The Resilient Animal
The Resilient Animal: Exploring Mental Health Through Helping Animals and Their People
The Resilient Animal podcast is hosted by Dr. Annie Petersen, an expert with a Doctorate in Education and a Master's in Mental Health Recovery and Trauma-informed Care. Listeners embark on a journey to understand how assisting other living beings can positively impact human mental health and well-being. The podcast delves into the concept of resilience and how resilience is demonstrated in both human and non-human animals.
LEGAL DISCLAIMER
This content is the property of the Association for Human-Animal Bond Studies / Annie Petersen, Ed.D. and is for educational purposes only.
This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. You should contact your own physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding your medical/mental health condition. Do not disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it based on information from this content. Relying on information provided by this content is done at your own risk, In the event of a medical or mental health emergency, contact your physician or contact 9-1-1 immediately.
The Resilient Animal
Exploring the Human-Animal Bond with Dr. Michele Whitney
This episode of The Resilient Animal podcast, welcomes Dr. Michele Whitney, a newly minted PhD in Human Services. Michele discusses her journey into research on the human-animal bond, driven by her personal experience of adopting a cat named Samson. Michele highlights the lack of representation of people of color in the existing literature on the human-animal bond and how her experiences as an African American woman influenced her research. The episode delves into the complexities of pet loss, the potential racial disparities in pet ownership, and the significance of continuing bonds in the grieving process.
00:00 Introduction to The Resilient Animal
00:32 Meet Michele Whitney: A Journey to PhD
02:42 The Human-Animal Bond: Michele's Research
07:32 Cultural Perspectives on Pet Ownership
11:22 COVID-19 and Pet Ownership
16:13 Challenges and Reflections on Pet Loss
28:29 Michele's Personal Experiences with Pets
43:08 Conclusion and Future Discussions
