 min read
This week has been a mix of lighthearted moments and deeply personal reflections. Sometimes, mental health isn’t found in big events—it’s tucked inside the ordinary and the extraordinary side by side.
Self-Care Sunday I shared a video with me "massaging" Charlie's head.
The caption:
If you're dog is getting a massage and you aren't, it might be time to rethink your self care!
Enough said? 🤣🤣
Mental Health Monday: Feeling Safe Enough to Let Down Defenses I also shared a video of Charlie & Leesi, my 85 lb golden retriever and 6 lb cat. One has claws, the other has weight and strengt, yet both relaxed because they trusted each other. It made me think: how often do we hold onto defenses because we don’t feel safe? Mental health grows in environments where we don’t need to use our weapons.
30 Years Since My Psychiatric Hospital Stay This one was big. Thirty years ago, I was in the hospital, terrified and unsure of what the future would hold. This week, I held up those old medical records next to my Mental Health Quotient (MHQ) score, now in the thriving range - 154!!! That moment was proof: your past doesn’t define your future. Keep going.
Mind-Body Connection I also reflected on how our physical bodies carry stress. Tension, racing hearts, exhaustion—they’re all signals. When we care for our bodies, we aren’t just “fixing” physical health. We’re giving our minds a fighting chance, too. One of the things we can do is laugh OFTEN! Soooo with that in mind, here's my workplace joke... Ready?
My boss said, "you've been late 3 times this week; do you know what that means?"
I said, "That it's only Wednesday?"
The benefits of laughter mimic those of a light workout. Convinced to try it? Great!
Resilience We all live resilience every single day. It shows up when we keep going after plans fall apart, when we adapt to a sudden change, or when we find a way to stay grounded during chaos.
But here’s something you may not know: resilience isn’t just something you have or don’t have. You can actually measure it—and then strengthen it.
One of my favorite follow-ups is the Resiliency Toolkit. It’s packed with practical strategies to help you build adaptability, emotional strength, and true bounce-back power. These aren’t fluffy “just think positive” tips—they’re tools you can use in real life when things get messy.
For me, resilience has never meant pretending I’m fine. It means acknowledging the hard stuff, then choosing to bend instead of break. It means moving forward even when life feels heavy.
Cognition Let's talk a little brain science.
Picture your brain like a fist. Your thumb tucked inside is the amygdala—the alarm system that reacts fast to stress. Your fingers wrapped over are the prefrontal cortex—the part that helps you plan, focus, and make good decisions.
When emotions hit, an argument, a late-night email, the amygdala can “flip the lid.” That’s when the fingers (your prefrontal cortex) lose control, and your ability to think clearly slips offline.
This is what MHQ calls cognition: your capacity to function in the moment, think straight, and make sense of what’s happening.
The key is learning how to calm the amygdala and re-engage the prefrontal cortex. One way is simple grounding: pause, thank your amygdala for the alert, and remind your brain“Come back online. I’ve got this.
Final Thought
Some weeks remind us that mental health isn’t one thing. It’s laughter, reflection, courage, self-care, and connection. It’s milestones and small wins. And it’s worth celebrating—wherever you are on your journey.
Don’t forget: I’ve added a free MHQ Quick Guide in the Resource Vault to help you reflect on your own dimensions of mental health. Also, check out the Resiliency Toolkit!
Engage with the full resources in my Resource Vault
I’d love to hear from you. And if you missed any of the social posts, you can check them out on Facebook or grab your free downloads from the Resource Vault.
Keep the Conversation Going!
Which of these topics helped you most this week? Drop a comment below or send me a message—I love hearing your stories. And if you want downloadable quote cards, images, or deep-dive guides for any of these posts, just let me know!
Love & Hugs,
Tami
Social Media Links
Mental Health Resources:
Tami West, PhD
Stress and Mental Health Expert Dr. Tami West uses her entertaining and compelling style to shine a new light on how to transform your life and discover solutions to life’s challenges.
Tami has worked in a variety of industries including healthcare, school nutrition, corporate sales, and 10 years as a public-school teacher. In 2013 she received her PhD in Human Development, studying the connections among stress, emotions, and identity.
Dr. West has spoken in 48 states across the US, as well as the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand. In any given year, Tami speaks to groups with audiences consisting of anywhere from 100 to 3,000 people.
Dr. West is the author of several successful publications including three books: The Stress Club, Life Without the Monsters and Thrive. When she's not speaking or writing, you might find her with her traveling with her husband and family, reading historical fiction, or watching Big Bang Theory.
Tami connects with audiences through real experience, cutting edge research, and transparent stories – all sprinkled with humor! She will make you laugh, cry, and shine a refreshingly new light on life's challenges.
Television Interviews
Contact Tami at tamiwest@tamiwest.com