A Pet Psychic Reads Our Dog

Summary

Podcast Summary: "A Pet Psychic Reads Our Dog"

Podcast: Don't Listen To Us with Mandy Patinkin & Kathryn Grody
Episode Date: March 25, 2026
Produced by: Lemonada Media
Hosts: Mandy Patinkin, Kathryn Grody, Gideon Grody Patinkin
Special Guest: Danielle McKinnon (Pet Communicator/Pet Psychic)

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Episode Overview

This episode’s central theme revolves around communication and empathy—both human and animal. In a lively and open-hearted conversation, hosts Mandy Patinkin, Kathryn Grody, and their son Gideon welcome pet communicator Danielle McKinnon, who “reads” their family dog Becky. The episode explores the idea of animal sentience, what we can learn from our pets, skepticism and belief in pet psychics, and transitions into broader advice on dealing with setbacks, all delivered in the Patinkin-Grody family's warmly chaotic, thoughtful style.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Introducing Pet Communication (07:21–08:45)

• Danielle McKinnon joins as a surprise guest and introduces herself as a “pet communicator” or “pet psychic.”
• Danielle explains how her work is about “speaking psychically with animals. It is really what it sounds like. I am a pet psychic. That's what I do for my work.” (08:45, Danielle McKinnon)
• Kathryn expresses excitement and curiosity, and Mandy signals skepticism, noting many people can intuit their pets’ needs through observation and mutual understanding.

2. Skepticism and Intuition (09:01–11:27)

• Mandy asks Danielle: “Do you not feel that many of us know when our pets need to be held, touched, fed... partially because the pet communicates it verbally?” (09:01, Mandy Patinkin)
• Danielle responds that intuition is involved even in everyday communication with pets, but she believes most people don’t credit themselves or their animals enough, sharing personal childhood experiences: “I was just told, 'You're too sensitive, Danielle.'” (10:38, Danielle McKinnon)

3. Responding to Skepticism (11:04–11:52)

• Gideon confesses his skepticism but openness. Danielle says her response depends on how she feels about the person: “If I really like them, I'll say I'm an animal communicator, and if I don't, I'll say I'm a pet psychic.” (11:37, Danielle McKinnon)
• She emphasizes the increasing love people have for their animals.

4. Danielle “Reads” Becky, the Family Dog (13:07–21:56)

The Process

• Danielle says Becky doesn’t need to be awake or present: “This is psychic, so location doesn't matter.”
• She asks Mandy to address Becky directly about his concerns, specifically about leaving Becky alone.

Insights on Mandy and Becky’s Relationship

• Danielle observes the way Mandy holds and speaks to Becky. “You do tell her... and you do talk to her face to face. And you pretty much tell her everything. She's a confidant.” (14:26, Danielle McKinnon)
• Mandy acknowledges this is true but asks if this is really special or just common among dog owners.
• Danielle asserts it's specific—“It's not like she's on the chair over there. It's really like the two of you... She feels wise, wiser beyond her years.” (15:38, Danielle McKinnon)

Emotional Support and Boundaries

• Mandy asks how Becky responds when he gets emotional, especially when he weeps.
• Danielle delicately explains Becky stays close through grief but walks away when Mandy is “feeling bad for [him]self,” a kind of self-pity. She adds, “She is training you... not to be a poopy head. If you're going to act that way, I'm going in the other room.” (21:17, Danielle McKinnon)
• Mandy relates, expressing admiration for animals’ ability to “adjust, let go, and do the things that most human beings I'm familiar with, especially myself, cannot...” (20:15, Mandy Patinkin)

5. On Animals’ Wisdom & Message for Humanity (22:45–24:56)

• Kathryn asks if animals are hopeful about the future of the planet.
• Danielle answers: “They've mastered unconditional love. They love themselves... We don't love ourselves... Their purpose is to help us get it together. So they're hopeful, but they have to work really hard right now.” (23:16, Danielle McKinnon)
• Mandy and Kathryn both express deep appreciation for this perspective.

6. Practical Advice: How to Better Connect With Pets (24:09–24:56)

• Gideon: “What’s one thing we can all do to have better understanding of our pets?”
• Danielle advises: “If we could look at our pets like they are more sentient, more wise... actually here to teach us... what can we learn from that moment, what are they telling us in that moment?” (24:26, Danielle McKinnon)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Mandy (on communicating with Becky):
  “How can I make it easier for you, Becky, when daddy has to go... and someone else is going to be with you, how can I make you feel more comfortable and not worried?” (13:42)

• Danielle (on what Becky teaches Mandy):
  “She is training you... not to be a poopy head. If you're going to act that way, I'm going in the other room.” (21:17)

• Kathryn (on career options for women):
  “When I was a little girl, what could you be? You could be a mom, a nurse, a teacher, or an actor. Geez. Nobody said diplomat or astronaut.” (04:15)

• Mandy (on being fired and recovery):
  "They are gifts wrapped up in the strangest way... success pats you on the backside, you learn nothing. The trials and tribulations... you learn everything." (30:45)

