Personal and Wellness Support Services (PAWSS)

Helping people who care for animals

Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital (VMTH)

The SVM Personal and Wellness Support Services (PAWSS) is available to provide support services to clients in the VMTH, including emotional support and information for clients struggling with difficult decisions, euthanasia, etc. We also offer consultation to clinicians/students/staff in the VMTH regarding communication and relationship skills with clients, such as breaking difficult news and how to offer emotional support. Clinicians/students/staff are encouraged to offer PAWSS services to clients as needed, and contact our office regarding specific cases.

School of Veterinary Medicine (SVM)

The PAWSS office offers wellness support and short-term counseling to students in the SVM regarding personal concerns or concerns that are impacting your academic success. We can also facilitate a referral to UW Counseling & Consultation Services or community agencies for longer-term counseling. Please contact us at 890-1608 for an appointment.

The PAWSS office is also available to offer presentations and facilitate discussions in the SVM community on communication and wellness topics. Examples include: Coping With Stress, Breaking Difficult News to Clients, Helping Clients with Decision-Making, Improving Communication and Relationships, or other topics upon request.

School of Veterinary Medicine Resources

Alcohol and drug use

Alcoholics Anonymous -  Alcoholics Anonymous World Services
SMART Recovery – Self Management and Recovery Training
Al-Anon/Alateen – Al-Anon Family group
Adult Children of Alcoholics – ACA Adult Children of Alcoholics
"Sharing" Prescription Medications - American University
College Alcohol Inventory - University of Wisconsin
FAQs About Alcohol Use - National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism - NIAAA
Let's Talk Facts About Substance Abuse - American Psychological Association
How to Cut Down on Your Drinking - NIAAA
Drug Abuse - National Institute on Drug Abuse
Cough/Cold Meds - CBS News
Cough/Cold Meds - University of Texas

Anger

Controlling anger before it controls you – APA American Psychological Association
Strategies for controlling your anger – APA American Psychological Association
Anger basics - Mental Help.net

Anxiety

Does This Sound Like You? (Anxiety Disorder) - NIMH Self-Assessment
Study Habits and Test Anxiety - SUNY at Buffalo
Test Anxiety - George Washington University
How to Cope with Stress, Anxiety and Fears - MentalHelp.net
Six Habits that Defeat Anxiety - MentalHelp.net

Communication, Assertiveness, Speaking up in class

Improving Your Communication Skills - MindTools.com
Assertive Communication - University of Iowa
Assertive Communication: An Introduction - University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire

Assessing your learning style

Learning Styles - Pace University
Index of Learning Styles Questionnaire - Solomon and Felder, North Carolina State University
Learning Style Survey for College - Jester and Miller, Diablo Valley College
Paragon learning Style Inventory PLSI -  Shindler and Yang, State University of New York/Oswego
Study Skills Checklist - Virginia Tech university

Concentration and Motivation

I Just Can't Seem to Concentrate! - University of Pennsylvania

Exams and tests

Preparing for Tests and Exams - York University
Study Habits and Test Anxiety - SUNY at Buffalo
Test Anxiety - George Washington University

Foreign language learning and ESL

Interesting Things for ESL Students (word games, study tools, etc.) - ManyThings.org
ESL Resources - Purdue University

Grief and Loss

Death, Loss, and Grief  - Hampton Sydney College
About Bereavement - City University of New York
Grief and Loss - George Washington University
Coping with Death, Grief, and Loss - University of Iowa

How to help someone you are concerned about

How Can I Tell If Suicide Is  a Possibility? - University of California Santa Cruz
How to Help a Friend Who Has Been Sexually Assaulted - University of Oregon
How Can I Help a Depressed or Suicidal Person? - University of California Santa Cruz
Eating Disorders: Helping a Friend - University of Wisconsin
For Loved Ones of Sexual Assault/Abuse Survivors - University of Illinois
Self-Injury: Notes for Concerned Others - University of Chicago
When You Want to Help a Friend - St. Joseph's University
How to Help A Student In Distress - American University

LD/ADHD- Learning disorders and ADHD

Ask Noah about LD - noah-health.org
National Resource Center - Information about ADH - help4adhd.org
Information about ADHD - National Institute of Mental Health
Fact Sheet on ADHD - Attention Deficit Disorder Association – ADDA

Listening

It All Starts with Listening - University of Pennsylvania
Ten Bad Listening Habits - Dartmouth college

Memory

Remembering - Virginia Tech University
Strategies for Improving Concentration and Memory - Online Workshop -Virginia Tech University
Memory Improvement Tools - MindTools.com

Mental Health

APA HelpCenter - APA American Psychological Association
Mental Health and Behavior - NIMH National Institutes of Mental Health
Mental Health Topics - Ask NOAH
Information for Students and Young Adults - NIDA National Institute on Drug Abuse
Let's Talk Facts - APA American Psychiatric Association

Notemaking

Note-Taking Methods - Stanford University
Taking Lecture Notes - Stanford University
Taking Lecture Notes - Dartmouth College

