Helena is a One Guide health coach for Cigna Healthcare, where she helps health plan customers make positive changes in their lives. She’s currently working with participants in our mindful eating program, providing a supportive, encouraging environment while helping customers gain skills and tools to transform their relationship with food.   

Her commitment to helping people extends outside of the workplace, where she is helping kids in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, build confidence with assistance from a few furry friends. As part of the “Employees on a Mission” series, we are spotlighting Helena and other employees of The Cigna Group who go above and beyond to make a difference. 

How did you get involved with therapy dogs?

Ten years ago, a little orange Pomeranian waddled his way down my street. He was all alone, no leash or collar, and came right up to me full of smiles. When his owners shared that they were unable to care for him, my family quickly took him in. We decided to call the tiny, jolly dog Fritz.   

We took him to an obedience class and the lead trainer realized his friendly demeanor and love of people were perfect for a therapy dog. The lead trainer was Danielle Graczyk of Canine Inspired Change (CIC), and she set us on a path to helping others. 

One of my favorite memories was when he worked with two autistic boys who had experienced bullying, leading to a crisis of confidence in social environments. The boys quickly bonded with Fritz and, with guidance, developed their own training program. What a surprise to see Fritz learning new tricks that I didn’t know he could do! We volunteered weekly until Fritz passed away in 2018.  

So honestly, I did not seek out working with CIC. But Fritz and his abilities led me to it, and I could not be more grateful. My current therapy dog, Polly, was certified in 2022. She is a whip-smart mixed breed and a great fit to work with young folks, given her high energy, athleticism, and enthusiasm. I also have a Great Pyrenees-cross pup named Peach, an easy-going, sweet-tempered soul. She’s still growing but well on her way to therapy dog certification.   

Tell us about Canine Inspired Change.

CIC is a small but mighty nonprofit. Their mission is to support vulnerable youth, like kids in foster care, BIPOC [Black, Indigenous, and people of color] youth, and the LGBTQ+ communities, through the healing power of therapy dogs.   

The programs are designed to teach self-awareness, including how to manage emotions and communicate, while building self-esteem. These skills lead to enhancing bonds with peers and to opening future professional pathways.  

You are a Cigna Community Ambassador Fellow. Tell us more about that work.

As a 2023 Community Ambassador Fellow, my goal was to design and execute a pilot study to explore CIC’s work with vulnerable youth. We knew we were making a difference but didn’t have the hard data.   

We partnered with the animal sciences program at the University of Wisconsin River Falls (UWRF) and worked with three pre-vet students to complete the study. The results show kids may experience significant increases in feelings of confidence, happiness, and pride after working with therapy dogs. Additionally, many kids report that they feel like better problem solvers and work better with others.   

The study also helped us identify a barrier – some kids said they would feel really sad when leaving the dogs. In response, we tweaked the CIC curriculum to help kids increase their resilience and self-efficacy when facing emotional challenges.   

Based on the study’s success, CIC and UWRF agreed to partner on a more expansive study exploring the impact of therapy dog programs on kids with diagnoses of anxiety and depression.   

How has this work impacted you, personally and in terms of how you’ll carry this experience into your work at The Cigna Group?  

My fellowship reminded me how much people can heal themselves when they have access to the right resources and have the right support. That’s exactly what I strive to do as a health coach.   

The experience also showed me that what we view as a problem in ourselves or in someone else isn’t entirely a detriment. It can be a source of strength or even a superpower.   

That said, just like people, dogs have days or moments when they experience challenges. These rare occurrences provide wonderful teachable moments to give encouragement and try new approaches. We model that we don’t expect our therapy dogs to be perfect, just like we don’t expect ourselves to be perfect.  

I’m excited to take this experience and apply it to how I interact and engage with our customers. Knowing that all of us – whether a person or canine – have a depth of resilience within us, and when things don’t work the first way, we can always find another.