Feeling vulnerable about talking with an animal communicator for the first time?
Here are the 6 most common fears I hear from first-time clients and what you need to know to make sure your session is more enlightening than awkward.

Before we go any further, let’s get a few first-time worries out of the way…

No, I can’t read your mind and I promise your pet won’t share anything embarrassing about you, like your Sunday morning ritual of singing Taylor Swift songs buck naked while frying up breakfast (but, seriously, get an apron, because kitchen burns are no fun!).

Talking with an animal communicator for the first time can also bring up other fears like: “What if I’ve been misreading the situation with my pet this whole time?” or “What if my dog is mad at me?” “What if my cat hates my new girlfriend?” “Is it okay if I cry in the session?” “How do I know if the animal communicator is just full of #%^@? AND… if they are, is it okay to say something?”

But I’d love to let you in on a little secret about me, because of how much of my childhood I spent feeling unsafe, now as an adult, I consider the feeling of safety (for myself and everyone around me) a non-negotiable.

When we feel safe, our body can relax and our breathing is regulated, which means our brain is freed to learn new things, and love and connection become possible. And around here, I consider safety the bedrock from which understanding can grow.

Understanding about what your pets are feeling, needing, and thinking.

Understanding about that weird thing your pet has started doing,

And understanding about why your pets do or don’t like something or someone and how to support them in feeling safer and happier.

And if understanding your pets better is why you are here, let’s go over some of the most common fears I’ve heard from clients in the 20 years of offering this work to animal lovers and their pets so you feel safe to click that “schedule” button to talk with your animal friend.

The top 6 common fears about working with an animal communicator

1. How will I know if the animal communicator isn’t just full of #%^@? AND… if they are, is it okay to say something?

My experience is that knowing when someone is not telling us the whole truth produces a pretty specific feeling in the body. Bellies tighten. Shoulders and necks contract. Jaws clench. Breath freezes. It’s an undeniable, visceral knowing in the body.

And I’d love to give you a blank permission slip to use with me or anyone else you may get this feeling with in the future. It is okay and appropriate to share that something feels off to you.

It doesn’t happen often for me, but I am human and sometimes I miss the mark. And, if it does and you get that internal yuck feeling that something isn’t up to par, please speak up. You won’t hurt my feelings and it will give me the chance to return my intuitive antenna to your pet’s voice and needs.

2. What if I’ve been misreading the situation with my pet this whole time?

It happens. And when it does, I promise that once you can move past the guilt, it is going to feel amazing to finally hear from them and make the changes that will work for both of you. You’ll see the love and relief in their eyes every time they look at you, that you were willing to take the time to listen and understand what is really going on for them.

3. What if my dog discloses they are mad at me?

This might feel vulnerable and produce some big grief and other strong emotions, but how wonderful would it be to know if your friend is holding onto a grudge so you can work together to correct and mend your connection!

And also know this. This is rare. Super rare. I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve heard that an animal is holding onto a grudge regarding their person, in over 20 years of talking with pets professionally. And each of these times, the untended resentment came from pets who experienced capital T- trauma at the hands of their people. Not because they feel you didn’t pet them enough or you forgot to bring them a pup cup from Starbucks.

4. What if my cat hates my new lover?

This has come up in sessions. More than once. We can’t ask our pets to like everyone they meet (we wouldn’t even ask that of each other!), but we can talk with your pet about what their fears are and learn what it is that they need to feel safe to trust this new love in your life and what this new relationship means for them.

5. Is it okay if I cry in the session?

100% Yes.

You might experience tears during a session because of the deep relief of being able to hear about what is going on with your pets, or what they are feeling.

Or from relief because you know your pets to be wise, sentient beings - and sitting with an animal communicator who gets it too can be a BIG comfort and very, very validating.

Or because we are talking about big feelings like anticipatory grief, or illness or end of life care,

Or because of the wise things your pet shares with you about how they see the world, you and your life together.

Your tears are welcome here with me.

6. Can animal communicators who talk with your pets see, hear, and know everything? Like.. EVERYTHING about me and my pets?

In a nutshell, no. I don’t see, hear and know everything about you or your pet. Thank goodness! I was only kidding about the nekked baking earlier (lucky guess, I promise)

I have pretty fierce boundaries and structures around how I offer this work - in part for this reason, to combat the many myths and misconceptions about how animal communication works - like the one that I can see and know everything about you or your pets.

As an animal communicator, I am a translator, not a psychic. I’m also not a mind reader and I don’t ask your pet questions about anything without your consent.

My role is to translate for you and your pets. It’s your questions that lead our conversation. Not only is this an energy boundary-friendly and ethical approach to intuitive work, it also means that you can rest assured you are safe here.

If you have questions about how this all works before setting up a session, I invite you to send me a note and share your questions and I’ll do my very best to address them to make sure you feel safe and comfortable before moving forward.

Send me a note by following this link to my contact page

“I love all the attention to caring Joanna includes in the process of meeting her. Right from my first interaction with her website, I felt Joanna's empathic nature shining through.

The animal communication session with my dog gave me profound insights to my dog and my emotional layers, plus things I can adapt to care for his physical health. Thanks, Joanna!”

-Shirley A. - Via Google Reviews