• Danielle (on animals’ purpose):
  "They've mastered unconditional love... their purpose is to help us get it together." (23:16)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

| Segment | Timestamp | |------------------------------------------------|---------------| | Introduction of Pet Communication | 07:21–08:45 | | Danielle Explains Psychic Animal Communication | 08:45–09:35 | | Skepticism and Intuition Debate | 09:01–11:27 | | How Danielle Responds to Skeptics | 11:27–11:52 | | Reading Becky, Mandy's Dog | 13:07–21:56 | | Mandy on Emotional Support | 16:36–21:56 | | Kathryn asks about Animal Hope | 22:45–23:50 | | Practical Advice for Pet Owners | 24:09–24:56 | | Listener Question: Being Fired | 26:30–32:09 | | Family Improvises a "Poem Game" | 32:09–35:28 |

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Listener Q&A Highlight: Coping with Being Let Go (26:30–32:09)

• Listener Tanya asks about being laid off and feeling like a failure.
• Kathryn advises acceptance of feelings, seeing new opportunities, and openness to surprises.
• Mandy shares his own story of being fired from Heartburn, replaced by Jack Nicholson, and ultimately being offered major new roles after a year of rejection: “...these difficult moments... are gifts wrapped up in the strangest way…” (30:45)
• Gideon reminds listeners that such setbacks are a fundamental human experience, and to expect and move through them.

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“Poem Game” Family Segment (32:09–35:28)

• The hosts create a “nonsense” poem together by adding unrelated words in sequence, resulting in chaotic, silly fun until Kathryn gets frustrated, and everyone laughs.
• The bit evolves into a playful lesson on self-control and knowing when to remain silent, with Mandy quipping: “Learn to close your mouth... get some glue and tad it to shut it.” (35:06)

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Closing Thoughts & Resources

• Danielle McKinnon’s main takeaway: treat your pets as wise, insightful beings who are here to teach us about unconditional love and self-acceptance.
• For more about Danielle, visit daniellemckinnon.com (25:24).
• Listeners are encouraged to submit questions and stories for future episodes.

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Summary Table

| Theme | Key Points | |---------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Animal Communication | Psychic connection with pets; skepticism and intuition; reading Becky the dog; pets as teachers and therapists | | Personal Stories | Career alternatives; fired from jobs; resilience after setbacks | | Empathy & Emotional Life | Becky’s wisdom in responding to Mandy’s emotions; humans learning from animals’ resilience and unconditional love | | Listener Advice | Processing job loss; openness to new opportunities; familial and personal healing after rejection | | Family Humor & Warmth | Playful exchanges and improvised poetry; light teasing; supportive and loving family dynamic |

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Final Takeaway

This episode blends humor, skepticism, vulnerability, and genuine inquiry as the Patinkin-Grody family explores what it means to communicate—truly communicate—with those we love, whether human or animal, and how to keep learning from the unexpected teachers in our lives.

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Transcript

[Mandy Patinkin]

You can hear every episode of Don't Listen to Us ad free with Lemonada Premium. Just tap that subscribe button on Apple Podcasts or head to Lemonada Premium to subscribe on any other app. That's lemonadapremium.com.

[Gideon Grody Patinkin]

danielle, can you explain for us in our audience what a pet communicator does

[Katherine Grody]

and how did you discover you had this skill? So we're very excited, as you can see, but we'll control ourselves.

[Gideon Grody Patinkin]

High dad definitely needs some explanation because he thinks it means he's a dog.

[Katherine Grody]

Yeah.

[Gideon Grody Patinkin]

So we need to.

[Danielle McKinnon]

Okay. So a pet communicator is somebody who speaks psychically with animals. It is really what it sounds like. I am a pet psychic. That's what I do for my work.

[Katherine Grody]

Yeah.

[Gideon Grody Patinkin]

Have you ever looked at your pet and thought, what are they thinking? Today on Don't Listen to Us, Becky the dog gets her moment. Let me ask you a question. If acting didn't work out for you, what job do you guys think you'd do?

[Mandy Patinkin]

Go ahead, hon.

[Gideon Grody Patinkin]

What would you have taken on?

[Mandy Patinkin]

I would have been mom's driver.

[Katherine Grody]

No, I. I don't. I think dad. There was no way he could do anything.

[Gideon Grody Patinkin]

It's really interesting how you. What? You're talking about the other person.

[Mandy Patinkin]

Oh, I know what I would do.

[Gideon Grody Patinkin]

Why can't you answer?

[Mandy Patinkin]

I know.

[Gideon Grody Patinkin]

What would you do?

[Mandy Patinkin]

You want me to go first?

[Katherine Grody]

Physicians.

[Mandy Patinkin]

I'd be a physician's assistant to do open heart surgery. Okay. And lung surgery and stuff. Because I did 17 of them when I played Dr. Geiger on Chicago Hope. And I loved.

[Katherine Grody]

You served them. You didn't do the surgery.

[Mandy Patinkin]

I assisted on1.1 heart surgery, which was quite ethically. The head. Questionable. Nearly cut his nuts off.

[Katherine Grody]

Yeah.

[Mandy Patinkin]

And because. Because you're not an actor.

[Gideon Grody Patinkin]

Has no business reaching inside.

