The Whole Pack

Where animal care professionals come together for the animals.
  • 5.0 (3)
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The Whole Pack brings together professionals across the animal care world to explore the many ways we support animals and the humans who love them. Hosted by Melissa Sherman and Sunny Gandara, the podcast features honest conversations with practitioners, educators, and experts from different modalities, all working toward the same goal of animals thriving. thewholepack.substack.com

Episodes

  1. Money Mindset for Holistic Pet Professionals: Why You’re Undercharging and Burning Out

    1D AGO

    Money Mindset for Holistic Pet Professionals: Why You’re Undercharging and Burning Out

    In this episode of The Whole Pack, Melissa and Sunny dive into money mindset in the holistic pet space and why so many practitioners struggle to charge what they’re worth. They explore how undercharging, overgiving, and scarcity thinking lead to burnout, and why helping animals and making money are not opposites. This conversation covers: * the real reason caregivers undervalue their work * how pricing impacts your energy, clients, and sustainability * why financial stability is essential to helping more animals * and how to shift from scarcity into a more supportive mindset If you’ve ever felt guilty charging for your work, this episode will challenge that and offer a different way forward. Timestamps 02:26 Undercharging + Overdelivering05:11 Value of Your Work09:35 Boundaries + Overgiving13:01 Burnout + Financial Stress15:17 Sustainable Pricing21:31 Shifting Into Service24:20 Client Alignment30:10 Rethinking Money Disclaimer: This podcast is intended for educational and informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional veterinary or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your veterinarian or a qualified professional regarding your animal’s health. If you enjoyed this conversation, consider subscribing to The Whole Pack on Substack or wherever you listen to podcasts. Follow The Whole Pack: Instagram: @thewholepack_ Facebook: @thewholepack YouTube: @thewholepack Connect with the hosts: Melissa Sherman – Calming Creek Website: calmingcreek.com Instagram: @calmingcreekhealing Sunny Gandara – Nacho Average Dog Health Coach Website: nachoaveragedoghealthcoach.com Instagram: @nachoaveragedoghealthcoach This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thewholepack.substack.com

    36 min
  2. Imposter Syndrome in Holistic Pet Care: Why You Still Don’t Feel Qualified

    APR 28

    Imposter Syndrome in Holistic Pet Care: Why You Still Don’t Feel Qualified

    In this episode of The Whole Pack, Melissa and Sunny dive into imposter syndrome - how it shows up in the holistic pet space and why it doesn’t magically disappear with more experience. From second-guessing yourself during sessions to feeling like you’re not qualified enough, they unpack the common patterns many practitioners face, especially in work that requires intuition, emotional presence, and trust. They explore how imposter syndrome is often rooted in fear, perfectionism, and the pressure to prove yourself, and why it can lead to over-preparing, undercharging, and holding yourself back from opportunities. 00:33 What Imposter Syndrome Feels Like 01:34 Why It Shows Up (Even With Experience) 03:05 Women, Confidence + Conditioning 08:30 Perfectionism as Procrastination 12:00 Letting Go of Comparison 13:30 Tools to Move Through Fear 21:00 Finding Your People 24:00 What We Wish We Knew 27:00 Intuitive Work + Trust Disclaimer: This podcast is intended for educational and informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional veterinary or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your veterinarian or a qualified professional regarding your animal’s health. If you enjoyed this conversation, consider subscribing to The Whole Pack on Substack or wherever you listen to podcasts. Follow The Whole Pack: Instagram: @thewholepack_ Facebook: @thewholepack YouTube: @thewholepack Connect with the hosts: Melissa Sherman – Calming Creek Website: calmingcreek.com Instagram: @calmingcreekhealing Sunny Gandara – Nacho Average Dog Health Coach Website: nachoaveragedoghealthcoach.com Instagram: @nachoaveragedoghealthcoach This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thewholepack.substack.com

