Dog phobia therapy where the end goal isn’t to love dogs…
… but to feel comfortable enough around them so it doesn’t ruin your life
This is for you if you look up ‘how to overcome fear of dogs’ because it’s keeping you from living life fully
If you’re afraid of dogs, you might…
Go into panic mode when you’re anywhere near dogs
Have really intense, overwhelming reactions like heart racing, shaking, chest tightness, crying, or freezing when you’re anywhere near dogs or even hear them barking or see them in videos.
Avoid going anywhere there may be dogs
Avoid going anywhere or quickly leave situations where there are/might be dogs - from parks and hikes to restaurants and shops, to your friend or family member’s place.
Take precautions to make sure you’re never around dogs
Take precautions to make sure you’re never around dogs or feel you can protect yourself - like driving when you could walk, checking the street before you leave your house or the bus before you get on, or carrying a repellent with you - and still worry and feel anxious before leaving the house.
Be afraid of dogs even in ‘safe’ situations
You might not understand why, even in situations where you intellectually know you are not in danger (such as well-trained dog on a lead across the road), you still feel afraid of dogs.
Feel invalidated by ‘dog people’
… who try to explain your fear away, insist on ‘just petting a dog’ or that ‘their dog is different’, and don’t understand some of your reasonable fears.
Feel helpless, embarrassed, or ashamed
… because you can’t just ‘get over’ your fear of dogs.
Your dog phobia may have affected your:
Daily functioning
Ability to work, socialise, travel
Relationships
Quality of life, ultimately
Or, maybe you can just about tolerate dogs, but your whole focus and energy is spent on tracking their every move, so you’re never fully present or enjoying yourself.
It doesn’t have to stay this way - life can be different, and your fear of dogs doesn’t have to define you anymore.
Therapy for Fear of Dogs
I help people overcome their fear of dogs in a gentle, practical, and realistic way. You set your own goals, and we work on achieving them together, with you in control all throughout, so you feel empowered.
More precisely: Evidence-based, skills-based therapy (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy / Cognitive Behavioural Therapy / Exposure Therapy / Mindfulness) infused with learning of dog body language. We’ll spend time both exploring things so we understand what exactly is going on for you, and using active interventions to help you spend less time and energy on avoiding dogs, so you can actually enjoy life wherever you are, even if there are dogs around.
An important note: If your dog phobia has come about as a result of a dog attack or incident from which you may have developed symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), therapy might include the above steps, but also a trauma therapy element. This is because your PTSD symptoms may be keeping you stuck, and addressing them directly (which is different to addressing ‘just’ the phobia) may be necessary for you to truly overcome your dog phobia. We will of course discuss and agree on all this during our first session.
In a nutshell, dog phobia therapy with me looks like:
Getting a shared understanding of how your fear of dogs has developed and what may be keeping it going
Setting your goals so we both know what we’re working towards, and uncovering the values behind this - what is your fear of dogs keeping you from, which is deeply important to you
Systematically addressing your fear of dogs using various active interventions which include both gradual exposure and creating a different relationship to your beliefs and feelings about dogs (rather than convincing you there’s no need to be anxious or that dogs are great - see below for more)
Infusing some learning of dog body language and safe ‘co-existing’ tips - because if you understand even basic dog body language, you’re more likely to be able to tell what a dog might do next or how safe it is to interact with, reducing some of the unpredictability and threat
Creating a summary of important points and a plan for the future, when we feel it’s time to end therapy
Hi, I’m Carina, an experienced cognitive behavioural therapist (trained in exposure therapy), which happens to be the gold-standard evidence-based treatment for phobias.
I also have a (very managed now) needle phobia.
I’m telling you this so you know that, while I’m not afraid of dogs myself, I get it. I have a close family member who has been afraid of dogs, and my needle phobia has meant that I avoided blood tests and injections when I could, would only go if someone came with me, and needed the whole day to be about this (before, to prepare, and after, to recover).
I have felt panicked, embarrassed, and invalidated about something that seemed so not a big deal to others.
