soleil

Soleil is honestly too smart for her own good. She is intuitive, loving, playful, energetic, stubborn, a little bougie, and absolutely loves being loved. She is a true mama’s girl and somehow manages to put a smile on everyone’s face wherever she goes. Her favorite thing in the world is running errands with Mom or Grandma. She loves being included in everything and, of course, giving kisses to complete strangers. She has never met a stranger she didn’t want to charm. 

Soleil is truly the sunshine of my life. She makes the gray days brighter and the sunny days even brighter. And she is quite possibly the most golden-looking Goldendoodle you will ever meet. She has those beautiful golden features and the sweetest, happiest personality to match. Growing up, I had a phobia of dogs, which was incredibly limiting and distressing. As a teenager, I went to therapy to overcome my fear and did exposure therapy with a Golden Retriever. Somewhere along the way, that fear turned into a love for dogs—and especially Golden Retrievers. I completely fell in love with their sweet, joyful personalities, and from then on, I knew that one day I wanted a dog of my own, ideally a Golden Retriever. For years, though, it never felt like the right time to get a puppy. That finally changed in 2021. I had started a small business that I ran from home, which meant I would have the time to properly train and care for a puppy. I was also in the process of purchasing a home where she would have a yard and plenty of space to run, play, and be a dog. At the same time, my mom had just finished breast cancer treatment. I was hopeful that bringing a puppy into our lives would help her manage some of the anxiety that can come with worrying about recurrence and, more importantly, bring some joy and lightness back into her life after such a difficult chapter. And then there was Soleil. Her name means “sun” in French, and she truly lives up to it. She has brought an immeasurable amount of joy, love, laughter, and light into our lives. I went from being afraid of dogs to having one who has become such an important part of my world—and I honestly can't imagine my life without her.

 I’m a psychotherapist and own a virtual private practice, and I honestly think Soleil’s biggest accomplishment is the emotional support she provides—not just to me, but to my clients, too. My clients love seeing her pop up in the background during sessions, and she has a way of bringing a little comic relief and lightness to even the heaviest moments. Sometimes just hearing her walk around or catching a glimpse of her is enough to make someone smile. She also takes care of me in ways she probably doesn’t even realize. My work can be emotionally intense, and because I work virtually, it can be very easy to stay glued to my desk for hours. Soleil helps keep me grounded and reminds me that I need to step away, take a short break, get some fresh air, and go for a walk. In many ways, she helps me take better care of myself and prevent burnout. She is my little coworker, emotional support pup, and daily reminder that there is a whole world outside of my laptop.