[Mandy Patinkin]

Well, he told me to hold the rib out of the way because they were having a hard time doing the bypass because of.

[Gideon Grody Patinkin]

It doesn't matter what you were holding inside the person's body. Well, here's a. Here's.

[Mandy Patinkin]

It's like listening to the captain of a ship. The guy who's the main guy. The main hearts. He tells you to do something, you're on deck, you do it.

[Gideon Grody Patinkin]

That's true. If I was in an open heart surgery and the doctor asked me to do something, I would do something.

[Mandy Patinkin]

That's what I did.

[Gideon Grody Patinkin]

Here's a little message to all you open heart surgery doctors out there. If you have an actor in your room and you're trying to be cool, let them just watch don't let them

[Mandy Patinkin]

poke around unless you're deep taken. Because I did help.

[Katherine Grody]

No, that's.

[Gideon Grody Patinkin]

You saved that guy's life.

[Mandy Patinkin]

I then went to every patient before the operation and introduced myself, asked for permission, could I be at your surgery. They said yes, and then I visited them after the surgery.

[Katherine Grody]

That's a very nice thing.

[Gideon Grody Patinkin]

And did you ask them if there's an opportunity while your chest is split open, can I poke around in there and hold things and root around for a bit?

[Mandy Patinkin]

I thought it best to leave that out.

[Gideon Grody Patinkin]

Leave that up to the doctor.

[Mandy Patinkin]

No, just leave it out of the discussion. Leave it up to the doctor because the main thing they were afraid of. Bill Hurt and I were doing a movie called the Doctor. And Barry Esric, our dear friend, he was the doc, heart surgeon, the very first one that we. What do you call it? Observed. And I remember the biggest concern the team had, the nurses and the docs had, is that we would pass out onto the patient.

[Gideon Grody Patinkin]

Yeah. Another reason not to have actors in your open heart surgery. So many.

[Mandy Patinkin]

So they have you stand back until they know that you can handle what you're seeing.

[Gideon Grody Patinkin]

Well, that's good. That's responsible.

[Katherine Grody]

Regarding your question about what I would have done if it hadn't worked out, I remember my mother wanting me to get a teaching credential in case acting didn't work out. And I said, I'm not going to. I'm not going to. She wanted me to have a backup. And I said, I'm not going to fail. I don't need a backup. Honestly, who I was then, kid, never thought of what else I do. I probably would have done some work with young children.

[Gideon Grody Patinkin]

And she was a teacher, your mom.

[Katherine Grody]

She was a substitute teacher. Right. When I was a little girl. What could you be? You could be a mom, a nurse, a teacher, or an actor. Geez. Well, I know what I mean. You know that one. There's no choice. Nobody said diplomat or astronaut.

[Gideon Grody Patinkin]

There were four choices for women.

[Katherine Grody]

An actor was certainly the most interesting.

[Gideon Grody Patinkin]

You know, that's interesting because I had always associated you wanting to be an actress as a kid with like fundamental part of your identity. Not that there were four choices. And that was just the coolest.

[Katherine Grody]

That was the coolest one. That was the most different from my mom or any moms I knew. You know,

[Mandy Patinkin]

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[Danielle McKinnon]

hey, everyone.

[Leah Greenberg or Ezra Levin]

It's Leah Greenberg and Ezra Levin. We're two of the lead organizers of the no Kings protests, and we're also the co founders of Indivisible, the grassroots movement organizing against Trump's regime.

[Danielle McKinnon]

We host what's the Plan? Your weekly guide to the state of our democracy and how we fight back. Tune in every Friday for new episodes.

[Leah Greenberg or Ezra Levin]

Democracy is a participatory sport. The fascists win when we sit on the sidelines. What's the Plan is all about how we get into the game. So subscribe, recruit, discuss, organize, and win. What's the Plan is available on YouTube and wherever you get your podcasts.

[Gideon Grody Patinkin]

So our first listener question isn't a listener question at all. We're starting with a surprise guest. Someone you don't know. Mom, dad, this is Danielle McKinnon.

[Katherine Grody]

Danielle McKinnon.

[Mandy Patinkin]

Hi, Danielle McKinnon.

[Gideon Grody Patinkin]

So, before we start chatting with Danielle, I want you to. I want you to guess her occupation. I'm going to give you three clues. Ready?

[Mandy Patinkin]

Hairstylist.

[Gideon Grody Patinkin]

Okay, good guess. Here's your clues. Her work involves translating between species. She communicates with clients who occasionally drool. And she might be able to tell you which treats are Becky's favorite.

[Katherine Grody]

Oh, she's a dog therapist. She's a dog therapist.

[Danielle McKinnon]

Are you really?

[Gideon Grody Patinkin]

Daniel is a pet communicator.

[Katherine Grody]

A pet communicator. That's what I meant. That is thrilling.

[Gideon Grody Patinkin]

She's a bestselling author. Her work has been profiled in People, New York Post, Boston Globe, and other media. Danielle, can you explain for us in our audience what a pet communicator does?

[Katherine Grody]

How did you discover you had this skill? We're very excited, as you can see, but we'll control ourselves. Hi.

