Hiya, I'm Jessica.

I can’t get enough of watching dogs roll in the grass, laughing so hard it hurts, and connecting people to life-changing resources. Everything I do is ultimately all about:

Helping people feel less isolated, more self-compassionate, and better supported in their role as helpers for animals and people.

I've worked with and for animals for almost 25 years, but I struggled to stay healthy while doing the intense work of animal sheltering and pet owner support.

Everything changed when I learned about compassion fatigue and the strategies that can help humans stay well while making an impact.

Now I teach others everything I wish I had known, so no one has to be as alone or confused as I was. It's an honor to be in your corner!

That's me and my dog Billy! We love taking classes (and eating snacks) together.

"May I be the tiniest nail in the house of the universe, tiny but useful." - Mary Oliver

Professional Training

(the short list)

Master of Science in Adult and Higher Education, University of Southern Maine, 2017
Pet Loss Support Group Specialist, UVM 2026
Certified Grief Educator David Kessler + Grief.com, 2024
QPR PRO Suicide Gatekeeper Training 2024
Coach Training The Centre for Holding Space 2018, 2021
Positive Psychology Coaching + Positive Psychology Coaching Skill-Building Intensive, The Wholebeing Institute 2017, 2018
Train the Trainer and Organizational Health in Trauma-Exposed Environments, Tend Academy 2015, 2017
Certified Mindfulness Facilitator: Mindful@Work + Mindful 365, Mindfulness Without Borders 2016, 2017
Mental Health First Aid Certification, National Council for Behavioral Health 2016
Suicide Prevention Gatekeeper, National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Maine 2015
International Association of Trauma Professionals Compassion Fatigue Professional and Traumatology Institute CF Educator 2014-2017
Walking the Walk- Creative Tools for Transforming CF , Compassion Fatigue Solutions 2014
Compassion Fatigue Educator Certification , Figley Institute 2013
BA in Art History, Temple University 2000 (I really like museum gift shops)

Want the full list? Click here!

That's me and my new friend Letti! She's in her 30s. I am not.

Personally...

I grew up in New Jersey and Philly, but now I live in Maine with my husband and our cats, dogs, ducks, and a lot of bird feeders.

You can find me at:

My local equine rescue, where I'm obsessed with a donkey named Kevin. Picking paddocks is my version of strength training.

My local library, where a young librarian once said "sweet stack" about the books I was checking out. I've never felt cooler. If sleeping over at the library was an option, I’d be the first to sign up.

Art classes, where I'm usually drawing cartoon animals, even if it's a figure-drawing class. It's a known fact that every nude model looks 10% hotter if you put a dog in the drawing.

This is what a decade of art journaling looks like.

Playing with paint and collage is how I stay sane-ish.

Random online tests (of varying credibility) have described me as:

Myers-Briggs type: INFJ. The Creative Nurturer.
Top character strengths according to Via: Humor, Creativity, Love of Learning, Curiosity, and Perspective.
Top 5 strengths according to Gallup: Relator, Activator, Input, Ideation, and Intellection.
Virgo Sun with Scorpio in everything else. That means I'm super organized and real comfortable with the dark stuff.
Top 2 Values: Helpful and Playful.

Everything I do is right there in those two words. Seriously, look at what Mary said...

"Working with Jessica has made a significant difference in the way I run my business, interface with clients, and operate on a daily basis. The changes we worked together to implement were realistic and achievable, and I never thought I'd laugh so much in the process. If you're on the fence about either coaching or classes with Jessica, I promise that she's worth it and her expertise, humor, and understanding go above and beyond expectations."

- Mary, Dog Trainer

"Laughter is carbonated holiness." - Anne Lamott

You may also know me from my projects:

DINOS: Dogs In Need of Space is a website filled with resources for people who live with dogs who are reactive, fearful, aggressive, you name it. I’m the author of The Official Guide to Living with DINOS.

Notes From a Dog Walker is a blog about my dog-filled life that I began on 2011. I love this blog so much, but I moved my writing over here to keep things simple.