Podcast Ep 22: Finding A Reputable Animal Communicator
Originally published June 13, 2022
Listen: Apple, Podbean, iHeart Radio, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music or your favorite podcast station.
Welcome to True Kinship with Animals, where we believe we all do better when ALL creatures do better. I’m Janet Roper and each week I share stories and suggestions with you on how to deepen your relationship with animals, moving you from ownership to true kinship, one animal at a time.
This podcast is brand new and your help getting it off the ground is much appreciated! If you enjoy this podcast and find my work helpful, if you have been inspired or informed, or have discovered your world has opened to new possibilities because of the podcast, consider supporting my work by making a financial contribution or shopping my wish list. The link is also on the show page for your convenience.
Your support helps this podcast grow and makes my work sustainable.I can't do it without you! Many thanks!
SCRIPT PART 1
Did you know there’s a companion podcast to this one? It’s True Kinship with Animals: In Short, a mini podcast that gives you bite sized tidbits of true kinship in 3 minutes or less. It’s available wherever you listen to this one and I encourage you to give it a listen! It comes out a couple of times a week, so be sure to give it a like so you’ll know when a new one is available.
On today’s episode we’re going to talk about how being an animist has helped me integrate true kinship into my animal communication practice. Then, in the second half I’m going to give you some tips and suggestions on what to look for in an animal communicator.
Heads up for this episode: I KNOW todays conversation needs to be highly nuanced and I’m making some broad statements. I trust that by starting with these broad statements, minds and ideals will open and lead to more refined and multilayered conversations. But we need to start somewhere.
A Couple Of Definitions
Just to make sure we’re on the same page, let’s start with a couple of definitions. These are definitions I use in my practice.
An animal communicator is someone who connects intuitively with animals and works as a translator to help the animal’s person understand what the animal is experiencing. This helps both the animal and human find the peace of mind, confidence and ease of a more harmonic relationship. My work as an animal communicator is usually done with domesticated animals.
An animist is someone who practices animism. My friend, colleague and mentor, Kelley Harrell , says animism is considered the oldest religion, it’s an ancient expression of awareness beyond the self. An animist believes that:
everything has a soul
all souls are connected and thus can intercommunicate
all souls are equal
Animism relates to everything and as I focus on animals in my business, I work from the stance that:
animals have their own agency
an animal’s experience does not need to be validated through the human’s lens in order for it to be authentic
recognizing we live in a society that demands humans have dominion over animals
In my practice I provide an alternative way to be with animals: helping you move from an ownership perspective to one of true kinship.
How I Got My Start
Years ago I participated in a 2 year intensive study program where I learned about intuitive and embodied soul tending through nature. It literally cracked me, my world perspective and cosmology open, not to just the non physical realms, but to our physical realm and the sentient beings with whom we share it. If you’re curious about this program, I’ve included the link in the show notes.
Life became more authentic and vibrant as I became accountable in my relationship with animals and began to dismantle the ways society told me I “should” treat animals. I had unconsciously accepted those societal norms - as so many of us have! - and in the dismantling I discovered those norms benefitted humans more than animals.
Even though I didn’t mean to, I often found myself playing 'the human card', meaning I would be thinking since I'm the human *I* knew what was best for all. I still work to open room in my thought process to accept that each sentient being has its own life and story to tell *without* being framed through my human interpretation of their story.
It took me awhile to realize that ‘the human card’ has been forced upon us by our colonized culture.
I realize that in defining animals by a role I assign them ie teachers, guides, friends, furkid etc, I deprive these sentient beings of their sentience and agency and turn them into minions to be used at my dictates and fancy.
I now practice animism with all beings - yes, even my car and tea cup - with my focus on animals.
That’s how true kinship with animals as a cosmology came into being.
Practicing true kinship with animals is a way of showing up in life for animals in a way that is contrary to the conventional relationship we have established with them over the centuries. It’s about moving from ownership to kinship, from an egocentric to an ecocentric view of the world. It’s non-traditional, revolutionary and life changing way to be.
True kinship has been a way for me to
witness animals more clearly
be witnessed more clearly by the animals
identify and dismantle the ways I’ve been conditioned by a colonized society to have dominion over animals
embody my core values
bring true kinship into the reality of like minded folx
co-exist more fully with animals
stay accountable for my behavior and actions with animals
Are you ready to make the shift from communicating with animals to being in an animistic relationship with them? You don’t have to make this shift alone - as a matter of fact, it’s best not to do that. Visit my website janetroper.com and you will find some ways to get started making this change.
Stay tuned, after this short break I’m going to give you some tips and suggestions on how to find a reputable animal communicator.
A heartfelt thank you to those who have contributed to the growth of this podcast! Your support, whether financially, liking, sharing or leaving a comment, translates into appreciation of the work I do and how it shows up in the world. This helps me accept the fullness of my dream of true kinship with animals and acknowledges you as a kindred spirit with that dream!
I’m asking you to continue helping me as I carry on sharing this dream with the world at large
If you have ever found my work helpful, if this podcast has inspired or informed you or expanded possibilities in your world, now is the time to help the true kinship with animals dream continue to unfold into reality. Making a financial contribution, shopping my wish list, sharing, liking, or leaving a comment on the show page are deeply appreciated ways to show your continued support. For your convenience, the link to make a financial contribution supporting this podcast is found on the show page.
Thank you for your continued support, kindred spirits!
