Niki Vettel is a Certified Grief Educator, Certified Master Life Coach, and a registered pet therapy handler. She holds Master’s degrees in Communication (University of Buffalo) and Clinical Counseling Psychology (Cambridge College), as well as holding a Certificate in Animals and Human Health from University of Denver’s Graduate School of Social Work. She is a graduate of the Companion Animal End-of-Life Doula Professional Certificate program and course developer with Matilda Garrido of the Grief and Bereavement Specialist Professional Certificate; she is currently developing the upcoming Pet Loss Support Group Professional Certificate course.
Niki has worked as a group therapist with a wide variety of adult clients, including dual diagnosis and general psychiatric intensive outpatient programs, and facilitated animal-assisted activity and therapy groups with inpatient psychiatric and forensic psychiatric patients. She developed a weekend group therapy program for sober house residents that included expressive and psychoeducational therapies. It was her volunteer work with a registered pet therapy guinea pig named Ralphie that inspired her to pivot from a successful career as a Public Television producer and development executive to a career in counseling. She is passionate in her belief in the transformative power of groups to support healing and resiliency.
Niki loves being a member of Tufts University’s Paws for People/Pet Partners® pet therapy organizations, and being a regular visiting team to Harvard University Medical School, where she and Hermie, her current guinea pig partner, provide animal-assisted stress relief to students, faculty and staff.