[Gideon Grody Patinkin]

Dad definitely needs some explanation because he thinks it means he's a dog.

[Katherine Grody]

Yeah.

[Gideon Grody Patinkin]

So we need to.

[Danielle McKinnon]

Okay, so. So a pet communicator is somebody who speaks psychically with animals. It is really what it sounds like. I am a pet psychic. That's what I do for my work.

[Katherine Grody]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Danielle McKinnon]

I love look on your faces right now.

[Mandy Patinkin]

Do you not feel if I played the devil's advocate, like a magician. Oh, I know how you did that trick. Do you not feel that many of us know when our pets need to be held, touched, fed, play outside, go in the car? We know those things instinctively, partially, and partially because the pet communicates it verbally. Touching you, petting you, barking at you, dancing, jumping. Right.

[Danielle McKinnon]

Yes.

[Mandy Patinkin]

So what is outside of those common ground areas?

[Danielle McKinnon]

So I feel like people think they're a lot smarter than they are. Like, we think we know everything that our dog needs because we live with them, because we see them, because we love them. But there's another element to it. Like, your dog can come look at you, and you're like, oh, I know what you want right now. And I feel like we think it's because we live with them. We don't realize that we are all intuitive, and this is playing a role in our relationships. We just don't give enough credit. So there's a difference between, yes, you're begging for food right now, or you're standing right here. I know exactly what you want. I know you want to sit with me, or I know this thing we have, this knowledge inside us, and this is what I had inside me that I. I was just told. You're too sensitive, Danielle. No, no, no, Danielle, just dial it back. Danielle, Come on. You can't know that. But I had, like. I think I had 32 caterpillars. And I knew what they were thinking. And my mom was like, you do? No. You don't know.

[Mandy Patinkin]

Well, they want to be butterflies.

[Katherine Grody]

Yeah.

[Danielle McKinnon]

Yeah, they want to be butterflies. Yeah.

[Katherine Grody]

I'm a little bit nervous, Danielle, because I'm. If. If you intuit at all or hear Becky say she needs more affection from my husband, I'm going to have to, you know, move to a different home.

[Gideon Grody Patinkin]

Danielle, I have a question. I have to admit I'm a bit of a skeptic, but, you know, open to new ideas and new possibilities. I'm curious. What do you say when you meet people who don't believe people can communicate with animals in this way? Now that you've been doing this work for a long time, how has your response evolved?

[Danielle McKinnon]

When I first started, I was wary. I was worried about people thinking I was crazy. I was worried about, you know, people not believing me. I've been doing it for a long time now. So now it depends on how much I like that person. So if I really like them, I'll say I'm an animal communicator, and if I don't, I'll say I'm a pet psychic. There's different ways I can say it.

[Katherine Grody]

Yeah, you invite them in or put

[Danielle McKinnon]

them to be so worried about it. But so many people, they. People love their animals now.

[Mandy Patinkin]

And Danielle, I'd like to ask a Becky question.

[Gideon Grody Patinkin]

I mean, look at her face. She looks like she's dying to jump in.

[Mandy Patinkin]

My biggest daily conundrum is I.

[Gideon Grody Patinkin]

I

[Mandy Patinkin]

love to take her in the car or, you know, go to a friend's house. And some friends don't want her in the house for allergic reasons or other reasons. And it breaks my heart. I get upset, but I feel Becky really gets upset. And she stays in the house and barks and barks. And sometimes I say to her before, I'm going out. You stay here. I'm going out. I'll be back. And she looks at me like, why don't you just shoot me? And I feel so guilty. Guilty is, I guess the operative word. I wish I could talk to her, and I don't know how to talk to her other than when I hold her and pet her belly.

[Gideon Grody Patinkin]

Well, let's ask Danielle. Danielle, how are you up for being in a little convo with Becky? And if so, how do we take us through this process? How do we enter into it?

[Katherine Grody]

We wake her up there because she sleeps.

[Mandy Patinkin]

Leave it to me.

[Danielle McKinnon]

So she does not have to be awake. She doesn't even have to be there. I know who we're talking to. We're talking to Becky, so we're totally fine there. This is psychic, so location doesn't matter. Amanda, you just asked the question, so I'm going to say back to you what I'm going to ask her about. And I'm also going to share what she was giving me while you were talking as well. So the question I think that we want to ask her is, I'm Going to actually say, do you want to ask her? How can you make it better for her to go, for you to go and her to stay?

[Mandy Patinkin]

How can I make it easier for you? Becky, when daddy has to go and be away during dinner or go out to a movie or have to go to do some work somewhere and someone else is going to be with you, how can I make you feel more comfortable and not worried?

[Danielle McKinnon]

Okay, so we're going to start with the things that she's sharing with me as you're talking. First of all, it does look like you hold her face like this, and you do tell her stuff like this, Correct?

[Mandy Patinkin]

Right. Right into her face. And I touch her nose with my nose and I kiss her snout. And I love her.

[Danielle McKinnon]

She's showing me. Because one of the things you said is, how can I tell her? And what she's showing me is, you do tell her. You do hold her like this, and you do talk to her face to face. And you pretty much tell her everything. And you don't just tell her, hey, I gotta go. She's a little bit, like, not a therapist, but, like, you tell her everything. Whatever's going on with you, she's like, I'm here. I'm listening. You're literally talking to her all the time.

