Bright spots, or glimmers as they’re sometimes called, are the opposite of triggers. Bright spots are positive and can elicit inspiration and hope from us when we recognize and intentionally focus on them. Read more about glimmers.
Within this Bright Spots blog, I share collaborations, programs, practices, and stories that support and uplift human-animal families and the communities they live in.
I’m always seeking Bright Spots to share! I welcome your ideas and guest blogs! Email me here socialwork@opendoorconsults.org with your thoughts, or to submit a guest blog.
https://humanepro.org/blog/blog-how-payment-plans-can-increase-access-veterinary-care Register for the Humane Society Veterinary Medical Alliance’s free webinar, “Improving access to care: Financial triage in veterinary medicine,” on Feb. 19, 2025. Led by Aimee St. Arnaud and Dr. Margo Hennet
An Initiative to Transform Healthcare and Human Services “Don’t call 911. I’m not going; no one can watch Princess.” These words, spoken by a 75-year-old woman with visible head injuries, were a turning point in my career as a social worker. She needed medical attention after falling in the shower but was refusing help. Her reason? She didn’t have anyone … read more Ask About Pets!
“We often talk about ‘cost,’ but the actual barrier is often a lack of financing options for paying the cost.“ ~ Aimee St. Arnaud, founder of Open Door Veterinary Collective READ ARTICLE
By Janet Hoy-Gerlach, PhD, LISW-S, LCSW As a young clinician doing suicide risk assessments, a standard question I asked people experiencing suicidality was “what’s stopped you up until now from acting?”. It is not a question I came up with, it is a standard question in risk assessment that helps to elicit what are referred to as “protective factors” in … read more Supporting Human-Animal Relationships as Protective Factors Against Suicide Post
Are we all living with unnecessary pain in veterinary medicine? Clients, pets and our veterinary teams? The prevalence of US workers living paycheck to paycheck and Americans overall that classify as “financially fragile” surprises many people yet we all experience this reality in veterinary medicine and animal welfare every day. When pets need care, what happens when these pet families … read more New Research on Payment Options to Bridge Financial Challenges