Mary Debono: Grow Young with Your Dog

Bianca Low Kum: Somatic Experiencing for People and Dogs

Bianca is a somatic practitioner with over a decade of experience in the mental health field, specializing in Somatic Experiencing®-informed work. Her approach is grounded in the understanding that our experiences live not just in the mind, but in the body—shaping patterns, behaviors, and emotional responses in everyday life. She began her work in mental health as a volunteer on the Distress Lines with Community Torchlight and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Guelph, along with a post-graduate certificate in Addiction: Treatment and Prevention from Georgian College. She is currently completing her certification as a Somatic Experiencing® Practitioner, with full qualification expected in May 2026. Bianca currently works as a Community Outreach Counselor with St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton, supporting both adults and youth navigating complex challenges, including homelessness, addiction, PTSD, medical trauma, and experiences of physical or sexual abuse. Her work is grounded, practical, and deeply client-centered, shaped by years of real-world experience supporting individuals in high-acuity situations. In addition to her clinical work, Bianca has a strong foundation in dog behavior. She began working as a veterinary care attendant in high school and continued through university, where she also raised three Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guide puppies. She has continued her education with respected trainers: Rachel Allen of The Healing Pack, Liz Foley of Your Favourite Dog Trainer, Hanna Feuer of Mindful Dog Co., and Nelson Hodges of the Canine Human Relationship Institute. Bianca is especially passionate about the intersection of human emotional well-being and dog behavior. She supports her clients in developing greater self-awareness and emotional capacity, while also helping their dogs learn, regulate, and succeed. Her work recognizes that lasting change happens not just through training the dog, but through supporting the nervous system of the human as well. Known for her thoughtful and compassionate presence, Bianca helps individuals who feel stuck, overwhelmed, or disconnected begin to shift long-standing patterns with greater awareness and empathy. She creates space for a more attuned relationship with the self—where all emotions and sensations, both comfortable and uncomfortable, can be explored and integrated in a way that supports meaningful, lasting change. Follow on Bianca on  Instagram [ https://www.instagram.com/primal.wisdom.healing/]  Bianca's counseling website: Primal Wisdom [https://blowkum.wixsite.com/primal-wisdom] CHRI Workshops [https://www.chrinstitute.com/calendar-of-courses/]  Glossary of Nervous System Terms  [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1DqiLtl55iKYGD9JdZuE7yX9TFlIFOS_m6xOWPu_j4VI/edit?usp=sharing] Support the show [https://paypal.me/cml119] Canine Movement Lab in Chattanooga Tennessee [https://www.caninemovementlab.com/] Center for Canine Somatics [https://www.centerforcaninesomatics.com/] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/caninemovementlab/] YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSlbjJXVMBxSGBgkbNWXOZw] Your Host: Leah Lykos on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/leah.s.lykos/] and LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/leah-lykos-15255b360/]

William Garrido: Daycares and Dog Parks

William Garrido has been working with dogs since 2009. He entered the field through a working-dog training school, where he studied obedience, protection work, tracking, scent detection, and handling. After six months in this intensive environment, William went on to work with police dogs and personal protection dogs, and later deployed to Afghanistan as a contractor, serving as a trainer for Contract Working Dog teams in Bagram and Shindand. Committed to continued learning, William furthered his education through advanced training programs and numerous professional seminars. Throughout his career, William has authored several books, worked extensively with pet dogs, supported service dogs for veterans with PTSD and TBI, served as head instructor for a dog training school, and participated in protection sports. Today, he remains a respected and knowledgeable resource for pet owners, professional dog trainers, and dog sport enthusiasts alike. William and I had a lively and nuanced discussion about why, in many cases, no socialization can be better than poor socialization—particularly when it comes to dogs attending daycare or visiting dog parks. We both agree that there are intentional, thoughtful ways to socialize dogs, as well as many effective options for enrichment and exercise that don’t involve daycares or dog parks at all. Every dog is an individual, and the key is finding the approach that best supports your dog’s unique temperament, needs, and well-being.  Support the show [https://paypal.me/cml119] Canine Movement Lab in Chattanooga Tennessee [https://www.caninemovementlab.com/] Center for Canine Somatics [https://www.centerforcaninesomatics.com/] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/caninemovementlab/] YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSlbjJXVMBxSGBgkbNWXOZw] Your Host: Leah Lykos on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/leah.s.lykos/] and LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/leah-lykos-15255b360/]

