(Scroll to bottom of page for contact e-mail)
“They’ve both been around the block”
by Freddie Parker Westerfield, CCT, RET
Peggy and my human, Judy, worked for 210 dog years as Licensed Marriage & Family Therapists. They are old cuz that’s a lot of years. Now that they are both retired they weren’t doing much of anything except sniffing around. I want them to be happy so I am letting them contribute to my blogs.
Peggy Arndt, LMFT, RET
Peggy is author & illustrator of a Children’s book about her cat Maui (available on Amazon & Kindle).
“The Pulling, Climbing, Falling Down Tale of Maui and His Back Legs”
Personally, I think she should write a book about me and keep the title shorter, like . . . FREDDIE!
Peggy was a psychotherapist and the director of a partial hospitalization program in a major metropolitan hospital in California. She helped people with severe mental illness manage their symptoms, their moods and their life. She never used catnip to treat phobias and alcohol abuse. Whatever she used it helped. Peggy developed courses and taught other therapists on aging and anorexia. She knew a lot about aging because she was growing old herself. As far as anorexia she had to read up on it. She was a pioneer doing telephone therapy because she was so old the internet hadn’t been invented.
Peggy likes to read about science, biology, psychology and especially neuroscience. She reads everything she can find on brain science since discovering the book The Neurobiology of Violence. She is reading about bees right now, even though I think she would be better off reading about dogs.
When she comes to visit she gives me treats and plays with me when she’s not being serious. She likes animals, of which I am one, because when she was 12 years old, she got a horse named Misty. Misty was a lucky horse. In the summer Peggy would get up at 5 a.m. to ride, so Misty could avoid the Phoenix desert heat. Then Peggy came back home to sleep before school. And Misty slept in the horse house.
Peggy practiced drawing for this blog when she was a child by spending hours drawing horses. She drew all the animals on the mast-head. I am encouraging her to draw more dogs.
* * *
The Story of judyJudith
(Written in the third person for objectivity)
Judith or judy? Judith is suave and sophisticated, judy is “down home” (Family & friends who know her well call her judy).
Your Guide to Decide: judy or Judith
(Starting, of course, with the suave and sophisticated)
Judith:
Alas, her sophisticated side has taken a hit since retiring, after 30 years, from her private practice as a licensed Marriage, Family Therapist.
She’s still trying to figure out what to do with all the unbridled wisdom she’s accumulated. (First she has to figure out where she filed it.)
She credits part of her sophistication to Martin Rossman M.D. & David Bresler, Ph.D. and The Academy for Guided Imagery. As a senior faculty member she taught hundreds of healthcare professionals how to use Interactive Guided Imagery(sm) for health & wellness. Hopefully, all those clinicians are carrying on in sophisticated fashion just as she taught them
Holding tight onto whatever evidence remains that she was sophisticated, not to mention suave, she fondly fingers the certificates of appreciation she received by the National Fibromyalgia Association for being selected as one of 35 people in the United states in both 2006 & 2007 to be a “Leader Against Pain”.
The Princess Frog, by judy
judy:
Her 50th birthday . . . don’t ask . . . she’s older now but would probably do it again.
Her down-home side is gloating that her suave and sophisticated side has been side-lined.
She loves anything creative (EXCEPT singing & dancing. Her vocal cords are connected to her 2 left feet). She collects “valuable stuff” to use in creative projects and spends a lot of time organizing (rather than using) the “valuable stuff”. She is versatile, able to quickly switch from one creative project to another without finishing (She calls it multi-tasking, others have referred to it as akin to attention deficit disorder).
Her diagnosis of fibromyalgia in 1996 wasn’t enough to garner sympathy so she developed heart arrhythmias. Since each is a “hidden” ailment she still doesn’t get the sympathy she wants. However, she is blessed that she’s been able to manage symptoms (sorta) and continue to be as suave & sophisticated as is possible with a chronic condition. Every day she reads her Baha’i prayers thanking God for what He has given her and most importantly, what He’s NOT given her.
Call her judyJudith if you can’t decide between suave & sophisticated or down-home.
(She’ll answer to whichever one is around.)
Freddie Parker Westerfield, CDT
Canine Dog Therapist RET and frequent contributor to blog posts
Click here for Freddie Parker Westerfield, CDT Page
P.S. Both Peggy and judy love four-legged critters (they tolerate those with more than 4 legs but not too fond of those that slither without any legs). Both ADORE Freddie Parker Westerfield.
CURIOUS to the MAX 
You inspired me at the manners table and now I see you inspire others. I can say that I was among the first to call you by your name Judy. RC
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Rick,
You were the FIRST in many respects . . . and still are.
xx j.
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Fun and Fibro both start with F! So many interesting words do… glad to be back in touch.
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Laura,
There ARE a lot of “f-words” I silently attach to fibro and fun ain’t one of them . . .
xxx j
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am much enjoying your blog 🙂
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Daal,
Thank you! It’s nice to know that others read it, and enjoy it!!!!
