A few months ago I had an inspiring conversation and follow-up email with staff from Paws for Patrick which affirmed how important animals can be in supporting mental health and well-being for youth and adults.
Animals truly bring us into the present moment – a powerful practice of mindfulness. In the desire to create community connections and collaborations, we share this interview with Daniel Maigler from Paws for Patrick to learn more about this inspiring organization.
Paws for Patrick was created in the memory of the loving support Patrick Roemer got from his pets during his ongoing struggle with mental illness. This non-profit organization pairs youth dealing with mental health concerns with emotional support animals (ESAs) and therapy dogs.
Why are emotional support animals so helpful for youth struggling with mental health concerns?
Emotional support animals bring unconditional love and empathy without judgment. It can be incredibly difficult to find the words to express your feelings, and so much more for young people. With animals, words are not necessary. There is no stigma with animals. You can let your friends and family know you are going to spend time with your dog/cat/ferret/bird without any fear of a negative reaction. Animals allow young people to flip the script and become the caregiver in addition to the care receiver.
This empowerment can build self-esteem, and caring for animals can lead to healthy activity and building routines that in turn help with maintaining good emotional hygiene. Most importantly, you can get access to animals on demand. You can have the greatest therapist in the world but they are not going to be able to spend six hours with you in the middle of the night. Your ESA can and won’t charge any extra.
What do you want the movemindfully community to know about Patrick and his legacy?
Patrick is a success story. He struggled with depression and anxiety for most of his life but with the help of his dog, Cici, he put so much good and love into the world. We wish we could have his physical presence with us today along with his humor, his care, and his creativity. His time was too short, but in the 18 years he gave us, he left the world so much better than he found it. Patrick inspires us every day to help ourselves by helping animals. He was and remains a powerful person with the will and desire to uplift.
We ask the help seekers who reach out to us to consider coming back to volunteer with us when they are in a place to do so. Patrick’s example reminds us that you do not need to wait until you are “perfectly healthy” to be a force for positive change in the lives of others. Patrick died by suicide and that feels tragic, but Patrick’s life is not defined by how it ended. It is defined by how he lived and his legacy will be one of empowerment and love for people with mental health challenges and animals.
How can we support you in your ongoing work?
Spread the word. If you know of young people (generally 26 and under) who have a mental health disorder and may benefit from an ESA or need a letter for documentation of their ESA, please encourage them to go to our website. If you or someone you know would like to be a volunteer, we have many opportunities that are virtual and take around 1-2 hours a month.
If you are local to Lake County, Illinois, you may be able to engage with our therapy dog program either by having dogs visit your mental health program or by volunteering to help assist the dog handlers as an ambassador. In addition, if you do not have time to give we can always use money, and donations are appreciated! Currently, we can offer up to $500 to help people acquire an ESA, and up to $750 for some basic training, but that is contingent upon us continuing to raise funds. You can find opportunities to seek help, give help, and donate on our website.
What else do you want our community to know about your organization?
We are relatively new, starting in August of 2020, and we want to partner with like-minded organizations that support the connection between animals and mental health or facets of either. Please email us if you can think of ways we can work together. There is no right way for people to be their healthiest selves. We want to support everyone who is in line with that effort.
If you or someone you love is struggling with thoughts of suicide,
please call or text 988 now.