    31 min
  3. Compassion Fatigue and When Caring Starts to Cost You

    APR 21

    Compassion Fatigue and When Caring Starts to Cost You

    In this episode of The Whole Pack, Melissa and Sunny explore compassion fatigue. The quiet, cumulative burnout that can happen when you’re constantly holding space for animals and the people who love them. Whether you’re a veterinarian, vet tech, rescue worker, pet health coach, or animal communicator, the emotional weight of this work can build over time, especially when self-care falls to the bottom of the list. They walk through the subtle, and not-so-subtle, signs of compassion fatigue, including irritability, impatience, avoidance, emotional numbness, physical exhaustion, negative self-talk, and imposter syndrome. They also unpack why it happens, how repeated exposure to stress and trauma, combined with the pressure to stay “professional,” can quietly disconnect you from yourself. A powerful story of a veterinarian moving from euthanasia directly into a puppy visit highlights the emotional whiplash many professionals experience and the importance of extending compassion not just to animals and clients, but to ourselves. This conversation offers grounded, practical ways to both prevent and recover from burnout, including setting boundaries, creating supportive routines, prioritizing rest and nutrition, and incorporating simple nervous system resets like movement, breath, sound, and time in nature. If you’ve been feeling stretched thin, disconnected, or questioning your capacity, this episode is a reminder that you’re not alone and there are ways to come back to yourself. 01:42 Signs of Compassion Fatigue 04:05 Shelter Trauma + Emotional Detachment 05:38 Why It Happens + Self-Compassion 09:13 From Loss to Puppy Visit (Real-Life Vet Story) 12:38 Guilt + The Pressure of Being “On” 13:36 Quick Resets + Supportive Self-Care 17:55 Daily Routines to Prevent Burnout 20:27 Community, Empathy + Shared Experience 24:41 Boundaries, Rates + Resentment  27:47 Wrap Up Time Off and Listener Qs  Enjoying the podcast? Follow, share, and leave a review, it helps more people find The Whole Pack and supports the work we’re doing. Disclaimer: This podcast is intended for educational and informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional veterinary or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your veterinarian or a qualified professional regarding your animal’s health. Follow The Whole Pack: Instagram: @thewholepack_ Facebook: @thewholepack YouTube: @thewholepack Connect with the hosts: Melissa Sherman – Calming Creek Website: calmingcreek.com Instagram: @calmingcreekhealing Sunny Gandara – Nacho Average Dog Health Coach Website: nachoaveragedoghealthcoach.com Instagram: @nachoaveragedoghealthcoach This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thewholepack.substack.com

    32 min
  4. The Divide in Pet Care: Why Vets & Holistic Practitioners Need to Work Together

    APR 14

    The Divide in Pet Care: Why Vets & Holistic Practitioners Need to Work Together

    In this episode of The Whole Pack, Melissa and Sunny explore the growing divide between conventional veterinary medicine and holistic pet care, and how pets and their guardians often end up caught in the middle. They unpack how social media, unvetted advice, and ego-driven messaging can amplify confusion, leaving pet parents overwhelmed and unsure who to trust. The conversation highlights key contributors to this divide, including industry influence in veterinary education, inconsistent standards in holistic certifications, and branding that positions practitioners as “anti-vet” or “anti-holistic.” Rather than choosing sides, Melissa and Sunny advocate for a more integrated approach. They emphasize the importance of diagnostics like blood work alongside nutrition, lifestyle, and holistic support, and encourage practitioners to stay within their scope while continuing to learn and collaborate. Sunny shares a real-life example of building a successful partnership with her veterinarian, Dr. Michelle, illustrating how coordinated care, clear communication, and mutual respect can lead to better outcomes, including the management of a complex IBD case. This episode is a call to shift out of competition and into collaboration. Whether you’re a veterinarian or a holistic practitioner, the invitation is simple: start conversations, build relationships, and focus on what truly matters, supporting the animal. What You’ll Hear in This Episode: * Why pets and their guardians often feel stuck between conflicting advice * The role of social media in spreading confusion and misinformation * How ego and “tribalism” impact pet care decisions * The gaps and strengths on both the veterinary and holistic sides * Why diagnostics and holistic support work best together * How to build trust and collaborate across disciplines * A real-world example of integrative care in action * Practical ways practitioners can begin working together Enjoyed this episode? We’d love your support. Follow, share, and leave a review to help more people find The Whole Pack. 01:47 Social Media Misinformation 03:09 Why The Divide Exists 05:22 Credentials And Collaboration 13:39 Building Vet Partnerships 18:22 Professional Collaboration Tips 20:21 Beyond Vets Working Together 23:42 Call To Collaborate Disclaimer: This podcast is intended for educational and informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional veterinary or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your veterinarian or a qualified professional regarding your animal’s health. If you enjoyed this conversation, consider subscribing to The Whole Pack on Substack or wherever you listen to podcasts. Follow The Whole Pack: Instagram: @thewholepack_ Facebook: @thewholepack YouTube: @thewholepack Connect with the hosts: Melissa Sherman – Calming Creek Website: calmingcreek.com Instagram: @calmingcreekhealing Sunny Gandara – Nacho Average Dog Health Coach Website: nachoaveragedoghealthcoach.com Instagram: @nachoaveragedoghealthcoach This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thewholepack.substack.com

