Media Kit

Alison Leslie, LCSW, SEP

Clinical Trainer & Consultant
Specializing in EMDR, Somatic Therapy & the Human-Animal Bond

Bio

Alison Leslie is a trauma-informed clinician, trainer, and consultant who creates safe spaces where therapists feel seen, supported, and empowered. She specializes in EMDR, somatic therapy, and the healing power of the human-animal bond—one of the few practitioners blending these modalities at an expert level. Known for her warm, curiosity-based teaching approach, Alison helps mental health professionals reconnect with their clinical confidence and trust their own intuitive wisdom, especially when working with complex cases.

Speaking Topics

  • Clinical Confidence Through Curiosity and Connection

  • EMDR & Somatic Therapy Integration

  • The Human-Animal Bond in Clinical Practice

  • Ego State Interventions That Actually Work

  • Supporting the Clinician's Nervous System

  • The Nest Metaphor: A Somatic Case Conceptualization Framework

Credentials

  • Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)

  • Somatic Experiencing Practitioner (SEP)

  • EMDRIA-Approved Trainer and Consultant

  • Advanced Trainer, Trauma Therapist Institute

  • Co-author, Handbook of Animal Assisted Therapy (6th edition)

Recent Work

Recent Conference Presentations and More

  • 15 hour Somatic EMDR Practitioner Series (2025) Trauma Therapist Institute

  • EMDRIA Conference (2023, 2024, 2025)

    • 2025 presented on The Nest Metpahor in EMDR Therapy

    • 2024 presented on the topic: EMDR & Somatic Therapy

    • 2023 presented on the topic of EMDR and The Human Animal Bond

  • ISSTD Conference (2023)

  • APA Division 17 (2025 and 2024) on the topics of the Human Animal Bond and the Science of Safety through the lens of Polyvagal Theory

Publications

Podcasts

  • Kathy on the Couch: Joined hosts Kathy Couch and Tony Paramenter to discuss the Nest Metaphor, Nature, and the Human Animal Bond in trauma treatment and EMDR

  • Appeared on Thrive, the Podcast - Joined Rebecca Kase on Thrive the podcast episode: Episode: The Human Animal Connection

  • Appeared on Taking Up Space

Community Education

  • The Delta Society - Developed training materials and serving as a subject matter expert for animal assisted services.

  • Sentience Working Group in association with the University of Denver Institute for Animal Sentience and Protection. This group developed the Declaration on Sentience In Animal Assisted Services:

    • This Declaration was adopted at the August 2025 conference hosted by the International Association for Human Animal Interactions Organizations(IAHIAO)

  • Partnering with clinicians in Egypt (2024) - I partnered with Dr. Mona Ramadan to help bring Animal Assisted Services to the region. Dr. Mona Ramadan has nine years of experience in the Psychiatry and Psychotherapy field providing cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy, and has conducted many support groups for medically ill patients. Dr. Ramadan also conducts research and trains mental health professionals in psychiatry.

    Dr. Ramadan has also completed the Hubert Humphrey fellowship ( a fulbright exchange program) at VCU in the field plans of substance use rehabilitation, during which she learned more about animal-assisted therapy in addiction service provision, and became familiar with recent developments and best practices in drug abuse policy, prevention, and treatment. 

    Dr. Ramadan is working on bringing Animal Assisted Therapy techniques and teaching to Egypt, specifically through trainings centered around the human animal bond and animal assisted services. 

Approved Publicity Photos

(compressed for web)

A woman with short wavy hair smiling and sitting on the grass in a green park, holding a fluffy, curly-haired dog with its tongue out.
A woman and a dog sharing a moment by a creek in a forest, with autumn leaves on the ground.
A woman with a backpack smiling while crouching next to a golden retriever dog in a wooded area with a creek and fallen leaves.
A woman with glasses and a black dress standing outdoors behind a tree with twisting branches, smiling at the camera.

Interested in having Alison speak at your next event?

Digital illustration of various stylized succulents and flowers, some in vibrant blue and purple tones, others in outline sketches with gold and blue accents.

Get in Touch

Contact Alison