The Benefits of Companion Pets on Mental Wellness

Mental Health Speaker Series, Free and Open to the Public, hosted on April 18, 2024.

Agenda

The General Meeting Begins at 7 PM.

7 PM: NAMI CC Announcements
7:15 PM: Presentation Begins

Speaker

Stewart Proctor, a Joybound Volunteer

Meeting Description

At NAMI CC, we are well aware of the importance of utilizing non-traditional approaches to supporting those living with mental illness. This month we will host a dialogue on how pets, especially dogs and cats, can be used to improve outcomes for many who are living with mental health diagnosis and benefit from having a trusted pet. We will be joined by JoyBound’s Stewart Proctor. We will make time for questions and also a space for those interested to share a story about how special their pet is to them and why.

Joybound People & Pets (formerly ARF), is committed to forming, supporting, elevating, and celebrating the human-animal bond through cat and dog rescue and adoption – but that is just the beginning. They also provide services such as training and veterinary care, food and supply assistance, therapy and service-animal programs, and learning resources. Their goal is for every adoption story to become a lasting tale of friendship, love, and mutual happiness.

Stewart Proctor has been a volunteer at Joybound since 2009, after retiring from a career in academics and health care administration. His volunteer roles include working as an adoptions counselor, leading facility tours, and doing presentations for community groups. He and his wife are active hikers and pickleball players who share their home with five adopted animals, and have raised two kids: a daughter living and working in Santa Barbara, and a son who is a Major in the Army, a Bronze Star recipient, and a Veteran of tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Questions or Comments?

If you have questions or comments for our speakers during the presentation, you may contact Barbara Scott at barbara.scott@namicontracosta.org on or before April 18, 2024.

Closed Caption Translation

Closed Caption Translation is available in VARIOUS languages for any of NAMI CC’s General Meetings on ZOOM. Attendees can select the CC language of their choosing. RSVP to barbara.scott@namicontracosta.org by April 18, 2024 if you require audio language translation.