Tansy’s take on it

AANZPA Journal 27, Dec 2018

Tansy is a twelve-year-old Border Collie dog. When she is at home, she is a working dog and a pet, herding llamas and chickens and sometimes children, and playing with her son Mr. Brock, a Border Collie Huntaway crossbred. But Tansy has another important role. She comes with me, her pack leader, and companions me in the counselling and therapy work I do at the Urban Eden Psychotherapy Centre.

In my first contact with prospective clients, I always let them know that Tansy will be there. When we go for long walks together in the hills, I often reflect out loud about my work with her. This particular kind of intimate soliloquy, that occurs when Tansy and I are outside together, is very precious and profound for me. This is our story…