About Me
A nature lover at heart, I grew up in the countryside in the woods in Western Quebec and Eastern Ontario, surrounded by nature, farms, wild animals, and my pets. We always had dogs and cats growing up, and my fondest memories are of our cocker spaniels O-Beau (see photo at left) and Bailey, our beagle Yo-Bea, our cats (Silver Belle, Moustache, and Black Star Tinker), and of spending time outdoors. Wild animal encounters were especially treasured, and we were often visited by countless species of songbirds, insects, owls, raccoons, skunks, mice, butterflies, foxes, snowshoe hares, weasels, squirrels, chipmunks, muskrats, snakes, frogs, salamanders, katydids (AKA "Great Green Bush Crickets"), even a Norway rat on one memorable occasion. Beavers, coyotes, red-tailed hawks and turkey vultures were commonly spotted in the area, and bats would often swoop down and drink from our swimming pool at night. Deer and moose were also frequent visitors, and we even had a sugar glider ("flying squirrel") come down our chimney and into our living room one time. Thanks to my dad, I discovered that birding was a fun pastime, and I can still identify many birds by sight without a guide. Dad also marked trails for us in the bush, and we often went cross-country skiing on them in the winter, discovering quiet areas unspoilt by human presence. Being surrounded by animals and nature has always been a source of peace, comfort, learning and joy for me, a natural connection that I have always cherished.
As a child, I devoured anything I could get my hands on about nature. A voracious reader, I spent many hours learning about animal and bird species, dogs, horses, fossils, animal cruelty and welfare, and environmentalism. A particular favourite was the Canadian Junior Green Guide (1990), an early eco-publication that gave practical ways young people could make a positive difference in the world and help all living things (I still have my copy!). In the fifth grade, after compiling lists upon lists of environmental and animal interest groups (I've always been a list-maker and resource person), I created my own group that, for lack of a more creative name, I called "Junior Greenpeace". With a membership of two, we made it our mission to clean up our school yard (spending many recesses in order to do so) as well as to educate the public. I remember writing out a very rudimentary letter about pollution, recycling and conservation on my parent's ancient typewriter that we intended to photocopy and insert in all the local newspapers. I don't remember whether we ever made it that far or not, but I certainly remember the passion that went into that simple, well-intentioned note! I also spent four years in Girl Guides and three in Pathfinders, which not only afforded me the opportunity to go camping but also fed into my insatiable need to connect with nature and animals... and help others, as it turns out.
Discovering a Field
My introduction to the realm of animal-assisted therapy work (and the broader field of nature-assisted therapy) began in 2001 when I saw a documentary about the world-renowned Green Chimneys Children's Services in upstate New York. I had already been working and volunteering in the education, health care and social services sectors for several years, and was at that time working as a career counsellor in London, Ontario, so it comes as no surprise that the notion of combining my passion for helping others and my passion for animals was so appealing to me. Although my bachelor's degree (an honours B.A. in English and French, linguistics and literature) from the University of Western Ontario was something I was indeed proud of, it was limited in its ability to support me in my chosen career path, that of counselling and psychotherapy. So, in 2003, I went back to school part-time to complete all the prerequisite coursework required for graduate studies in my targeted field.
It was also in 2003 that I decided I needed a companion animal. More specifically, that I needed a dog. It had been years since I had left home and the comfort of our old dog, Bailey, and there was something missing in my life not having animals around. When an aquarium full of live-bearers and a lop-eared rabbit named Leah (after a childhood favourite, "Leo the Lop") couldn't hold me any longer, I started looking into adopting a companion of the canine persuasion.
Story to continue!! (under construction)
Content and images copyright of Sarah Schlote © 2008