Perfectionism

Preventing Perfectionism - University of Buffalo

Procrastination

Internet Addiction Survey - StressCure.com
Battling the Block: Writing Through and Beyond Writer's Block - University of Pennsylvania
One of These Days I'll Stop Procrastinating - University of Pennsylvania
Overcoming Procrastination - University of Buffalo

Reading

SQ3R Method - Stanford University
Six Reading Myths - Dartmouth College

Relaxation/Meditation

Recorded Relaxation and Meditation exercises – University of Wisconsin-Madison
The Relaxation Room – Loyola College in Maryland

Study Groups

Collaborative Learning: Groupwork and Study Teams - University of California at Berkley
Collaboration and Plagiarism (guide in a computer science course) - MIT

Study Tips and Guides

Top 11 Study Skills - Stanford University
Study Environment Analysis - Virginia Tech University
Study Skills Checklist - Virginia Tech University
Study Strategies - Anxiety, Procrastination, Time Management - SUNY at Buffalo
College Survival Skills - Clemson University

Time Management

Time Managment - Stanford University
There's No Such Things As Time Management - University of Buffalo

Smoking

Complete Guide to Quitting - American Cancer Society
Help for Cravings and Tough Situations - American Cancer Society
UCanBreathe.com
On Line Smoking Cessation Program (free!) - American Lung Association
Tobacco Cessation Guidelines - Office of the Surgeon General
AU Counseling Center Resource Page - Quitting Smoking
Let's Talk Facts About Quitting Smoking - American Psychological Association

Relationships

Friendship Building - SUNY at Buffalo
Building Healthy Relationships - University of Wisconsin
Controlling Anger Before it Controls You - American Psychological Association
Anger Tool Kit : Four Proven Techniques for Managing Anger - AngerManagement.com
Anger and Agression - About.com
Understanding Anger: Theories and Facts - MentalHelp.net

Sexuality

Sexual Assertiveness Questionnaire - SUNY at Buffalo
Support for LGBT youth - YouthResource.com
Parents, Friends,and Family of Lesbians and Gays - pflag.org
Transgender Education Association, DC - tgea.net
Sexual Orientation - American Psychological Association

Sexual Assault/Rape

Date and Acquaintance Rape - SUNY at Buffalo
Date Rape Prevention - SUNY at Buffalo

Sleep

Making Sleep Count - St. Joseph's University 
How to Get a Good Night's Sleep - Kansas State University
Sleep-Inducing Techniques - Hampton Sydney College
Better Sleep Council - BetterSleep.org
National Sleep Foundation
Sleep Hygiene Test - Discovery Health
Sleep Tips for the Perpetually Awake - Mayo Clinic
Sleep-101  - WedMD
Sleep_hygiene - Wikipedia

Spirituality/Religion

Finding One's Way Spiritually - Tufts University

Stress

Strategies for Coping with Stress - Texas Women's University
Stress Periods for Students - Hampden-Sydney College
Stress - How Can I Cope? - Cleveland Clinic
Resources for Coping with Stress - Ask NOAH
Managing Stress - University of Texas

Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital Resources

Adopting a pet

Adoption – Dane County Humane Society
Wisconsin Dog Rescue – Listings for Cats, Dogs, Ferrets, Horses, Parrots, Pot-Bellied Pigs, Rabbits, and Reptiles
Humane Animal Welfare Society
Petharbor.com- an online imaged database of lost and adoptable pets
Petfinder.com – a searchable database for the adoption of homeless pets

Animal Care

Choosing a Pet Care Provider  - Care.com

Animal Health

Healthypets.com – American Animal Hospital Association
Tumor types – Auburn University
Ringworm – Dane County Humane Society
Reference Links –AVMA
Lost Pet Search – Dane County Humane Society
Re-home your pet – Dane County Humane Society (List your pet with a re-homing service)
Solutions to problems that often prompt a decision to surrender a cat – Dane County Humane Society
Can we help you keep your pet- wonderpuppy.net
SNAP –Spay/Neuter Assistance Program – Dane County Humane Society
Dog Care Resources – Dane County Humane Society
Cat Care Resources – Dane County Humane Society
Bird Care Resources – Dane County Humane Society
Rabbit Care Resources – Dane County Humane Society
Rescuing wild animals - Dane County Humane Society
Rescuing wild animals – Four Lakes Wildlife Center
Pet Sitter International – an online resource to locate pet sitters
Plants that are poisonous to animals – a partial listing from doberdogs.com

Cemeteries/Crematories:

