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AAC Practitioners

Certified Animal-Assisted Practitioners

Certification Logo

The practitioners in this section have completed all academic and clinical requirements with their animal partners to earn the Certification in Animal-Assisted Counseling. If you would like to reach out to these practitioners, you can find their names and contact information from the cohort in which they graduated. 

Adrianne Ortiz & Star

Adrianne Ortiz & Star

Amanda Arriola & Cleo

Amanda Arriola & Cleo

Morgan Rupe & Rio

Morgan Rupe & Rio

Jalen Evans & Loyal

Jalen Evans & Loyal

Judith Pfeiffer & Manny

Judith Pfeiffer & Manny

Heather Trupia & Ahsoka

Heather Trupia & Ahsoka

Elizabeth Stein & Rusty

Elizabeth Stein & Rusty

Amy Blasingame & Stanley

Amy Blasingame & Stanley

Cindy Hammonds & Luci

Cindy Hammonds & Luci

Diana Chavez & Sadie

Diana Chavez & Sadie

Cynthia Hodges & Texas Red

Cynthia Hodges & Texas Red

Kristen Turpin & Hank

Kristen Turpin & Hank

Heidi Schilling & Denali

Heidi Schilling & Denali

Teri Mills-Manuel & Clover

Teri Mills-Manuel & Clover

Melissa Whitsett & Gus

Melissa Whitsett & Gus

Maggie Dou & Dorothy

Maggie Dou & Dorothy

Kristina Kern & George

Kristina Kern & George

Melissa Trevathan-Minnis & Tortie

Melissa Trevathan-Minnis & Tortie

Alileah Hoke & Gracie

Alileah Hoke & Gracie


AAC Practitioners by Cohort

The following practitioners have completed the academic requirements of the AAC Academy. Practitioners who are not fully certified have a provisional certification by the AAC Academy to work with their animal partner with AAC supervision. If you are interested in finding a practitioner who is trained in animal-assisted counseling, you may contact any of these practitioners.

2023 AAC Academy Practitioners

Sam & MJ

Samantha Clements, MA 
and Mabel Jean 
Round Rock, TX

Shannon & Maggie

Shannon Hamrick, MSW, LCSW  
and Maggie 
The Center for Integrative Counseling and Psychology
Dallas, TX

Connie & Rose

Connie Hernandez, MSW, LCSW   
and Rose  
Eliana's Healing & Counseling Services
Houston, TX

Claudia, Nala, & Simba

Claudia Ikonomopoulos, PhD, LPC-S   
and Nala and Simba 
Nueces County Juvenile Justice Center 
Corpus Christi, TX

Jennifer & Tucker

Jennifer Grant, MSW, LCSW-S  
and Tucker  
San Antonio College  
San Antonio, TX

Melanie & Gertie

Melanie Lawson, MSW, LMSW 
and Gertie 
Olive Branch Counseling & Training 
Helotes, TX

Haileigh & Zoey

Haileigh Pettigrew, MA, LPC Associate  
and Zoey
Houston ISD 
Houston, TX

Rosalie & Teddy

Rosalie Piedra, MA, LPC, RPT  
and Teddy 
Mindful Connections Counseling 
Austin, TX

Gayle & Cooper

Gayle Rice, LPC   
and Cooper 
Hope Hospice 
New Braunfels, TX

Kaylynn & Rigby

Kaylynn Schrandt, MSW, LCSW   
and Rigby 
Hays CISD 
Buda, TX

Mistie, Cooper, & Henry

Mistie Seawell, PsyD   
and Cooper and Henry  
Story to Heart - Narrative Therapy Solutions 
San Antonio, TX

Jordan & LuLu

Jordan Ward, MEd, LPC Associate 
and LuLu 
Hope Counseling Center 
Amarillo, TX

2022 AAC Academy Practitioners

Amy & Stanley

Amy Blasingame, MEd, LPC
and Stanley
School Counselor, Dallas, TX

Diana & Sadie

Diana Chavez, LCSW
and Sadie
School Social Worker
Austin, TX

Cindy & Luci

Cindy Hammonds, MA, LPC-S, RPT-S
and Luci
Therapist, Spring, TX

Tiana & Luna

Tiana Rapp, PsyD
and Luna
Psychologist, Acton, ME

Crystal & Benito

Crystal Reese, MEd
and Benito
School Counselor, Manor ISD
Manor, TX

Heidi & Denali

Heidi Schilling, PsyD 
and Denali 
Psychologist, Austin, TX

Heather & Ahsoka

Heather Trupia
and Ahsoka
School Counselor, Hays ISD, Buda, TX

Kristen & Hank

Kristen Turpin, MED, LMSW
and Hank
School Counselor, Manor ISD, Manor, TX

2021 AAC Academy Practitioners

Maggie Dou & Dorothy

Maggie Dou, PhD, LPC
and Dorothy
Therapist, Calming Storms Counseling, PLLC
San Antonio, TX

Nicole Harris & Goliath

Nicole Harris, MS, LPC Associate
and Goliath
Therapist, Midland Rape Crisis and Children's Advocacy Center
Big Spring, TX

Alileah Hoke & Gracie

Alileah Hoke, MA, LPC
and Gracie
Counselor, Pflugerville Counseling Center
Pflugerville, TX

