The pandemic caused a great deal of stress. It stretched us and forced us to pivot quickly and change certain areas of our lives. As our communities transition through the pandemic, I hope that everyone stays safe and we reach the other side quickly. Before the pandemic, I had the pleasure of meeting today’s guest, Paige Lynch, for coffee. We spoke about many fascinating and relevant topics, including her work with animal rescue and her private therapy practice. Paige is the Compassion Fatigue P...
Jul 29, 2021•54 min
It is easy to take the significant role a pet can play in a child’s life for granted. Growing up with pets teaches children many lessons about life, and often, just being in their pet’s presence helps them calm down. Animals provide unconditional love and offer companionship in a different way than human relationships do. My very first dog gravitated towards my mother, who fed and trained him. He became her loyal companion, which hurt my feelings as a seven-year-old because I wanted him to be my...
Jul 15, 2021•27 min
We don’t always think about where the food we eat comes from, or the work that happens behind the scenes with raising animals and tending to the crops. Those are hard jobs for farmers, and so is being accountable to the consumers. When choosing the food we buy, we are faced with so many decisions, and many of the labels can be confusing and difficult to understand. Today, I am happy to welcome Anne Malleau as my guest for the podcast. Anne is the Executive Director for Global Animal Partnerships...
May 20, 2021•37 min
While sharing my life with animals, I have depended on the support of the veterinary professionals who have always been there for emergencies, routine visits, and providing education. They have also helped me make difficult medical decisions regarding the care of my pets and worked tirelessly to assist in taking care of their needs. I was shocked to learn about the high incidences of depression, anxiety, and suicide among veterinary professionals. Even though it must be wonderful to be part of t...
May 06, 2021•35 min
Several years ago, Allison White went to a retreat center called The Equine Experience. There, she learned about and experienced the power and intelligence of horses. What she learned intrigued her, so she began reading more about horses and equine therapy. She even met with a local therapist to see how she used her horses for team-building to help people learn to work together and to find out how she uses horses to help her clients overcome obstacles. Today’s guest, Dr. Aviva Vincent, is a ther...
Apr 08, 2021•56 min
I had the pleasure of speaking with today’s guest, Angie Arora, and her colleague several months ago about the research done on the challenges of pet loss and bereavement. They shared so much information during that discussion that I asked Angie to return to the show today. In this episode, Angie takes a deep dive into pet loss and bereavement, the stages of grief, immortalizing a beloved pet, and some of the challenges people had to face during the pandemic. Angie is a registered social worker ...
Mar 25, 2021•47 min
I was bothered when I heard about the high rate of depression and suicide among veterinary professionals. When speaking to others about that devastating fact, they have sometimes asked me why that happens because those people are working with animals. The truth is that working with animals led them into their chosen field, but many other factors form part of their daily work that impacts them and could lead to compassion fatigue and burnout. Dr. Ginger Templeton is my guest for this episode. I m...
Mar 11, 2021•59 min
While watching TV one morning, an interview caught my attention. The story was about a little girl called Scarlett, her family, and how their love for animals led to the development of a special program to rescue animals. Scarlett had cancer, and she spoke about her relationship with her pets and the support they gave her. The story was one of hope and heartbreak, and it showed the power of friendship and love, and the important role that animals play in our lives. I am always eager to spread th...
Feb 25, 2021•34 min
Today, I am happy to be speaking to Emily Gelb, who works at the Ashville Humane Society. Emily has helped expand community-based programs that aim to increase access to pet services in under-served communities. That includes helping people in crisis and finding ways for them to keep their pets at home. Having pets can be expensive. So, as part of my community project in the veterinary social work program, I also try to find helpful resources to assist low-income clients to keep their pets. I kn...
