What to Expect
Every step of this process is trauma-informed and relationship-centered. My role is to help you understand your pet’s needs, reduce stress for both of you, and create lasting change through compassion and science.
1
Reach Out
Every journey starts with a conversation. Fill out the quick interest form to share your goals, preferred times, and a little about you and your pet. You’ll receive a personal response within 24 hours to schedule your first consultation.
2
Prepare Together
Once your appointment is confirmed, you’ll receive a short behavior questionnaire to complete at least 48 hours before your session. Your answers help shape a personalized plan that respects your pet’s history, your household’s needs, and your comfort level.
3
Meet Virtually
Sessions take place through Zoom, so you can connect from wherever you and your pet feel most at ease. Each 60-minute consultation follows a clear structure:
5 minutes for introductions → 45 minutes for individualized coaching → 10 minutes to review next steps
This consistent format keeps sessions focused, flexible, and easy to follow.
4
Get Your Plan
After your consultation, you’ll receive a written summary that includes key strategies, actionable next steps, and recommended resources. It’s your personal roadmap for progress, something to reference and build on between sessions.
5
Continue & Grow
Behavior change takes time, but you’ll never be left guessing what comes next. Schedule follow-up sessions to strengthen new skills, track progress, and address new challenges as they arise. You’ll also gain access to a growing resource library for ongoing learning and support.
About Me (Hi, I'm AJ!)
Core Philosophy
I believe every meaningful change begins with trust — between people and their animals, and within ourselves. Real progress doesn’t come from control; it comes from mutual respect, patience, and communication that goes both ways. My approach is grounded in science but led by empathy, helping you understand not only what your pet is saying, but what your body language and emotions are saying back. When both sides feel seen and understood, learning becomes lighter, confidence grows, and connection follows naturally.
Professional Journey
My career with animals began long before Animal Whisperer ATL took shape. I started out working with horses in high school and kept that focus through college, earning a B.S. in Animal Science with a concentration in behavior. Along the way, I spent a summer at a private dog rescue, an experience that quietly planted the seeds for where I’d end up. After graduation, I moved into the world of companion animals full-time, first at a boarding center and later at a government shelter, where I spent nearly two years helping dogs and cats find their forever homes.
It was at that shelter that I began shifting toward trauma-informed training. As I worked through my own healing, I noticed striking parallels between human and animal responses to stress and fear. Applying those insights transformed how I approached behavior cases and how effectively those animals recovered. I also saw how often conventional methods focused on compliance instead of conversation, and how trauma was rarely acknowledged as a factor in behavior.
When I eventually took a break to recover from burnout and health challenges, I realized that accessibility itself was another missing piece. Many people can’t attend in-person classes, and sometimes bringing a stranger into the home only heightens a pet’s challenges. That realization inspired me to create Animal Whisperer ATL, a virtual consulting service designed to make expert support available to anyone, anywhere, without adding more stress to the equation.
My work today combines more than a decade of animal behavior experience with an ongoing commitment to learning. I’m currently pursuing CCPDT and IAABC certifications. I specialize in fearful and aggressive cases, multi-pet households, and clients navigating complex personal or environmental challenges. Through it all, one truth keeps proving itself: Every relationship between human and animal is unique. There’s no single method that fits every pair, only a toolbox that grows with each new experience. My goal is to help every client build their own.
"My favorite moments with clients are when I see the light go on. When understanding clicks, confidence blooms, and joy replaces frustration. Those are the sparks that keep me doing this work."
Personal Connection
At home, life is a lively mix of personalities — my service dog, Georgie Mae, a husky mix with a mind of her own; my cat, Marvin, my real-life Garfield; and my housemates’ crew of one anxious pitbull and three cats. Living in a multi-pet household keeps me humble and adaptable. There’s never just one way to communicate when everyone speaks a slightly different language.
Working with Georgie changed everything I thought I knew about training. When we met, she was a six-month-old puppy with deep trust issues and a quick bite. Through time and patience, we built a partnership so strong that she now anticipates my needs before I recognize them myself. That experience taught me how powerful two-way communication can be.
Then there’s Jeeper Creeper, the pitbull with an anxiety disorder born of his own trauma. His slow but steady progress is a daily reminder that patience isn’t passive — it’s the groundwork for healing.
Outside of sessions, I’m usually reading, writing, or in the kitchen re-engineering recipes to be gluten-free. (Celiac disease turned me into a determined baker.) I’m also working on rebuilding my strength to return to sports.
