Vanessa Rohlf

BA (Hons), PhD

Dr. Vanessa Rohlf is a consultant, counsellor, and educator to those who work with and care for animals. She has a Ph.D. with a specialisation in psychology (human-animal interactions), a Master’s degree in Counselling and Psychotherapy, and a Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Psychology. She has blended her practical and theoretical knowledge of human psychology and human-animal interactions in a number of previous roles over the last 20 years. These include veterinary nursing, psychology lecturer at Monash University, and researcher at the Animal Welfare Science Centre, The University of Melbourne. She is a member of the American Psychological Association (APA) and has registration with the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA), as well as further qualifications in trauma-informed care, mindfulness, animal loss, and bereavement, and certification as a compassion fatigue educator and therapist with the Green Cross Academy of Traumatology. In addition to her private practice, Vanessa is a research fellow in the School of Psychology & Public Health at La Trobe University. Her research areas include mental health in animal care professionals, human-animal interactions, and their impact on human wellbeing. She regularly publishes her work in peer-reviewed journals and presents at international and national conferences. Vanessa has had the privilege of working with a range of animal care industries including veterinary clinics, animal shelters, rescues, zoos, and research facilities providing workshops and consultation services. She also provides individual counselling and support to companion animal owners and professional animal caregivers from a range of industries. When she's not working, Vanessa loves spending time with her 13-year-old Lagotto named Velvet at the beach, going for hikes with the two-legged family members, and running.