Then I turned things around - with CBT, exposure, ACT, mindfulness - and also learning about procedures and understanding what is reasonable for me. I learned to face my fears in a gradual, safe, and practical way.
I know I’m never going to be that person that works all day then donates blood, and does so as often as allowed. But I can now have two vaccines in one visit, have blood tests, donate blood, and prick my own finger. And that’s good enough for me.
Do I still get anxious? Yes. But I know how to manage it.
Do I still get embarrassed? A little. But I own it, and do what I need to get through without it ruining my day.
And it’s so bloody (pun intended) freeing - that’s why I want to help as many people conquer their fears too!
I’m also passionate about dog body language and behaviour (and am getting training from The Institute of Modern Dog Trainers/IMDT, a leading education provider for dog trainers and behaviourists), having gone through a journey of understanding my sweet and loving but reactive dog and ensuring she does not bother anyone who doesn’t want to interact with her. I’m not and will never be the kind of dog guardian who just shouts ‘she’s friendly’ while my dog is pulling a ‘Fentooon’ towards someone - in fact, I believe those dog guardians are irresponsible and disrespectful.
So, I’m about as specialist as can be (without tooting my own horn…).
Being afraid of dogs is not something you can just ‘get over’ on your own overnight
That’s why dog phobia therapy with me does *NOT* look like:
Convincing you that your fear is unreasonable, or that dogs are great and you should love them
Pushing you in uncomfortable situations, or asking you to do more than what you can handle
Surprising you with things we’ve not discussed and agreed on together
Just talking about your fear and trying to unpick where it comes from without actively helping you change things
My values & approach
I’m both a mindfulness teacher and a cognitive behavioural therapist, and I also have a background in psychology and clinical neuroscience, with experience in academic research, clinical roles, and healthtech.
I also think that all of that means squat if you don’t feel safe, heard, and understood by me. So, here’s what you can expect:
I use evidence-based, trauma-informed, affirming and inclusive approaches - no BS, airy-fairy stuff, and no cluelessness as to the systems, culture, dynamics, and trauma that shape the way humans operate (because just talking or ‘thinking positively’ about your dog phobia is unlikely to help, and because dog phobias can be linked to societal or cultural aspects)
I have an understanding of good research - I’ll know when old approaches have been disproven, or when new exciting discoveries have been made (because I want to offer the highest-quality specialist care)
I have had my own therapy and also worked through my own needle phobia (so I know what it’s like to be on both sides)
Humanity (I’ll never pretend to have it all figured out)
Imperfection (because no one is, and those who try probably make terrible therapists)
Openness (about what’s working and what isn’t, about what’s really going on, about… everything)
Silly sense of humour (because sometimes that’s the only thing that makes sense)
How to get over a fear of dogs… and get your life back
Working on your fear of dogs may mean you could…
No longer avoid every place where there might be dogs
No longer leave situations where there are dogs, leaving everything behind
No longer rearrange your whole life to make sure you’re never around dogs
No longer spend the whole day worrying and feeling anxious if you’re planning on going somewhere where there might be dogs
No longer experience full-blown panic at the sight of dogs or hearing barking
Take reasonable precautions instead of out-of-ordinary life-changing ones
Understand what may lead to dog phobia and what may be keeping it going
Understand basic dog body language and safety
So that you can…
Go about your day as you otherwise would - without mental gymnastics to help you avoid dogs
Go to the pub, cafes, your friend or family’s house who have dogs, the park - and enjoy yourself even if there are dogs around
Be neutral or reasonably anxious around dogs, without it upending your life
Assert yourself when it comes to what you feel comfortable and what you don’t when it comes to dogs - so you don’t feel invalidated, ashamed, or helpless anymore
Feel more empowered when it comes to everything dog
Interested in working together? I’m so glad!
You deserve a life that feels like yours.
