Pretty much everyone could use a personal therapist right about now.  The news is unsettling, quarantine is stressful, and people are anxious.  Read on to see what our Quarantine Counselors in Residence are able to provide.  Contact your closest Humane Society if you believe having a counselor in residence might be a good choice for you.

Meet Our Team

Sophie practices the feline method of therapy, specializing in early morning meditation with purring and gentle movement.  She also has an interest in lucid dreaming and hypnosis. She is a somatic practitioner, using a steady bilateral form of massage that often results in a trance-like state enabling the client to access the sub-conscious. Her area of research is how to achieve flow in everyday life, and she especially enjoys working with moms and helping them juggle various responsibilities in a healthy way.

In the past year or so, Sophie has taken on the role of mentor to the youngest counselor in the group, teaching the feline approach to life in everything she does, which she views as carrying on the work of her own mentor, the famous Zen master known as Topaz. In her work as well as her personal life, she encourages people to look for and appreciate beauty and she has participated in the exploration of the emerging field of neuro-aesthetics.  Her quote to live by is from Harvard professor Dr. Nancy L Etcoff: “We are elevated and enriched by what is beautiful.”     

Tux also uses the feline method, but with a significantly different focus.  His specialty is evening relaxation purring, and the depth and quality of his sound therapy is well known in the field of brainwave entrainment.  He uses his signature purr to encourage release of tension and worry and bring about feelings of well-being.  This is especially important for dads who may struggle with work-life balance. Tux believes in fully savoring moments of relaxation.  He encourages his clients to enjoy small physical pleasures such as a fire and soft blanket on a chilly night or the exquisite sensation of sipping fine bourbon (within healthy limits!).  He advocates for expressing wants and needs without holding back.

Another passion for Tux is body positivity, which he promotes as a personal interest.  He strongly maintains that an active lifestyle is more important than a number on a scale and he encourages his clients to embrace their body type and celebrate their style, no matter how fancy or flamboyant.  His quote to live by, commonly attributed to Oscar Wilde, is: “Looking good isn’t self-importance; it’s self-respect.”

Oliver is the newest member of the group and brings a fresh perspective to the practice as he enjoys exploring a cross-disciplinary approach.  While he is originally trained in the canine method, he has recently begun incorporating aspects of feline therapy in several ways.  In his personal practice, he is especially interested in achieving the well known feline ease in overcoming shame and mastering self-compassion, although he considers himself a novice.

Oliver enjoys working with teenagers and making sure they receive the affirmation they need to develop a healthy self-concept.  As one of his teenage clients remarked, he makes people feel safe, as if they are in the presence of a very wise person. A strong proponent of the positive psychology movement, Oliver is in high demand because of his natural ability to express and convey joy to those around him. His primary philosophy, which is firmly grounded in his core canine training, is that human connections form the basis for a fulfilling life. He also believes in acknowledging and listening to instinct while also pursuing self-restraint. His quote to live by is very simple: “All you need is love.”