[Mandy Patinkin]

Can I play the devil's advocate for a moment?

[Danielle McKinnon]

Yeah.

[Mandy Patinkin]

That is 100% correct what you just said. But isn't that something that many dog owners, dog lovers, all do when they're alone and the dog is their best confidant, the easiest person in their life to talk?

[Gideon Grody Patinkin]

It is not what I do.

[Mandy Patinkin]

You don't have a dog.

[Gideon Grody Patinkin]

I can answer for you. I have had a dog. I've seen people around dogs. Not all dog owners talk to their dogs all the time and tell them all their feelings.

[Mandy Patinkin]

Well, I do.

[Katherine Grody]

Yeah.

[Mandy Patinkin]

Well, I've tried talking to my wife and my children. It's not easy.

[Gideon Grody Patinkin]

I want to hear more from Danielle. Where she was. Where she was going.

[Mandy Patinkin]

Go ahead, Danielle.

[Danielle McKinnon]

Okay. Okay. So. And I totally get devil's advocate, but this feels very specific to the two of you. And it's not like it's very close proximity face to face. It's not like she's on the chair over there. It's really like the two of you. And I need to emphasize you're not just talking to her about the. The I'm leaving, you're going stuff. I mean, she's really how she shows me. She's a confidant. And she feels the way she comes through to Me is that she feels wise. Wiser beyond her years. So I don't know how old she is. I don't know about your relationship with her, but she feels that she. I don't know how to say it. She comes through very wise, and everybody looks at her not like she's as wise as she is. There's a difference between how you all see her and how wise she feels.

[Katherine Grody]

She.

[Danielle McKinnon]

She is. Does that make sense to you?

[Katherine Grody]

Yeah.

[Mandy Patinkin]

Yes, it does. There are many times when I'm very. I'm a very emotional person and I lose it. I get. I get weepy. I weep and I. I weep with her. And sometimes she just stays by me so I can touch her. And sometimes she walks away and I wonder, I'd like to know, how does she feel when I can't control my emotions, when I'm extremely emotional with her and she just witnesses me weeping till I recover.

[Danielle McKinnon]

I think this is where she was going with talking about being very wise beyond her years, being your confidant, kind of being your therapist. I think this is what she's referring to when she's showing this type of relationship. So I can ask her. Since she brought us there and now you're there. I'm going to put the separation anxiety thing aside for a moment and go there. Is that okay?

[Mandy Patinkin]

Yes, please.

[Danielle McKinnon]

Okay, so hold on. Okay.

[Gideon Grody Patinkin]

So

[Danielle McKinnon]

you asked this question. I'm.

[Mandy Patinkin]

I'm.

[Danielle McKinnon]

I'm going to share the information as well as I can. And I just want you to know there's no. There's no judgment in here. And take it out if you need to.

[Katherine Grody]

Okay.

[Mandy Patinkin]

No, I'm going to remove the judgment that I had when I was just watching you, thinking that maybe we could get a double room in the insane asylum. Just to save money.

[Katherine Grody]

I have a guess,

[Mandy Patinkin]

but I love this. Go ahead. I'm not done with you. I'm hanging on to you for the rest of my life. Go ahead.

[Danielle McKinnon]

Okay. So what she showed me is there are. There are different ways that you get emotional. Sometimes you are overcome with, like. With, like, love and connection. You're overwhelmed with, like, just loving her. Loving. It feels like big love. And the emotion comes from that. There are other times when you kind of get a little. And that's when she stays. There are other times when she. You kind of get a little. It's like coming from a place of frustration. And this is the part I'm hesitating to say. Sometimes you're in a place where you're kind of feeling a little bad for Yourself, That. That's like feeling a little.

[Mandy Patinkin]

Who. Who? Me?

[Katherine Grody]

Oh, my God.

[Danielle McKinnon]

I'm so sorry.

[Mandy Patinkin]

No, it's okay.

[Katherine Grody]

And she can't handle that. Danielle, Is that what you do?

[Mandy Patinkin]

And my dog. Go ahead. Go ahead where? I'm feeling bad for myself. And

[Danielle McKinnon]

when you're in that kind of feeling bad for yourself place, sometimes this is when she's kind of feeling. Moving away from you because she. She wants you to. To get out of feeling bad for yourself, to be in a more. It's not proactive, but more like figure it out, understand a place versus hope. It's. I don't. It's not hopeless, but it's like hurting on yourself, like not great about yourself. Does that make sense to you?

[Mandy Patinkin]

It makes 100% sense to me because I've often said, I've said it to friends and family that if I could transplant, you know, if I'm still here after she passes on, if I could transplant her brain into mine, I would do it in a heartbeat because I feel. And other people have agreed with me about their pets and that her ability to let go, to bounce back, to recover, to go from I'm so sad that you're leaving to I'm so happy we're playing with a stick now. I mean, I'm ecstatic about this stick, and it's just so fucking great to see you. I can't get over her ability to adjust, let go, and to do the things that most human beings I'm familiar with, especially myself, cannot come near her skill set.