Having said that, I know reaching out can be a bit of a nerve-racking (and also amazing) step. So, because everyone’s different, here are your options to get started (and a more detailed overview below):
If you feel most comfortable starting in writing, contact me via this form
If you’d like to see if we click live, book a free 15-min consultation below
If you’ve decided you want to go straight for an initial session (for weekly therapy only!) to explore things in a bit more depth, book it below
Your options:
Weekly Therapy
The traditional weekly therapy model
Might be for you if you prefer a longer-term, regular approach
Book in week by week, for 3-6 months or more
Therapy sessions: £125
Therapy Intensives
Concentrated, accelerated model
Might be for you if you prefer a focused, extended approach, with extra flexibility (some weekend availability)
One-off packages of 5h or 8h to be completed within 1-3 weeks, each including: 1x preparation session; 1x main session; 1x follow-up session (see below for more details)
5h-intensive package: £750 / 8h-intensive package: £1200
Here’s how it all works…
Reach out in writing OR have a free 15-minute intro call
Everyone’s different - some people prefer to get a feel in writing first, others want to see if they connect with someone live. Or you might even be ready to try a first session directly (if you’re going for weekly therapy; for intensives we’ll have an intro call to make sure it’s right for you). Choose what feels right for you!
Weekly Therapy for Dog Phobia
Initial session (up to 60 minutes), during which we’ll discuss:
Current difficulties, some background and history, & impact on your daily life
Goals & previous experiences of therapy (if any) - what was helpful and what wasn’t
How this all may link together & how ACT/CBT could help
What you need to make this work best for you
Your first between-sessions task
Ongoing sessions (45-50 minutes, weekly - same day same time, 3-6 months or longer), during which we will:
Go deeper on our shared understanding of what may have led to development of your difficulties, and what may be keeping them going (called a ‘formulation’), to use as a basis for your treatment plan
Use a variety of interventions (ACT/CBT/mindfulness) to support you in achieving your goals
Set a plan / agenda at the start of each session to keep us on track (but this is not fixed and we can adapt according to your needs)
Ending therapy:
We will discuss ending therapy a few sessions before the final one (and we will of course agree on this)
During this final session, or perhaps last two sessions, we will work together to produce a summary of important points and a plan for the future
Therapy Intensives for Dog Phobia
Prep session (up to 60 minutes), during which we’ll discuss:
How your dog phobia is manifesting itself, what may have led to it, what may be keeping it going & impact on your daily life
Goals & previous experiences of therapy (if any) - what was helpful and what wasn’t
How this all may link together & how ACT/CBT/exposure helps
You treatment plans: The exposure steps we may go through, and the particular beliefs we may target
What you need to make this work best for you
Main session (3h / 5h), during which we will:
Set a plan / agenda at the start of to keep us on track (but this is not fixed and we can adapt according to your needs)
Go through 3-4 exposure steps (for the 3h option) / 5-6 exposure steps (for the 5h option) - may be more or less depending on how you find this
Learn how to handle your anxiety in these situations
Address the beliefs that may be keeping your dog phobia going
Follow-up session (up to 60 minutes), during which we will:
Draw together and make sense of the progress and learning you’ve made
Develop a summary of important points and a plan for the future
FAQs
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It may be for you if:
Your dog phobia has taken over your life and you’re tired of trying everything to get rid of it or avoid it
You’ve tried other approaches and they’ve left you feeling invalidated, confused, or stuck
You want a therapist who, while always being on your side, will sometimes gently call you up on your BS to help you move forward
You want to live your life fully without being at the whim of your dog phobia, and are willing to put in some work for this to happen
(and also, you can reach out in writing or book a free 15-min intro call to ‘vibe’-check :-)
It may not be for you if:
You want an open, explorative space with no structure, practical skills, exercises, or things to do between sessions
You want to never feel anxious again and experience only positives (hint: it’s not really possible)
You want an uber-’professional’, blank-slate kind of therapist who will nod in agreement to everything you say and never challenge you
You want a quick fix or expect that things will change by you attending a session a week and continuing as you are outside of it
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Short answer - almost. The only limitation is that I can’t offer therapy to clients based in the US or Canada due to licensing (I’m based and accredited in the UK).
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I’m online-based only at the moment - so all sessions take place on Zoom. I love online therapy as research shows it’s just as effective as in-person therapy, but we can work together even if we live miles apart, and you get the comfort and flexibility that comes with it.
