Mattering Repair and Getting It Right with Josh Vaisman

About this episode

Debra Hamilton and Josh Vaisman discuss the importance of mattering in relationships with people and pets, focusing on conflict resolution and collaboration.

In this episode of Why Do Pets Matter, I welcome back my dear friend and returning guest, Josh Vaisman, founder of Flourish. Josh and I dive into what it really means to matter in our relationships with both people and pets, and how that feeling of mattering is at the heart of wellbeing for all of us. We talk about the difference between always trying to be right and working together to get it right for each unique pet family. Josh shares powerful insights on collaboration versus compromise, spectrum of care, and why “doing what is best for this animal and this person in this moment” is a much healthier guide than chasing some perfect idea of “the right thing.” We also explore real world tools for handling conflict more gracefully, including how to pause, repair after a hard interaction, and ask curious questions instead of reacting from a place of hurt. If you have ever replayed a tough conversation in your head with a client, a colleague, or a loved one and wished you could do it differently, this episode is for you. Watch It: https://youtu.be/5IIf106xmBE Guest Links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-vaisman/ https://www.flourish.vet/ https://www.culturelab.vet/ Show Links…

People in this episode

Host: Debra Hamilton

Guest: Josh Vaisman

Topics covered

• relationships
• wellbeing
• conflict resolution
• collaboration
• pets
• communication

Keywords

• mattering
• wellbeing
• conflict resolution
• pets
• collaboration
• communication
• insights

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Flourish

Books & works: Nipped in the Bud, Not in the Butt: How to Use Mediation To Resolve Conflicts Over Animals

More episodes of Why Do Pets Matter? Hosted by Debra Hamilton, Esq.

• The intersection of animal welfare and human relationships · May 9, 2026 · 40 min
• Ask Mambo · April 24, 2026 · 32 min
• When Environmental Law Meets Animal Law: The Case of the Million-Dollar Horses · April 10, 2026 · 40 min
• Mediation, Man's Best Friend & Breaking Impasse · April 3, 2026 · 33 min
• From Exam Room to Trail Ride: Leadership, Boundaries, and the Human–Animal Bond with Stith Keiser · March 19, 2026 · 38 min
• Living On Purpose (With a Corgi): Belief, Biology, and Behavior with Jim Bishop · March 5, 2026 · 44 min