Feb 11, 2021•46 min
Today, I am excited to speak with our guest, Jeannine Moga. Jeannine is a licensed clinical social worker with specialties in veterinary social work, stress reduction, pet loss, and bereavement. She is also a veterinary social worker, and she has been an educator and consultant. She is joining me today to tell her story and talk about the work she does. Stay tuned for more! Jeannine was one of my instructors at the University of Tennessee in the veterinary social work program. She has walked a l...
Jan 28, 2021•46 min
Today, we continue our discussion with another professional in the field of Veterinary Social Work. Veterinary Social Work is a field that keeps on growing as more and more people recognize the important role that animals play in the healing process. Today, I am speaking with Dr. Bethanie Poe. Bethanie strives to bring animal-assisted interventions to victims of violence, abuse, and neglect. She started her Master’s program at the University of Tennessee’s College of Social Work in 2005. The col...
Dec 10, 2020•46 min
Today, I am happy to have the privilege of talking to Angie Arora and Kirsti Clarida, two professionals who I got introduced to through the Veterinary Social Work Program. Angie is a registered social worker from Toronto, Canada. She gears much of her practice around pet loss bereavement and building compassion resilience in animal care professionals. Kirsti is a registered veterinary technician in Ontario, Canada, and she has done a lot of advocacy work to increase awareness around the importan...
Nov 26, 2020•57 min
Life often takes us places we never could have anticipated. Even military brat Kelly Brownfield can attest to this. Kelly grew up in Germany and returned to her home state, South Carolina, after graduation. Despite her constant moves, life surprised her when it urged her to move to Missouri, and many more surprises accompanied her. She landed an opportunity to work with the USO, and the most special dog fell right into her lap. Kelly shares how she’s leveraged these gifts and established program...
Nov 13, 2020•53 min
I’ve had the privilege to have known many veterinary professionals, from veterinarians, veterinary nurses and veterinary technicians over the years who have provided quality care to my pets. These professionals have challenges that most people are unaware of. Besides taking care of our animals, they also have to help their human clients deal with … Continue reading Support Services for Veterinary Professionals & Pet Owners →
Oct 22, 2020•37 min
There are so many benefits to having animals as part of our lives and the special benefit is their ability to provide emotional support. Besides unconditional love, they have a natural instinct to heal in a way that is often difficult to explain. In my previous episode I had mentioned that clients would often … Continue reading Living Out What You Love: Combining Passions with Jane Miller, LISW →
Oct 15, 2020•59 min
Inside the Animal Academy Podcast I speak with people from all different areas of specialization’s regarding their experiences with a human/animal connection. My hope is to broaden all of our perspectives on what’s available and to spark interest in others that also appreciate the role that animals play in our lives. I met Dr. … Continue reading Veterinary Social Work with Dr. Pam Linden →
Oct 08, 2020•46 min
In previous episodes I spoke with two young people who have participated in dog performance events and who are active in programs that help facilitate animal related activities. Today’s guest is a judge and dog trainer who is energetic and I am impressed with her ability to inspire others to work positively with their … Continue reading A Mentor To Our Youth – A Conversation With Charlotte Mielziner →
Oct 01, 2020•54 min
As a clinical social worker who has been part of the healthcare system for many years, I’ve recognized the valuable influence animals have on my clients lives. I’ve also benefited from having animals as part of my family since I was young. When clients come to me for therapy after the loss of a … Continue reading A Conversation On The Many Aspects Of The Human-Animal Relationship →
Sep 28, 2020•44 min
Over the years as I’ve raised, trained and competed in sports with my dogs. I’ve learned lessons, some the hard way. At the same time there’s been growing research in the field of canine rehabilitation in sports medicine. I attended training, lectures and then had to reach out to veterinarian specialist when my dogs … Continue reading A Conversation with Chris Zink DVM, PhD, DACVP, DACVSMR →
