Integrated Animal Therapy - Canine & Equine Massage & Acupressure & Intuitive Animal Communication

**What is Integrated Animal Therapy?**

Integrated Animal Therapy combines massage therapy, acupressure, reflexology, aromatherapy, chakra therapy, energy healing, therapeutic flower essences, along with intuitive animal communication and lots of love to positively enhance an animal's life.

I believe that in helping improve the lives of our animals, we become more in tune with our own needs and in turn take better care of ourselves, ultimately making the world a better place.

My primary focus in massage is with dogs, horses, donkeys and mules (I'm a sucker for a longear!). But I do communication work with any animal nationwide via phone or email. I've worked with lots of cats, and have worked with cows, goats... even an iguana.
CANINE & EQUINE ACUPRESSURE MASSAGE INTUITIVE ANIMAL COMMUNICATION (nationwide via phone or email) also incorporating Energy Healing, Aromatherapy, Flower Essences, Body/Mind Connection & Canine Reflexology 239.560.6667 Based in Andalusia, Alabama, just 30 minutes north of the Florida line I am willing to travel where my services are needed.	Shanda Beste, CEMP info@integratedanimaltherapy.com

**WHY MASSAGE?**
Massage is an integral part of any holistic health care program. It's far more than simply pampering your pet. It is as essential as air, water and food. It is an energy exchange that benefits both giver and receiver. Benefits of Massage: Improves circulation & lymph flow Reduces stress Relieves pain Improves immune system function Helps detect illness at early stages Clears stagnant energy & balances meridians to maintain health Increases vitality & reduces arthritic stiffness in geriatric animals Pre-& Post-event massage to prevent soreness & injury It feels great and makes your animals know they're loved and cared for! A non-invasive healing modality, massage should be utilized as a complementary therapy and never as a substitute for proper veterinary care.	This is Pokey - a wonderful mammoth donkey at the horse rescue where I volunteer. Look at those soulful eyes! He stole my heart on my second visit and has "owned" me ever since! He loves massage! For more info on the horse rescue, please visit: www.SaveTheHorses.org.

**WHAT IS ACUPRESSURE?**
Acupressure is a form of massage using deep pressure on specific acupressure points along a system of 12 meridians (or energy highways) that run through the body. It uses the same pressure points that are used in the ancient healing art of acupuncture, but without the use of needles. Both healing modalities are based on Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and the five-element theory. MAINTAINING HEALTH *If you were given the opportunity to step back (or forward) in time and prevent of your beloved pet's cancer, asthma, diabetes, heart attack, kidney stones... would you?* Many times, illness begins as an energy blockage along one or more of the meridians. Since all systems are interrelated, a blockage in one meridian - the Heart meridian, for instance, can put strain on the corresponding Spleen and Small Intestine meridians. Left unchecked, the imbalance of energies can cause weakness and deterioration of organs and systems, thus setting the stage for degenerative disease. However, once a healthy flow of energy returns to the effected meridian and/or organ, the symptoms disappear and health and balance are restored.	Ancient Chinese 5-Element Theory According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, there are five elements that govern all natural energetic cycles. For instance, wood feeds fire, which creates earth, which in turn creates metal, and so forth.
Circadian Clock If you pay close attention, you'll likely notice patterns in your animal's behavior that correspond to certain hours of the day.	Each animal (and person) has a dominant element or combination of elements. Once a dominant element is identified, it's easier to find the foods, environment and supplements best-suited for the animal's natural tendencies.

Initial Animal Assessment - In order to introduce my services to the area, I often set up a booth at festivals or at veterinarians' offices where I offer an introduction to my services. At these events, I only charge $10 for an initial assessment. During this 10-minute session, I will be able to point out key strengths and weaknesses in your animal's body. If after our initial 10-minute discussion, if you feel my services would assist you and your animal(s), we make an appointment to work together.

First Session - The first session ususally lasts over an hour. During this time, I do a full evaluation of the animal and with your assistance, we build a detailed profile of behaviors and habits. From this information I can develop a treatment plan. I do a full acupressure session and I teach you which points to work and why. Nutrition is of optimum importance, so in most cases with dogs, I recommend a nutritional profile. I may suggest various essential oils and flower essences that may be helpful to your animal's condition.

Follow-up Sessions - In follow-up sessions, I am usually able to do deeper work with the animal. You and I will discuss the progress we've made and note any improvements or shifts in the animal's behavoir or health. Follow-up sessions are usually 30 minutes or so.

Canine Nutritional Consultations - Almost every dog can benefit from a shift in diet. Time and time again I see similar patterns with animals fed similar foods. It is surprisingly easy to "fix" many of the primary ailments simply through a change in diet. In the nutritional consultation, I provide information specific to your dog's condition and offer varying levels of choices.

“Albert Schweitzer, the great humanitarian and healer said that the good doctor simply awakens “the physician within the patient.” – Dr. Michael Fox, The Healing Touch for Dogs

Contraindications
There are certain instances when massage may NOT be appropriate, including the following:

when a fever is present
over open wounds
on recent fractures
with certain skin conditions
for certain cancerous conditions
post-operative without veterinarian approval

Most importantly, massage should never be used as a substitute for proper veterinarian care.

**INTUITIVE ANIMAL COMMUNICATION**
A holistic approach to health and well-being addresses not only an animal’s physical symptoms, but also his emotions, his spirit and his environment. Direct communication from an animal can offer tremendous insights, especially into the emotional component of an illness or a behavior problem. Hear it Straight from the Horse's Mouth: Understand & correct behavior problems Discover an animal's past Ease the grief process Find out what can improve the quality of your animal's life Hear any messages your animal has for you If only the symptoms of a disorder are treated with no recognition of the cause, the energy imbalance that created the symptom will simply keep re-creating the symptom or simply move the imbalance to another location in the body until it gets the attention and correction it is seeking.	*Is your animal trying to tell you something?* I can do intuitive animal “readings” over the phone or via email. It's easier for me to communicate with an animal telepathically from a distance because there are fewer distractions. Just as a marriage counselor can sometimes gain trust faster initially working with clients separately, I find that many animals are more open to share their deepest feelings when they are not under the suspicious eye of their owners during a communication session.
	Mirroring - A Benefit to Owners Whenever we help our animals, we ultimately help ourselves. Many times the animals with whom we share a close emotional bond will "take on" or "mirror" our emotional issues and/or physical symptoms in an attempt to relieve our suffering. Seeing our own issues mirrored in our animals creates the opportunity not only to improve their lives, but to increase our health and vitality as well and prevent small issues from turning into life-threatening disease. “A man too busy to take care of his health is like a mechanic too busy to take care of his tools.” – Spanish saying
Intuitive Communication Rates: $60 for 30-minute session The basis for the animal communication is the same whether via phone or email. If we work via phone, I will interview you prior to the communication and then call you back with the results. If doing work via email, please send a photo of the animal(s) along with a description of the animal, location, objective, and any specific questions you may have for the animal. Please also send your contact info. If it's an emergency, please call me directly. Otherwise, most communications are completed within 7 days. “The happiness of your life depends on the quality of your thoughts.” – Marcus Antonius	Gift Certificates Available 239.560.6667 info@integratedanimaltherapy.com

“Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.” – Anonymous