Pawsitive Directions

Pam Hollingsworth spent over 27 years working in Law Enforcement. She worked in the Custody Division, Patrol Division, Major Crimes Unit, and back to patrol. During her time in the Major Crimes Unit her main assignment was child molestations, other sex-related offenses, and major crimes. Over her 27 years she was involved in numerous Office Involved Shootings and critical incidents. 
After retiring from Law Enforcement in Shasta County she started to have a lot of physical ailments due to the continued and past stress her career entailed. She was lost-both physically and mentally. Pam had more time on her hands and some of the horrible old calls for service, painful memories of what she had experienced began to reemerge. 
It was time she start taking care of herself. This progress toward better physical health allowed her to begin focusing on her mental and emotional health as well. She began the healing process of not only things she had experienced in her professional career but also of some personal tragedies that she had never had the opportunity to process, grieve, and recover from. While working in Major Crimes handling child molestation cases, she lost twins at three months old, and during the same assignment she had lost another pregnancy. After looking back at what she had been through she had accepted the fact that she suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Injury (PTSI).
While browsing Facebook in April 2022, she saw a post on "Peer Support for First Responders." It was regarding a Service Dog named Rin who was looking for his forever home with a first responder. She was very interested but thought there was probably someone out there that needed him more than she did. But, in May 2022 she saw another post regarding Rin, he was still looking for his forever home. With her husbands support she decided that she was going to do everything in her power to add Rin to her family. She felt God had put him in her life at this time to help her heal and bring enjoyment to her family. She was able to be put in contact with Darcey at Pawsitive Directions where Rin was located and after speaking with her Pam knew that Rin and her would be an awesome team. There was a spring in her step!
They made the decision to make the long drive from Redding California to Coeur d'Alene Idaho where they stayed with an old friend. She asked if they could stop by the facility even though it might be closed. When she looked through the windows she saw her beautiful Rin. A couple of the employees saw her and welcomed her in. At first Rin was very shy, but after warming up climbed in Pam's lap, a match made in heaven. 
Her training began that Monday and every minute she spend with Rin the love and bond grew stronger. She claims those seven days were some of the most moving experiences in her life. "Rin completes me as well as our family! Rin helps me maintain a cognitive state of mind and keeps my anxiety down. He gives me complete comfort wherever we go." He is always by her side and has changed her outlook on life for the positive. Because of Rin, Pam has gained her complete independence back and the confidence and security to go and do what she wants when she wants. Rin loves to work, be silly, play, go on walks, go golfing with his family, travel, play with other dogs, and experience new things!