[Danielle McKinnon]

So can you see? I'm so glad that you were okay with me saying the feeling bad for yourself thing. Can you see how her walking away. And this is like the core of what I believe about animals. So it's really interesting that she's bringing us here. How her walking away in that moment when you're just having that different kind of tough time. Not, this is a bad experience I just had at center, but when you're in that more feeling bad for yourself place, how her creating that separation shifts something in you. Oh, she left. Oh, what's happening? And it makes you behave differently. She is training you.

[Mandy Patinkin]

You're right. She trains me not to be a poopy head. If you're going to act that way, I'm going. I'm going in the other room.

[Danielle McKinnon]

Yeah, yeah. And it doesn't mean notice, though, if you're truly like, let's say grief is one. She shows me that you have had. It looks like. It looks like this. So you had A very big grieving time. And grief. She didn't walk away from grief. She stayed with you through grief. She did it. It's when, as you're calling it, poopy head time, it's poopy head time where she's like, all right, Mandy, come on. You've got to do this differently.

[Katherine Grody]

Do the animals feel at all hopeful about the future of this planet and their various species, or they are in the challenge?

[Gideon Grody Patinkin]

You want to know what all the animals feel collecting.

[Katherine Grody]

I'm just curious. Have you gotten any sense from the animals you communicate with about their feelings about what is going on? And if. If they feel it's hopeful that somebody like you is able to communicate and educate people, that we're all sentient beings?

[Danielle McKinnon]

So the animals have told me again and again. Now, this is from them, but they've said they've mastered unconditional love. Like, they've. They've got. That. They've got it down. They love themselves. They don't doubt themselves. They don't know, worry that they're too fat or anything. They just, you know, they love themselves. We don't love ourselves. We haven't mastered unconditional love. So they. From what they tell me, their purpose is to help us get it together. So they. They're hopeful, but they have to work really hard right now.

[Katherine Grody]

I love that.

[Mandy Patinkin]

I love that. Can I ask one last question?

[Gideon Grody Patinkin]

Awesome. I've got to ask.

[Mandy Patinkin]

Go ahead.

[Gideon Grody Patinkin]

Can I ask the last question? Because we got.

[Mandy Patinkin]

I'm gonna have one last. After you.

[Gideon Grody Patinkin]

Great. Go ahead.

[Mandy Patinkin]

I just want to know, are you a vegetarian?

[Danielle McKinnon]

I'm vegan.

[Gideon Grody Patinkin]

One up on that makes a lot of sense.

[Mandy Patinkin]

One up on that. Okay. Go ahead.

[Gideon Grody Patinkin]

Danielle. This has been so wonderful. Just as we wrap up here, I'm just curious whether one believes or doesn't in the ability to communicate with animals in this way. What's one thing we can all do to have better understanding of our pets?

[Danielle McKinnon]

Oh, that is a good question. I feel like if we could look at our pets like they are more sentient, more wise, kind of like what she was saying earlier than so many people think they are. They can be full of love for their animals and yet still view them as kind of lesser. If we can look at them like they're actually here to teach us, and what can we learn from that moment? What are they telling us in that moment? And I feel like it'll be very helpful for everybody.

[Mandy Patinkin]

Beautiful.

[Danielle McKinnon]

Thank you.

[Katherine Grody]

You are the most surprising guest.

[Gideon Grody Patinkin]

Great to meet you and really, really appreciate you coming On.

[Katherine Grody]

Thank you so much. What a phenomenal way to spend your life.

[Mandy Patinkin]

I love this visit with you and I hope there are others. This is such a gift to my life and I believe, to my Becky's life.

[Danielle McKinnon]

Thank you both. Thank you so much.

[Gideon Grody Patinkin]

And Danielle, how can people find you out there and learn more about this? What's the best way?

[Danielle McKinnon]

Through my website, Danielle McKinnon.com. that's the easiest way.

[Gideon Grody Patinkin]

Great. Thank you so much, Daniel. Have a great day. And Becky, as you know, thank you as well.

[Mandy Patinkin]

You hear his barking, saying goodbye?

[Katherine Grody]

Yeah, she just started.

[Mandy Patinkin]

That's. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

[Gideon Grody Patinkin]

Thanks so much.

[Mandy Patinkin]

I'm hoping that some company that might have Stuart Dog Treats Liver Treats might notice what's in my hand and send us some treats. Or we would love to advertise a product that my dog Becky loves. But I don't want to be too subtle. In case you missed it, here it is.

[Gideon Grody Patinkin]

Dad is holding up the dog treat container from Stewart's. We'll see if they want to participate.

[Mandy Patinkin]

If they'll bite.

[Gideon Grody Patinkin]

If they'll bite. We've got. Next, we've got a listener question. This is an email from Tanya and Dad. I'm wondering if you can read this

[Mandy Patinkin]

for us from Tanya P. Hi, everyone. I have a question for you. I was recently let go from my job. I'm lucky that I have a comfortable amount of savings and I don't have to jump back. Jump back in right away. But I still feel really shitty about it. Like I failed somehow, even though I was a part of a group of layoffs. I was wondering if you've ever been let go from a job and how did you get over feeling like you did something wrong?