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Your blog is very ALIVE–Nice!! And you sound like a very FUN person–I like that!
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Dell
Thanks! I figure if I’m ALIVE it should be FUN!
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Absolutamente!!!
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Hi Judy, Even though I don’t know you so well 😉
I have an odd question for you. I notice that you also follow Hibernation Now. Is she
ok? I commented a month or so ago and she responded that she was in the hospital. I commented again and no response.
She hasn’t posted forever.
Nice to meet you and read through your blog.
I just wondered if you knew anything.
Signed, Worried in Michigan (Bobbie)
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Bobbie,
I replied to you in an e-mail.
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I’d rather call you Judy… Hi, Judy! 🙂
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Ompong I shall call you rather than Rodolfo. Thanks for subscribing! You photos are fascinating.
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Many thanks for such an inspiring comment…!
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Apart from the flattery of you as a follower, I have to say that the dancing and singing thing? I ❤ you for that confession. I cannot dance. I do not dance. You cannot make me. Fa-la-la-la *cough*-*choke*-*sputter*-la
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My DEAREST DEPARTED Maggie,
I am so sorry for contributing to your demise (unless of course the coughing and choking was a substitute form of musicality in which case I am delighted to have inspired your creative expression)
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Nah, still here making wisecracks, inspired by you! I used to sing. I used to sing in a church choir – solo, even, though that was because I had no shame. Not sure what the congregation thought and I don’t want to ask.
I lost my wind some years ago and cannot hold a note to save my life. Which is fine. Now I am long-winded here on the blogs.
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Maggie,
May you long continue to blow!
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Hi … had a few minutes and just stopped by for a look around… enjoyed my time here. Hugs, Jan
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Just sharing a little sympathy with you here—don’t get used to it. 🙂 I have several dear friends who suffer from fibromyalgia and I’ll be sending them a link to your blog. It’s full of hope and faith!
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Judy/Judith! I am wondering if you’d like to offer a short guest post at http://www.BeguineAgain.com on the topic of joy?
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Cloakedmonk,
I’m honored to be asked. Let me think! JOY is a BIG topic – poetry, art, written article?
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However you would like to tackle it!
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I am glad that you commented on my Story haiku, because it brought me here. I like your blog and will be following.
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Rosemarie,
WELCOME! Just don’t expect the same focus with every post – I get bored easily!!!
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Pingback: Helping Symptoms with Hypnosis « Picnic with Ants
Wendy,
You are a love! Thank you. I can’t imagine what you would say if I paid you! Wow!
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Judy, I’ll call you Judy…that seems fine…to me and hope to you too…Thanks to Leo and his challenge and Leo and Nanka seeking me to restart Ant and Elephant..that I met you in this lovely space…I have never found anyone more forthcoming and willing to guide and help…most of the people just talk good and that’s enough to give themselves a pat on the back.. but Judy you are unique and special and so is Max and so must be everyone around you for that’s what must have contributed in your being what you are today but then..choices have all been yours…Kudos…the world is really so very beautiful…Best is yet to be… May God bless you and help you to continue to help people become better and lead better lives…Hasn’t Max and Duffy become friends to Eleph and Ant.. RS
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Ramesh, God has truly blessed me and I know that there are no coincidences. No coincidences that your elephant and ant were destined to be just as the internet has brought you and me together from different lands and cultures.
I’m honored to be your friend.
Judy
P.S. Absolutely call me Judy because my longest and closet friends and all my relatives call me Judy!
P.P.S. Max and Duffy will definitely have to meet Eleph and Ant!
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I love you and Max. Love, Laurie F. not Mo.
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Dear moNOmo aka Laurie
We LOVE you too!
xxxxxxxxxxxxxx and
LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL
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Hi Judy:
I discovered your website through a comment you left at another blog: http://chronicpainjournal.wordpress.com and would love to include your blog and website in my list of blogs of interest/note, and give a quick shout out to your blog and website in an upcoming blog entry. Wanted to check with you first, to make sure you are okay with this. My blog is: http://phylor.wordpress.com My original intent was to put a postive spin on living with chronic pain, but as you will see, I’ve been all over the place lately!
I’ve just begun to explore your website and blog and am looking forward to the adventure!
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Hi Judy Judith 🙂
I landed here by total chance, and I’m very glad I did.
I subscribed to your blog (by email), but I couldn’t find a Twitter link. I’d love to follow up with what goes on here. I’m really touched by the authenticity and sincerity that’s pouring out of the pages.
Best wishes!
C. A.
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Your poem Little Girls & Purple Cats
http://www.sarafryd.com/2010/06/25/little-girls-purple-cats/
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Hi Judy,
Finally learned more about computers. I’m sooo glad, see I still check up on what you’re doing after all these years. Glad you’re still going strong.
Sherry E
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Hi Judy, Here I am, one of your loyal followers. Love the site and all the inspiration from your classes. You go girl!
Lynne
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Lynne!
Thank you! People rarely make comments! You made my day!
xxxxx J.
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