Campbellsport: Paradise Valley Pet Cemetery, W1595 Paradise Ln., Campbellsport, WI 53010-1412, (414) 477-2001
DecSoto: Rivers Edge Pet Crematorium, S5795 Willenberg Road, DeSoto, WI 54624, 1-888-604-4774, info@stonewerksinc.com
Elkhorn: Remembrance Pet Crematory, 6189 Amos Rd., Elkhorn, WI 53121, (262) 728-1590
Franksville: Anderson's Pet Valhalla, 10025 Kraut Rd., Franksville, WI 53126-9574, (414) 886-0552
Green Bay: Forever Friends Pet Cremation Services, 645 Heyrman St., Green Bay, WI 54302, (920) 884-6060 (toll free - 877-884-6060), fax 920-884-8082, info@foreverfriendspets.com, http://www.foreverfriendspets.com
Hortonville: Heritage Pet Cremation Service, 751 W Main St., Hortonville, WI 54944-9407, (414) 779-4343
Kenosha: C J Roberts Memorial Park Ltd. Pet Cemetery, 7811 60th Ave., Kenosha, WI 53142-4010, (414) 694-4047
La Crosse: Walnut Grove Pet Cemetery., 901 Rose St., La Crosse, WI 54603-2633, (608) 785-1770
Madison: University Avenue Pet Center, 2837 University Ave., Madison, WI 53705-3643, (608) 238-8141
Madison: Westport Pet Memorial, Madison, WI 53704, (608) 249-3278, http://www.westportpetmemorial.com/, sue@westportpetmemorial.com
Marinette: Glenwood Memorial Gardens Assn., W. 1170 Cty Tk. B, Marinette, WI 54143, (715) 735-6684
Middleton: Memorial Pet Services, Inc., 4318 Twin Valley Road, Suite 15, Middleton, WI 53562, 608/836-7297, memorialpetservices@tds.net, http://www.memorialpetservices.com - pet counseling services available on request.
Milwaukee: Pet Lawn Inc., 7311 N. Granville Rd., Milwaukee, WI 53224, (414) 353-9387
Mosinee: Peaceful Pines Pet Memorial Park, 168 Lois Lane, Mosinee, WI 54455, (715) 693-4693
Oshkosh: Petland Memorial Garden, 2786 Algoma Blvd., Oshkosh, WI 54901, (414) 236-2828
Poynette: Midwest Cremation Service of Wisconsin, W9242 Hwy CS, Poynette, WI 53955, (608) 635-7270
Sherwood: Forrest Run Pet Cemetery, N7937 Pigeon Rd., Sherwood, WI 54169-9707, (414) 989-2600, http://www.dogurn.com/catalog/index.php?distributor_id=54169, patfahrenkrug@forrestrunpetcemetery.com
Union Grove: Paris Pet Crematory, 923 Commerce Drive, Union Grove, WI 53182, (262) 878-9194

Condolence cards

In Memory of Pets - http://www.in-memory-of-pets.com/sympathycards.php
You can order printed sympathy cards from this site.
Pet Loss: Tracks in the Sand - http://members.fortunecity.com/sandtracker/

Counselors:

Counselor listing – networktherapy.com
Listing of Dean Counselors – Dean Health System
Unity Health Insurance – call the Behavioral Health Consultation System 1-800-683-2300

Grief Resources

Center for Human-Animal Bond- Purdue University
Pet Loss Support Page – State by state directory of pet loss resources
Association for pet loss and bereavement – ALPB
Grief Resources – The Argus Institute
Recommended reading lists – The Argus Institute
Facing the loss of your animal – University of Minnesota

Hotlines

Cornell University Hotline – (607) 253-3932 (6pm- 9pm EST Tuesday-Thursday)
C.A.R.E. Pet Loss Hotline (University of Illinois) – (877) 394-2273 ( 7-9pm Central Time;  Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday)
Pet Loss Support Hotline (Tufts University) – (508) 839-7966 (6-9pm EST Monday-Friday)
Pet Loss Hotline (Washington State University) – (509) 355-5704 (6:30-9pm PST Monday-Thursday; 1-3pm PST Saturday)
Florida Pet Grief Support Hotline – (352) 392-4700 ext. 4080 (24 hr hotline)
Honor the Bond (Ohio State University) – (614) 292- 1823 (6:30pm-9:30pm EST Monday-Friday; 10am-4pm EST Saturday and Sunday)
Chicago Veterinary Medical Association – (630) 325-1600
Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine – (504) 231-8038 (Tuesdays and Thursdays 6-9pm EST)

Memorials

Virtual Pet Cemetary
Gone to the Dog Star
In Memory of Pets
Lightning Strike Pet Loss Support
Rainbows Bridge
Cremation Urns
Memorial Pet Services, Inc. (Middleton, WI) pet counseling services available on request.

Pet Loss Support Groups

Dane County Humane Society – A pet loss support group is held the third Thursday of each month from 6:30-8pm. It is free of charge. To register, leave your name and number with a DCHS volunteer at (608) 838-0413 ext. 114 ( Madison, WI)
South Side Neighborhood Center – Meets the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month from 6-7:30pm. Contact burkhartm@cityoflacrosse.org  (La Crosse, WI)
Pet Loss Bereavement Services – Held of the 3rd Wednesday of each month from 6:30-8pm. Call Sara Westgor (920) 540-0506 or email petloss@tds.net (Neenah, Menasha, and the Fox cities WI)
Flambeau Home Health and Hospice – Carla Pritchett, Bereavement Coordinator (Phillips, WI)