    27 min
  5. Finding Balance Between Natural and Conventional Care

    APR 7

    Finding Balance Between Natural and Conventional Care

    Finding Balance Between Natural and Conventional Care In episode four of The Whole Pack, Sunny and Melissa define holistic as focusing on complete systems rather than only symptoms, then discuss how “holistic” is often mistaken for “all-natural” and becomes dogmatic. They contrast conventional Western medicine’s symptom-focused approach with holistic practice’s root-cause focus, using examples like chronic ear infections improved through diet changes and supplements, while acknowledging acute crises may require pharmaceuticals or antibiotics. They address fear of side effects, misuse of long-term drugs (e.g., NSAIDs, steroids), and cases where medication is necessary, such as hypothyroidism or antibiotic-resistant MRSP. They advocate an integrative approach, using the right tool for the right situation, supporting the body alongside medications, staying flexible with client constraints, and prioritizing the animal’s comfort and long-term health. 00:00 Holistic Isn’t Holy 00:42 What Holistic Means 02:27 Natural vs Synthetic Debate 03:55 Acute vs Chronic Care 05:15 Western Medicine Limits 07:44 Ear Infection Case Study 10:00 Side Effects and Fear 11:07 When Drugs Are Necessary 13:13 Proper Drug Use 16:33 Integrative Medicine Explained 19:56 Talking to Extreme Clients Disclaimer:This podcast is intended for educational and informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional veterinary or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your veterinarian or a qualified professional regarding your animal’s health. If you enjoyed this conversation, consider subscribing to The Whole Pack on Substack or wherever you listen to podcasts. Follow The Whole Pack:Instagram: @thewholepack_Facebook: @thewholepackYouTube: @thewholepack Connect with the hosts: Melissa Sherman – Calming CreekWebsite: calmingcreek.comInstagram: @calmingcreekhealing Sunny Gandara – Nacho Average Dog Health CoachWebsite: nachoaveragedoghealthcoach.comInstagram: @nachoaveragedoghealthcoach This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thewholepack.substack.com

    26 min
  6. Disagreement With Grace

    MAR 31

    Disagreement With Grace

    In episode three of The Whole Pack, holistic pet health practitioners Sunny Gandara and Melissa Sherman discuss “Disagreement with Grace” and why black-and-white thinking in pet health shuts down learning and overwhelms pet parents. Using vaccination, heartworm prevention, and nutrition as examples, they emphasize assessing each animal’s individual needs, staying curious, and meeting clients where they are without shaming or fearmongering. Sunny shares a “cautiously minimal” vaccination approach that supports core puppy vaccines, avoids automatic yearly revaccination, and favors titer testing where possible, while still helping clients who choose different paths by focusing on risk reduction and supportive care. They explore red flags for unhealthy disagreement, including emotional reactivity, refusal to listen, and personal attacks, and encourage intellectual humility, integrative thinking, and ongoing openness to new research. 00:00 Welcome to The Whole Pack 00:33 Episode Three Setup 00:51 Why Nuance Matters 02:20 Vaccines Without Dogma 05:06 Supporting Client Choices 09:15 Helping Parents Find Middle 12:04 Nutrition on a Budget 14:36 Stay Curious Stay Humble 18:38 Healthy vs Unhealthy Disagree 20:25 Listener Questions and Takeaways Disclaimer: This podcast is intended for educational and informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional veterinary or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your veterinarian or a qualified professional regarding your animal’s health. If you enjoyed this conversation, consider subscribing to The Whole Pack on Substack or wherever you listen to podcasts. Follow The Whole Pack: Instagram: @thewholepack_ Facebook: @thewholepack YouTube: @thewholepack Connect with the hosts: Melissa Sherman – Calming Creek Website: calmingcreek.com Instagram: @calmingcreekhealing Sunny Gandara – Nacho Average Dog Health Coach Website: nachoaveragedoghealthcoach.com Instagram: @nachoaveragedoghealthcoach This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thewholepack.substack.com

    26 min
  7. The Myth of One Size Fits All

    MAR 24

    The Myth of One Size Fits All

    In Episode 2, Sunny Gandara and Melissa Sherman discuss bioindividuality in holistic pet health and why one-size-fits-all protocols (even “natural” ones), can harm pets. They share examples of common blanket recommendations, including lifelong probiotics and switching all dogs to raw food, noting cases where probiotics worsened diarrhea and a senior dog with IBS improved only after moving from raw to gently cooked meals. They define holistic care as addressing the whole animal and root causes, considering nutrition, lifestyle, household and guardian energy, and TCVM constitutional patterns and food energetics. They emphasize listening to pet parents, tracking symptoms, staying flexible, and adjusting plans when something isn’t working, including stepping back to what was stable. They also support integrating conventional veterinary diagnostics and short-term medications when needed to prevent suffering, and preview episode three on disagreeing with grace. 00:00 Welcome and Episode Setup 00:59 Why Cookie Cutter Fails 01:55 Probiotic Protocol Pitfalls 03:07 Raw vs Cooked Reality 05:05 What Holistic Care Means 07:49 Bioindividuality Explained 09:42 Listening and Holding Space 11:01 Stay Flexible and Humble 13:38 When Plans Aren’t Working 15:44 Integrative Vet Partnership 17:18 Discernment Not Social Media Disclaimer: This podcast is intended for educational and informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional veterinary or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your veterinarian or a qualified professional regarding your animal’s health. If you enjoyed this conversation, consider subscribing to The Whole Pack on Substack or wherever you listen to podcasts. Follow The Whole Pack: Instagram: @thewholepack_ Facebook: @thewholepack YouTube: @thewholepack Connect with the hosts: Melissa Sherman – Calming Creek Website: calmingcreek.com Instagram: @calmingcreekhealing Sunny Gandara – Nacho Average Dog Health Coach Website: nachoaveragedoghealthcoach.com Instagram: @nachoaveragedoghealthcoach This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thewholepack.substack.com