As long as we both have good cameras and microphones, we can recreate most, if not all, of what we would do in a therapy room. I’ve creatively supported clients with phobias online!
You get high-quality therapy AND you can show up in a familiar, comfy space, with a hot drink.
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I work with adults (18+) only who want to work on their dog phobia, and/or PTSD from dog attacks or incidents, in the gold-standard way.
My other speciality is working with high-achieving introverts whose fear of failure or rejection shows up as overthinking, ‘high-functioning’ anxiety, and fleaves them feeling not good enough, keeping them from living as their real, authentic selves - see here
I also have a particular interest and knowledge in working with people who are neurodivergent or LGBTQIA+.
Having said that, I am highly trained in working with a range of mental health difficulties, including stress, depression, generalised anxiety disorder, panic disorder, health anxiety, social anxiety, low self-esteem, perfectionism, phobias, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
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I generally do not work with people who present with severe and enduring mental health difficulties, including, for example, active symptoms of psychosis, or severe difficulties with emotional regulation - this is because such difficulties are best addressed in specialist services which consist of multi-disciplinary teams of clinicians.
Importantly and relatedly, I also do not work with people who are presenting with concerns related to their own safety or that of others - as in private practice I do not have access to professionals and facilities which would support managing such concerns, and therefore, it would be unsafe and unprofessional.
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I am not set up to provide crisis support, so I am not able to respond to any urgent queries between sessions, nor am I able to work with people who have concerns about their own safety or that of others.
If you are having such difficulties and are in the UK, please call 999 or go to A&E. You can also contact your GP or local NHS mental health service for urgent support, contact the Samaritans on 116 123, text Shout to 85258, or use the Stay Alive mobile app.
If you are outside of the UK, please contact your local emergency services.
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I have quite a few, bit of a nerd here :-) The most relevant ones are my PgDip in Psychological Intervention (CBT) from the University of Surrey, which I then topped up with an MSc in Psychological Therapies from the University of Exeter, and my accreditation with the BABCP (British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies) as both therapist and supervisor. I also completed the Mindfulness Teacher Training Pathway with The Mindfulness Network/University of Bangor.
I’m also getting training in dog body language from The Institute of Modern Dog Trainers/IMDT, a leading education provider for dog trainers and behaviourists.
But I also hold a BSc (Hons) in Psychology from the University of York, an MSc in Clinical Neuroscience from UCL, and plenty of experience - read more about me here
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The type of therapy I offer is evidence-based and structured, goals-oriented, and forward-focused.
We’ll spend time both exploring things so we understand what exactly is going on for you, and using active interventions to help you spend less time and energy on avoiding dogs, so you can actually enjoy life wherever you are, even if there are dogs around.
Read more about ACT here (although this may or may not specifically speak to dog phobias)
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You’re definitely not alone! Talking to a complete stranger about your deepest thoughts and feelings can feel quite daunting when you think about it, and I really get that - and many clients tell me the same thing.
That’s why I offer a few options so you feel as comfortable as possible:
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Although I don’t know your specific case, here’s a non-exhastive list of possible things that may lead to the development of dog phobias:
You did not grow up or interact with dogs as a child - so you find them unfamiliar and unpredictable
You grew up or lived somewhere where dogs are considered dangerous (in many countries dog are kept as guard animals and trained to protect livestock, for example - and they take their job very seriously!)
You grew up or lived in a culture where dogs are considered dirty/disgusting
A family member or someone close and important to you is afraid of dogs - so you have taken this on as well
You’ve been through or heard first-hand about an attack or scary incident involving dogs
You’re scared of getting contaminated or infected, which may or may not be part of difficulties with health anxiety or OCD
You’re scared of sudden, unpredictable, agitated things, which may or may not be part of neurodivergence
Nothing in particular - sometimes dog phobias just happen and it’s hard to pinpoint why!
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Not at the moment, no. It means fewer limitations around logistics (like number of sessions) for you, too!
… and breathe. You may just have found a way to go from spending all your time and energy on avoiding dogs to a life you can actually enjoy wherever you are, even if there are dogs around.
I’m here when you’re ready.