Jennifer Bronsnick, MSW - Integrative Therapist

01/30/2026

Feel a craving coming on?

Don't shame yourself.

Find your pet, place one hand on their back, and take three deep breaths.

Match their rhythm, then ask: "What do I actually need right now?"

Ninety percent of cravings dissolve when your nervous system feels safe again.

01/30/2026

Today, a client of mine lost her beloved pet. 💔
And it opened something tender in me.

I still cry when I think about the day we had to put our dog Zoe to sleep. That kind of loss stays with you. Pets aren’t “just animals” — they’re family, co-regulators, witnesses to our lives.

If you’re grieving a pet right now, I want you to know this:
You don’t have to rush it.
You don’t have to be “okay.”
And there is nothing wrong with how deeply this hurts.

Here is a blog to gently support anyone moving through pet loss — especially the kind that lives in your body and nervous system, not just your heart.

If this is you, or someone you love, I hope it offers a little permission to slow down and feel what’s real.

You know that moment when you walk through the door and the house just feels... wrong? No clicking nails on the floor. No soft thud of a tail. No warm body pressing against your leg. The silence after losing a pet isn't just quiet, it's deafening. It sits in your chest like a weight you can't name.

01/28/2026

If you feel a craving coming on, don't shame yourself - try this instead.

Find your pet.

Place one hand on their back and take three deep breaths.

Let your breath match theirs.

Then ask yourself: "What do I actually need right now?"

Cravings aren't about alcohol - they're about relief.

Your pet gives you access to real relief through comfort, grounding, and nervous system regulation.

Safety is exactly what your pet gives you without even trying.

01/26/2026

Think about your pet for three seconds.

Notice what happens.

Your breath deepens.

Your shoulders relax.

Your nervous system stops bracing.

Your pet is one of the clearest cues of safety you get.

01/25/2026

I was recently featured in LA Weekly talking about something I see every day in my work: the untapped mental health power of the human–animal bond.

As anxiety and burnout rise, we’re overlooking one of the most accessible regulation tools people already have — their pets.

This article explores the science and the lived experience behind that bond.

Grateful for the opportunity to bring this conversation into a larger public space.

Jennifer Bronsnick, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and anxiety treatment specialist and founder of Paws4Wellness, has spent the last twenty years

01/24/2026

Your pet has been practicing medicine on you this entire time - you just didn't know it had a name.

Pet Medicine is the everyday ways our animals regulate us through co-regulation, somatic movement, heart coherence, emotional rhythm, and reflection.

You've been experiencing it your whole life, completely by accident.

Now you get to use it on purpose.

The 5 Paws of Pet Medicine work together to create a complete system of nervous system regulation and emotional healing.

Paws 4 Connection addresses emotional safety and trust.

This is where your pet creates the foundation - when you're with them, your nervous system stops bracing.

You don't have to perform or prove anything.

You can just be.

Paws 4 Movement engages somatic release and expression.

Those walks, that play time, the way your pet gets you moving when you've been stuck - this is your body releasing stored tension the way animals instinctively do.

Mindful Paws brings presence and awareness.

Your pet models this naturally.

They're not trying to be mindful - they just are.

And when you're with them, you remember how to be present too.

Paws 4 Tapping works with energy and regulation.

This is about emotional alchemy - the way your pet can shift your entire emotional state in moments simply through their presence and rhythm.

Paws 4 Reflection connects you to self-discovery and embodiment.

Your pet becomes a mirror for your internal state, helping you understand what you're actually feeling without judgment.

You're not too sensitive.

You're not broken.

You're a human who thrives on connection.

And your pet has been supporting your nervous system all along.

Learn more about Pet Medicine here: https://www.paws4wellness.com/about-pet-medicine

01/22/2026

If you're trying to make Dry January stick, your pet might be your secret weapon.

Pets are naturally wired for accountability.

When you feel tempted to reach for a drink, your pet pulls you back into your body.

Maybe they nudge you for a walk or rest their head on your lap.

That grounding can interrupt the craving loop in seconds.

Let them be your anchor - one breath, one walk, one loving glance at a time.

01/20/2026

Cravings aren't about alcohol - they're about relief.

Your pet gives you access to real relief through comfort, grounding, and connection.

Before you make any decision, let your body return to calm first.

01/18/2026

Struggling with Dry January?

Your pet is naturally wired for accountability.

They pull you back into your body, interrupt craving loops, and anchor your routine with walks and connection.

When your lifestyle becomes rooted in movement and presence, the craving for alcohol softens on its own.

01/16/2026

Think about your pet for three seconds.

Notice what happens in your body.

Your breath deepens.

Your shoulders relax.

Your nervous system stops bracing.

That shift isn't emotional dependence - it's biology.

Your pet is a cue of safety.

This is Pet Medicine: the everyday ways our animals regulate us through co-regulation, somatic movement, and heart coherence.

You've been practicing it your whole life - now use it on purpose.

01/14/2026

When you think about your pet, your body responds immediately.

Your breath deepens, your shoulders drop, and your nervous system stops bracing.

This isn't just emotional comfort. It's biology.

Your pet signals to your body that you're safe, creating the foundation for true regulation and healing.