[Gideon Grody Patinkin]

Mom, can we hear from you first on this one?

[Katherine Grody]

Yeah. I'm trying to think of what jobs I've been let go of. It's more in my field, jobs I didn't get, that I went up to. And I. You know, you're obsessed. Look, I think you let yourself feel badly at first, and then it's not about doing something wrong. It's about what opportunity this is gonna give you. You know, you're not alone. You were laid off with other people, knowing you did the best you could, perhaps, and just being really dealing with the feelings that you have and then being open to being really surprised by what turns up, that you had no idea what happened. But you have a better.

[Mandy Patinkin]

I have a great one. I was fired from a movie called Heartburn, directed by Mike Nichols, starring opposite Meryl Streep. And I was replaced by Jack Nicholson. I was devastated, but I also wasn't comfortable with the part in the first place. I will just preface this story before I tell you how I recovered from it by saying years later, Mike Nichols and I had a reunion and a connection that was one of the most meaningful, profound connections of my life. And I think Catherine and my life together that I know would not have existed without the firing. It was all part of one package of existence. And the way I recovered is. The young man I'm speaking to across the table is my son Gideon. And we went to Disney World together to get away from. Or did I go with Isaac?

[Katherine Grody]

I went with Isaac, honey. It happened when Isaac was three.

[Mandy Patinkin]

I thought it was all the snow white.

[Katherine Grody]

Well, it might have been the snow white, but you took Gideon when he was 10. You took Isaac when he was. When this happened.

[Mandy Patinkin]

Oh, it was Isaac that.

[Katherine Grody]

I took Isaac.

[Gideon Grody Patinkin]

Can we get a Disney executive on the line to really.

[Mandy Patinkin]

Oh, great.

[Katherine Grody]

You took Isaac to go recuperate because you wanted to get out of town and not talk to everybody about, you know.

[Mandy Patinkin]

Oh, it was. Right. That's right. The later one was getting. Because I felt guilty that I went with Isaac without Gideon. So my son Isaac took me to Disney World, and we had an incredible several days, and I got away from all the press and everything that, you know, one wants to avoid, and it healed me. My child healed me.

[Katherine Grody]

But you also thought your movie life was over. Your theater. I mean, you had that overness feeling.

[Mandy Patinkin]

Oh. Oh, yeah. I mean, I was, you know, very worried and concerned, and then I didn't get a job for one year. One year I didn't get a job. And then literally on Monday, I was offered to play the Phantom in the new musical, the Phantom of the Opera.

[Gideon Grody Patinkin]

On Monday?

[Mandy Patinkin]

No, no, no. On Monday, I was offered a part in a movie called the Princess Bride, and I was offered the part of Inigo Montoya on Wednesday. Two days later, I was offered the Phantom in the new musical, the Phantom of the Opera. And I said, I can't do it. I've just taken this movie called the Princess Bride during that time, and I didn't get a single call for a job for one year. And then in two days, one year later, I got that work and then endless other work that made my life wonderful. And I always say about these difficult moments, they are gifts wrapped up in the strangest way. The corny part is, you know, success pat you on the backside. You're on your way, you learn nothing. The Trials and tribulations that we tear them upside down, inside out. What do we do? What do we do right? What do we do wrong? And you learn everything. And can I tell you what I learned from it? I can't tell you specifically that I learned X, Y, or Z, but I learned that I will recover. And I recover from it in the same way I've learned as I grow older that when I used to hurt a muscle on my body, if I sprained an ankle or a hip or something, it would take me two, three days or three weeks at most to have it heal. Now, it might take three to six months to heal, but it heals and it goes away. And that's a great lesson to remember when you think like, oh, I'm never going to walk again. You will walk again.

[Gideon Grody Patinkin]

My two cents, Tanya, is just that in not obsessing and holding on to this thing that you've done something wrong is. Is knowing that there will be lots more moments of similar feelings like this throughout life. And to be expecting them along the way, I think then they can be a little less shocking and dragging you down. Just acknowledging that this is a fundamental part of the human experience and to move forward and through it.

[Katherine Grody]

And you can control your feelings about it. You can't control what the boss has decided, but you can control your feelings of what to do.

[Gideon Grody Patinkin]

And speaking of moving through and forward, we're gonna go to our last little segment for a moment. Thank you, Tanya, for writing in. We're gonna do our little hang time. And for hang time this week, there's a little game I'd like to play. It's very simple. It'd be very stupid, but we're gonna compose a short poem, the three of us, and how we do that is we're just gonna go around a circle and we say a word. Just say any word that comes to mind, but try to make it not have anything to do with anything anyone else has said before you. So just say a word that doesn't have to do with the previous word that came before. Okay? And I'll just. I'll let you know. I'll point to each one of us when it's our turn for the word. Okay? Sponge.

[Mandy Patinkin]

Anti. Disestablishmentarianism.

[Katherine Grody]

Fish.

[Mandy Patinkin]

Courage. Starving.

[Katherine Grody]

Snow.

[Mandy Patinkin]

Porch.