Maryna Ozuna: Proprioception and Learning Capacity

Maryna Ozuna nee' Sheryl Studley, B.S. Biology Vassar College; J.D. Thomas Jefferson School of Law, IACP # 1372 CDT (International Association of Canine Professionals), certified member of NADOI (National Association of Dog Obedience Instructors) is the owner of the Arizona Doggy Dude Ranch training center, the founder, and principal practitioner of the Canine Kinaesthetics (tm) system of bodywork, and the founder and principal instructor of the Movement Markers (tm) clinics. In this conversation, Maryna and I explore proprioceptive mapping in dogs (and people) and how it directly influences learning capacity. We unpack the roles of collection, balance, and recruitment in motor control, and how these concepts intersect with drive states and emotional regulation. As always, we return to one of my favorite subjects: the profound role of touch in shaping safety, awareness, and connection. This was a truly fascinating discussion, offering eye-opening insights into how modern dogs may need more support than we realize. At the root of learning, confidence, and relationship is a healthy, functional, and coordinated body—because how a dog moves and feels in their body shapes how they learn and engage with the world. You can find Maryna Ozuna at these websites and socials: www.azdoggyduderanch.com [http://www.azdoggyduderanch.com] www.dogbodycare.com [http://www.dogbodycare.com] IG: Movement Markers [https://www.instagram.com/movementmarkers/] Facebook: Movement Markers [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100057108416057] Please also check out my new project: Center for Canine Somatics [https://www.centerforcaninesomatics.com/] where I will be giving courses like: Co-Regulating with Your Dog [https://www.centerforcaninesomatics.com/products/courses/dog-breathing-course] and webinars such as:  Foundations for Canine Health: Exploring the Nervous System [https://www.centerforcaninesomatics.com/products/live_events/dog-well-being-event] Support the show [https://paypal.me/cml119] Canine Movement Lab in Chattanooga Tennessee [https://www.caninemovementlab.com/] Center for Canine Somatics [https://www.centerforcaninesomatics.com/] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/caninemovementlab/] YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSlbjJXVMBxSGBgkbNWXOZw] Your Host: Leah Lykos on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/leah.s.lykos/] and LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/leah-lykos-15255b360/]

Grant Shannon: Dogs Connect

During his ten-year teaching career, Grant recognised that his students needed more from traditional education. He decided to create a program to help students feel more connected and engaged in their school environment. Grant’s great passion for education has driven him to research the benefits of training wellbeing dogs for the classroom. He willingly shares his knowledge and scientific evidence, teaching students and staff how to build emotional intelligence and resilience. Many schools are now witnessing first-hand the impact the program is having on academic outcomes. Find Dogs Connect online: https://dogsconnect.net.au/ [https://dogsconnect.net.au/] Dogs Connect on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dogsconnectaustralia/ [https://www.facebook.com/dogsconnectaustralia/] Dogs Connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dogs.connect/ [https://www.instagram.com/dogs.connect/] Dogs Connect virtual course on Polyvagal Institute: Dogs Connect--Connection, Regulation, and Empathy [https://www.polyvagalinstitute.org/items/dogs-connect---connection%2C-regulation-and-empathy] Support the show [https://paypal.me/cml119] Canine Movement Lab in Chattanooga Tennessee [https://www.caninemovementlab.com/] Center for Canine Somatics [https://www.centerforcaninesomatics.com/] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/caninemovementlab/] YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSlbjJXVMBxSGBgkbNWXOZw] Your Host: Leah Lykos on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/leah.s.lykos/] and LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/leah-lykos-15255b360/]

Mary Debono: Grow Young with Your Dog

Mary Debono helps dog lovers support their dogs' mobility, comfort, and vitality—while improving their own. A Certified Feldenkrais® Practitioner and creator of Debono Moves, Mary combines movement science, gentle touch, and mindset work to foster greater ease, awareness, and connection between dogs and their humans. She is the award-winning, Amazon bestselling author of Grow Young with Your Dog, a practical and inspiring book that helps people bring out the best in their dogs—and themselves. Mary's gentle hands-on processes support dogs dealing with arthritis, weakness, or injury, and help prevent problems before they start. With over 30 years of experience, Mary has worked with dog lovers around the world through her online programs and coaching. Her students appreciate how even small changes can lead to big improvements in both human and canine well-being. Learn more at marydebono.com [http://marydebono.com/]Get her free video training at marydebono.com/lovedog [http://marydebono.com/lovedog] Grow Young with Your Dog (includes companion video and audio files): https://www.marydebono.com/offers/ijNWxpmP/checkout [https://www.marydebono.com/offers/ijNWxpmP/checkout] Blog post about the chihuahua who recovered from a paralyzing stroke: https://www.marydebono.com/blog/dog-recovers-from-stroke [https://www.marydebono.com/blog/dog-recovers-from-stroke] Mary's podcast: Easier Movement, Happier Life [https://www.buzzsprout.com/1600387/episodes]  This podcast is truly a labor of Love! Please review, subscribe, and share!!! Support the show [https://paypal.me/cml119] Canine Movement Lab in Chattanooga Tennessee [https://www.caninemovementlab.com/] Center for Canine Somatics [https://www.centerforcaninesomatics.com/] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/caninemovementlab/] YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSlbjJXVMBxSGBgkbNWXOZw] Your Host: Leah Lykos on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/leah.s.lykos/] and LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/leah-lykos-15255b360/]