Kristina Kern & George

Kristina Kern, MEd, LPC
and George
School Counselor, Austin I.S.D.
Austin, TX

Renee Kinsey & Hank

Renee Kinsey
and Hank
New Braunfels, TX

Joanna Subias & Luci

Joanna Subias, MEd
and Luci
School Counselor, Houston I.S.D. 
Houston, TX

Crystal Perez-Morales & Neo

Crystal Perez-Morales, MSW, LCSW-S
and Neo
Clinical Therapist, San Marcos Treatment Center
San Marcos, TX

Krista Schultze & Snickerdoodle

Krista Schultze, MS, MEd
and Snickerdoodle
School Counselor, New Braunfels I.S.D. 
New Braunfels, TX

Melissa Trevathan-Minnis

Melissa Trevathan-Minnis
and Torty
Therapist, Private Practice
Austin, TX

2020 AAC Academy Practitioners

Jalen Evans & Loyal

Jalen Evans, MS, LPC
and Loyal Robinson
Doctoral Student, Texas A&M University Corpus Christi
Corpus Christi, TX

Kate Halinski & Moose

Kate Halinski, PhD, LPC-S, RPT-S™
and Moose
Private Practice, Kate Halinski PhD
Boerne, TX

Katherine Miner & Willow

Katherine Miner, MSW, LMSW
and Willow (Calvera not pictured)
Counselor, Fort Bend County Women's Center
Houston, TX

Marisa Ridley & Nimah

Marisa Ridley, MSW, LCSW
and Nimah
Social Worker
Ft. Worth, TX

Liz Stein & Rusty

Elizabeth Stein< MA, LPC Associate
and Rusty
Intern, Williamson County Juvenile Services
Georgetown, TX

Jennifer Morgan & Jetta

Jennifer Morgan, MS, LPC, ACAS
and Jetta
Private Practice, Morgan Counseling
Houston, TX

2019 AAC Academy Practitioners

Amanda Arriola & Cleo

Amanda Arriola, MA, LPC, RPT™
and Cleo
School Counselor, New Braunfels ISD
Hill Country Heart Counseling
New Braunfels, TX

Kaitlyn Coffey & Stout

Kaitlyn Coffey, MA, LPC
and Stout
Mental Health Psychotherapist, Menninger Clinic
Houston, TX

Emily Ellis & SUlly

Emily Ellis, MA, LPC, LMFT, RPT™
and Sullivan ("Sully")
Private Practice: Ellis Group Counseling
Harker Heights, TX

Kimberly Scott & Mr. Pricklepants

Kimberly Scott, MA
and Mr. Pricklepants
School Counselor, New Braunfels ISD
New Braunfels, TX

Hilda Statz-Baida & Pierre

Hilda Statz-Baida, MA, LPC
and Pierre
Therapist, Crisis Center of Comal County
New Braunfels, TX

Lori Washburn & Loki

Lori Washburn, MS
and Loki
School Counselor, Pottsboro ISD
Pottsboro, TX

2018 AAC Academy Practitioners

Jenny Jacobs & Oreo

Jenny Jacobs, MS, LPC
and Oreo
Private Practice, Therapy for Families
The Woodlands, TX

Wanda Montemayor & Chango

Wanda Montemayor, MA, LPC-S, RPT-S™, ATCS
School Counselor, Austin ISD
and Private Practice: Community Art Therapy
Austin, TX

Morgan Rupe & Rio

Morgan Rupe, MA, LPC
and Rio
Website: Morgan Rupe, LPC
Austin, TX

Holly Sadler & Stella

Holly Sadler, MEd, LCSW
and Stella
School Counselor

Leah Walter & Junior

Leah Walter, MA, LPC, LMFT Associate
and Junior
Georgetown, TX
Supervised by Kelly McCabe, LPC-S, LMFT-S

2017 AAC Academy Practitioners

Kris Allison & Sansa

Kris Allison, MSW, LCSW-S, RPT-S™
and Sansa
Owner & Therapist, Allison and Associates
New Braunfels, TX

Anne Esquivel & Archie

Anne Esquivel, PhD
and Archie
Website: Mind Works
San Antonio, TX

Karen Lee & Daemon

Karen Lee, MA, LPC
and Daemon
Therapist, Private Practice
San Antonio, TX

Nicole Lozo & Andy

Nicole Lozo, MEd, LPC, RPT
and Andy
School Counselor, Austin ISD
Texas Taproot Counseling, PLLC
Austin, TX

Nicole Lozo & Meeko

Nicole Lozo, MEd, LPC, RPT
and Meeko
School Counselor, Austin ISD
Texas Taproot Counseling, PLLC
Austin, TX

Jennifer Smith & Harvey

Jennifer Smith, MA, LPC-S, RPT-S™
and Harvey
Collaborative Care Counselor, Texas State University Counseling Center
San Marcos, TX

Mary Stone & Wilson

Mary Stone, MA
and Wilson
School-based Counselor
Wimberley, TX

Kim Sullivan & Gordon

Kim Sullivan, MA, LPC, RPT™
and Gordon
Website: Heart and Soul Counseling
Georgetown, TX

2016 AAC Academy Practitioners

Sarah Moreno & Zeus

Sarah Moreno, MA
and Zeus
Texas State Graduate

Jillian Zuboy and Cash

Jillian Zuboy, MA, LPC
and Cash
Website: JZ Therapy
Austin, TX

Melissa Whitsett and Stella

Melissa Whitsett, MA, LPC
and Stella
School Counselor, Austin ISD
Website: MW Pawsitive Counseling
Austin, TX