[Gideon Grody Patinkin]

Heat.

[Mandy Patinkin]

Me.

[Katherine Grody]

Screens.

[Mandy Patinkin]

Cloud. Sunshine.

[Katherine Grody]

Darkness.

[Gideon Grody Patinkin]

Barbecue.

[Mandy Patinkin]

Darth Vader.

[Katherine Grody]

Luke Skywalker. Ugh, I hate this.

[Gideon Grody Patinkin]

That was a violation of the poem agreement. That was a whole sentence. And now the second part of the poem. Elbows, Knees.

[Katherine Grody]

Toes.

[Gideon Grody Patinkin]

Ma, you're trying to say a Word that is not connected to what the person.

[Katherine Grody]

Okay, start over again.

[Gideon Grody Patinkin]

Spatula.

[Mandy Patinkin]

Incredible

[Katherine Grody]

wonder.

[Gideon Grody Patinkin]

Sinks. Sinks.

[Mandy Patinkin]

Foreskin.

[Katherine Grody]

Earwax.

[Gideon Grody Patinkin]

French toast.

[Katherine Grody]

Syrup eateries.

[Mandy Patinkin]

Not connected to the.

[Katherine Grody]

Oh, sorry, sorry, sorry.

[Mandy Patinkin]

I did it wrong too.

[Katherine Grody]

Not connected.

[Mandy Patinkin]

Cause I said syrup.

[Gideon Grody Patinkin]

And our final three words of this horrible thing.

[Mandy Patinkin]

It's not a game.

[Gideon Grody Patinkin]

This is a poem. This will be published in the New Yorker, I'm sure. The final three words are Legos.

[Mandy Patinkin]

Trimesco.

[Katherine Grody]

Sky.

[Gideon Grody Patinkin]

That was so beautiful, guys. Thank you so much. I really like watching you squirm with these things. It's an odd satisfaction. I will. I. I'm.

[Mandy Patinkin]

You know what I was thinking when. Oh, never mind. I'll get in trouble.

[Katherine Grody]

No, please don't say it. No. Man, he is growing up.

[Mandy Patinkin]

He can add to himself very to know when to keep his mouth shut. Wow.

[Gideon Grody Patinkin]

That's the first time that's your a grown up.

[Mandy Patinkin]

It's the first time for everything. Learn to close your mouth.

[Gideon Grody Patinkin]

Learn to close your mouth.

[Mandy Patinkin]

Get some glue and tad it to shut it.

[Gideon Grody Patinkin]

Take some glue and shut it tight.

[Mandy Patinkin]

Close your mouth and don't say what ain't right.

[Katherine Grody]

Take a breath. Take a breath. Before you speak. Before you speak, take a break. And before you speak, think about whether it's going to noise in the air. That's called aura.

[Gideon Grody Patinkin]

All right, thanks everybody for tuning in this week. Don't listen to us and remember not

[Mandy Patinkin]

to listen to us.

[Gideon Grody Patinkin]

But we want to hear from you if you're still there. More questions, stories, advice for us too. Experiences.

[Katherine Grody]

I would love you to share your

[Gideon Grody Patinkin]

favorite poem and to your dog in the past. Please send an email to askmandyandkatherinemail.com Mandy has turned into a small dog. Apparently you never know what will happen. Or you can check out our socials for an easy way to send us a voice note. And don't forget to subscribe or follow us on YouTube on Apple and other places where you watch and listen to our podcasts. And don't forget to subscribe or follow us on YouTube on Apple and other places where you watch or listen to your podcast. And please leave us a review, especially if you're enjoying the show. If you don't like us, don't worry about leaving us a review.

[Mandy Patinkin]

And let me know if you have a spare room in your house in case my family can't take me anymore.

[Gideon Grody Patinkin]

Yes, really, that's. You can email spare rooms from [e-mail].

[Mandy Patinkin]

uh oh.

[Gideon Grody Patinkin]

Thanks so much for being here and tuning in. And please remember, don't listen to us

[Katherine Grody]

Do Not Do Not Listen to Us.

[Gideon Grody Patinkin]

Don't Listen to Us is a Lemonada Media original hosted by Mandy Patinkin, Katherine Grody and Gideon Grody Patinkin. Created by Katrina Onstadt, Debbie Pacheco and Gideon Grody Patinkin. Executive producers are Kathryn Grody, Gideon Grody Pitinkin, Mandy Patinkin, Katrina Onstadt, Debbie Pacheco, Jessica Cordova Kramer and Stephanie Whittles Wax. Our engineer is Ryan Derringer of Welterweight Sound. Video and audio production by Mark Whiteway of Bellows Media. You can watch on CNN.com watch or the CNN app. If you haven't subscribed to Lemonada Media Premium yet, now's the perfect time. You can hear Don't Listen to Us completely ad free. Plus you'll unlock exclusive bonus content like behind the scenes conversations, questions so weird they didn't make it on air, Becky the Dog shenanigans, and more. Just tap the subscribe button on Apple podcasts. Head to lemonadepremium.com to subscribe on any other app, or listen ad free on Amazon Music with your prime membership. That's lemonadapremium.com don't miss out.