    22 min
  8. Why We Built This Table

    MAR 17

    Why We Built This Table

    In the first episode of The Whole Pack podcast, holistic pet health practitioners Sunny Gandara and Melissa Sherman introduce their judgment-free space for challenging black-and-white thinking in pet care and supporting a truly integrative approach that can include western medicine when needed. They share how polarization and confusion in the holistic pet health world inspired them to create a community focused on the individual animal rather than rigid “right vs. wrong” protocols. Sunny recounts her 20-year career as a chef and how losing her dog Nacho to hemangiosarcoma led her into canine nutrition, TCVM, herbalism, and developing her concert of “parallel nutrition” for humans and dogs. Melissa describes leaving a 20-year financial services career, finding Reiki for anxiety, and being shaped by experiences with her cat Jolie and dog Denny that expanded her work into nutrition, homeopathy, animal communication, and energy modalities. They preview episode two on bio-individuality and why cookie-cutter protocols can harm, and close with an educational disclaimer to consult veterinarians. 00:00 Welcome to Whole Pack 00:42 Why This Podcast Exists 02:23 Sunny’s Chef Roots 03:43 Nacho’s Wake Up Call 04:53 Training and Parallel Nutrition 06:46 From Overwhelm to Results 08:10 What Keeps Sunny Going 10:03 Melissa’s Wall Street Past 11:15 Reiki and Energy Work 12:58 Jolie and Denny Lessons 15:56 Leaping Into Full Time 18:37 What’s Next Disclaimer:This podcast is intended for educational and informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional veterinary or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your veterinarian or a qualified professional regarding your animal’s health. If you enjoyed this conversation, consider subscribing to The Whole Pack on Substack or wherever you listen to podcasts. Follow The Whole Pack: Instagram: @thewholepack_ Facebook: @thewholepack YouTube: @thewholepack Connect with the hosts: Melissa Sherman – Calming Creek Website: calmingcreek.com Instagram: @calmingcreekhealing Sunny Gandara – Nacho Average Dog Health Coach Website: nachoaveragedoghealthcoach.com Instagram: @nachoaveragedoghealthcoach This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thewholepack.substack.com

    21 min
  9. Introducing The Whole Pack

    MAR 10

    Introducing The Whole Pack

    Sunny Gandara and Melissa Sherman introduce The Whole Pack, a new podcast launching March 17, created as a judgment-free space for holistic pet and animal professionals to have open, respectful conversations that move beyond black-and-white thinking. They discuss how competition, scarcity mindset, and social media fanatics can lead to bullying and ego-driven conflict that ultimately harms the animals they aim to help. Emphasizing mind-body-spirit foundations, they invite diverse viewpoints, including disagreement, and highlight that different protocols can help different animals with the same diagnosis. The hosts also underscore collaboration, finding your voice, and supporting quieter practitioners so the community can share resources, experiences, and success stories. Listeners are encouraged to follow on Instagram and Facebook, subscribe wherever they get podcasts, and suggest future topics. 00:00 Welcome to The Whole Pack 00:40 Podcast Launch and Mission 01:03 Why Nuance Matters 03:30 Scarcity and Bullying Culture 04:16 Back to Holistic Basics 05:25 Finding Your Voice Together 07:16 Collaboration and Community 08:24 Launch Date and How to Join 08:52 Final Thanks and Share This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thewholepack.substack.com

    9 min
  • 9 Episodes

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

The Whole Pack brings together professionals across the animal care world to explore the many ways we support animals and the humans who love them. Hosted by Melissa Sherman and Sunny Gandara, the podcast features honest conversations with practitioners, educators, and experts from different modalities, all working toward the same goal of animals thriving. thewholepack.substack.com

Information

  • Creator
    Where animal care professionals come together for the animals.
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    9
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © The Whole Pack
  • Show Website
    The Whole Pack

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