About the Author

Nancy Parish-Plass studied psychology at Smith College and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, before working in early childhood education in kibbutz children's houses in Israel. Later she received extensive training in animal-assisted psychotherapy at the pioneering Oranim College and Machon Magid–Hebrew University School of Psychotherapy for experienced therapists in the field of mental health. Parish-Plass is the founding and current chairperson of the Israeli Association of Animal-Assisted Psychotherapy, and she is spearheading the struggle for legal recognition of the field in the Israeli Knesset. Her specialty is in the area of animal-assisted psychotherapy with at-risk children, and she was most influenced in her professional development by memories of her relationship with her horse Baby Doll and her dog Tammy, as well as by all the children with whom she has worked.