Sep 19, 2020•44 min
One of the reasons why I started this podcast is because I enjoy talking with people. Hearing their unique stories and learning more about what brings them enjoyment, excitement and really, how they show up in the world. I don’t know if my guest today knows how many people have appreciated the things he’s … Continue reading The Journey of a Young Adult Dog Trainer: A Conversation with David Frasca →
Sep 10, 2020•34 min
Welcome to another episode of the Animal Academy Podcast. Taking care of another living being requires us to give a part of ourselves including our hearts. When in a caregiver role over time, it’s common for people to lose themselves in their role and not always take care of their own needs. This may … Continue reading Compassion Fatigue: A Conversation With Patricia Smith →
Aug 31, 2020•58 min
Welcome to another episode of the Animal Academy Podcast. During my podcast, we’ve talked about the power of the human-animal connection. When I used to show my dogs in competition, I was amazed at how many young people were also running their dogs. In fact, they were often difficult to beat in competition! They … Continue reading Roving Rovers & 4-H: A Conversation with Ella Palutis →
Aug 20, 2020•37 min
One of the consequences of the Corona-virus pandemic is people are adopting more animals, which means they are also trying to find obedience trainers. There are limited in- person classes and most have limited enrollment due to need for social distancing. Besides offering in-home obedience training, my guest today will also discuss her focus … Continue reading On The Spot Dog Training: A Conversation with Marilyn Gaffney →
Aug 13, 2020•46 min
I’ve noticed many people who have puppies or have recently adopted dogs. Maybe it’s due to the pandemic and you’re spending more time at home and think it’s a good time to add a furry member to your family. Whatever the reason, adding a new dog is a fun time, but it also requires … Continue reading Pandemic Puppy Training: A Conversation with Kama Brown →
Aug 04, 2020•48 min
One of the most devastating moments I’ve ever experienced is recognizing my pet wasn’t feeling well or something just didn’t seem right. It could be turning up their nose at food, not having as much energy or not playing like they had before. It’s always been a very scary moment, especially when hearing the … Continue reading Veterinary Cancer Research & Clinical Trials: A Conversation with Kim Selting, DVM →
Jul 16, 2020•1 hr 8 min
Welcome everyone to another episode of the Animal Academy Podcast. The focus of this podcast has been on the many ways that animals make our lives whole and how they add many benefits to our quality of life. But, what if our beloved pet has challenges and we find ourselves faced with difficult choices … Continue reading Living With and Loving a Pet With Behavioral Problems – A Conversation with Kristin Buller, LCSW & Kelly Ballantyne, DVM →
Jul 03, 2020•48 min
Welcome to this episode of The Animal Academy Podcast. I’m excited to have this conversation wth my niece, Tori Peacock, who has just become the proud Mom of a Yorkie named Byron! I also recently added a Golden Retriever puppy named PJ to my household so during this interview I will have a conversation … Continue reading PUPPIES! A Conversation with Tori Peacock →
Jun 21, 2020•1 hr 5 min
One of THE most important people in your pet’s life is their veterinarian. Establishing a positive and ongoing relationship with a veterinarian is so important. Just as we should follow up with our own health care, our animals require the same kind of care and monitoring. Besides taking care of my pets over the … Continue reading Scratching Veterinary Itches: A Conversation with Wayne Boillat, DVM →
May 20, 2020•56 min
Have you ever wondered how to motivate your dog to do certain things or how to work through barriers in your training? Have you wondered how to keep obedience training fun and creative? When I remember the important people who got me started in dog obedience and gave me the motivation to continue training, … Continue reading Teaching a Dog in a Smart Way Doesn’t Have to Be Hard: A Conversation with Ginger Kinion… →
May 12, 2020•1 hr 9 min
A few months ago, I had to say goodbye to my 12 year old Golden Retriever, Chip. It was extremely difficult as it has been with all of the pets I’ve lost over the years. Several years ago I met Dr. Dawnetta Woodruff at a fundraiser to help a local animal shelter. Since that … Continue reading In-Home End of Life Care – Celebrating Pets’ Lives with Dr. Dawnetta Woodruff →
Apr 27, 2020•59 min