Thanks for tuning in and listening to this podcast! If you’re a first time listener, glad to have you here, if you’re a returning listener, welcome back! If this podcast speaks to you or has helped you in any way, be sure to like, follow, comment and share it with others!
SCRIPT PART 2
Let’s focus on animal communication now and how to find a reputable communicator. If you’ve never used one before and don’t know anything about animal communication or animal communicators It can be challenging to find one. You may not even know what questions to ask once you find a potential person to work with, so hopefully this segment will help you.
If this is you, you are not alone, believe me. And kudos to you for having the courage to find out more.
Animal communicators may not be as prevalent or as easy to find as mainstream professionals such as dentists, doctors or lawyers, but we are out there, we are easier to find and the field is growing.
First off, know why you are looking for one, what you are seeking help with. Keep in mind many professional communicators have their own specialities and you are looking for someone who can help you with your specific problem.
Unless they have completed specific training and are professionally certified, communicators do not take the place of medical professionals or trainers. From my perspective, we compliment the work of the medical professionals and trainers.
As a matter of fact, I have a disclaimer I use with all my clients: the art of animal communication and the information received during sessions does not replace medical diagnosis, treatment or training for your companion. I am neither a medical practitioner nor a vet, and I do not offer medical advice, diagnose, treat or prescribe medical conditions. Contact your animal’s medical care-giver for all health concerns and a qualified trainer for training concerns.
As an animal communicator I do not
Perform magic
Diagnose, treat or prescribe
Offer training advice
“Fix” things for you
How To Find An Animal Communicator
As with anything else, the web is a good place to start your search. As you look at the different sites, you will start to see common threads running through the sites of the professional communicators. These commonalities and themes will help you get a feel for what you’re looking for. Be sure to look at the testimonial page. Check out their social media presence for activity and the types of conversations taking place. Do you feel comfortable with the conversations? If they have a newsletter, consider signing up. Newsletters are a good way to get an overall view of the communicator.
As when searching for other service providers, word of mouth is priceless. Who do you know who has used a communicator? What was their experience like with that communicator? Was the communicator easy to work with? Would they use them again?
Visit your local psychic fairs, psychic symposiums, metaphysical bookstores, natural food stores or alternative healing facilities. These are places where many animal communicators are likely to leave their cards and/or brochures, or the people working there may be able to give you a referral.
A psychic fair can be a treasure trove. While there, you may come across several communicators giving you the opportunity to talk to different ones, find out how they work and most importantly how you feel as you are talking with them. They will often offer short sessions for a nominal fee, which gives you the chance to experience their style and see how comfortable you feel with them.
Once You’ve Found A Potential Communicator
Arrange for a time for an interview. Often communicators will offer an initial complimentary phone call, giving you a chance to find out about each other. If the potential communicator is not willing to have an initial conversation, it may behoove you to continue your search. An interview is an idea time to find out:
Do they have a code of ethics? What is it?
What is the focus of their practice? Do they do the kind of work you are looking for? For instance, if you have a lost animal, you want a communicator who offers that service.
Do they specialize? The arena of animal communication is so large that many communicators specialize in certain areas, such as pet grief, death and dying, reincarnation and even specialize working with different species.
How will the session be held? Phone, email, in-person, video conferencing? If you would feel more comfortable working with a communicator in person, make sure they offer that service. Make sure you feel comfortable using the technology the communicator uses and are familiar with it before your session.
What is included in a session? Sometimes communicators offer complimentary services such as Reiki, BodyTalk, etc. If this is the case, be clear with both yourself and the communicator whether you would like that included in the session or if you would prefer only animal communication.
What is the process for the session? Many communicators have an in-take form that needs to be filled out.
What does the communicator need from you for the session?
What is the fee?
What is included in the fee?
How is the payment made?
What are the communicator's session policies?
Does the communicator offer follow up after a session? If so, how often and how does it take place
How far booked out is the communicator? Does this fit with your time frame for wanting to have the session done?
Beware
The ‘dabbler’
Anyone who promises to solve all your problems
Does not provide referrals or references
Only strokes your ego
Demands & expects automatic acceptance and compliance with all they say
Anyone who claims to have all the answers
Expects you to become a groupie
Says you must do something or to expect dire outcomes
Speaks only vaguely or in grandiose terminology
The bottom line in looking for a communicator is to trust your gut. This bears repeating: Trust Your Gut. If you get a feeling that the communicator you’re talking to is not the one for you, trust that feeling. After all, if the communicator is not the one for you, what are the chances s/he is the communicator for your animal pal?
Characteristics of a reputable communicator
Works well with both animals and humans
You feel comfortable and unperturbed around them
Does not pretend to have all the answers
Willingly refers you to another when they aren’t able to provide what you need
Works to achieve the highest standards in their own language and actions
Willing to share testimonials and referrals with you
I hope this encourages you to discover places where you are unconsciously listening to messages that interfere with the way you authentically want to be with animals. I invite you to look at your relationship with animals differently, so that a new place of understanding begins to open for you, allowing you to identify your internalized narratives and guiding principles with animals.
If you are interested in learning animal communication yourself, my Beginning Animal Communication Video will guide you through the beginning steps and give you opportunity to practice.
Many thanks for joining me today. If you liked what you have heard, you can support this podcast by making a financial contribution, leaving a comment, giving the show a like, a follow and/or a share.
Thank you for listening and keep moving toward true kinship! Just for today remember: We all do better when all creatures do better.
