About Dr. Pat
Pat's passion and expertise is to help animal care communities move to a new level of resilience and wellness in their work and personal relationships. She is known to do so with insight, sensitivity, and humour. Her research in this area will hopefully give animal care communities a voice in determining the special skills needed to manage the stressors unique to this workplace.
Pat has a sound knowledge base in the models of stress and adaptation. She also has had the opportunity for work in animal care for many years now. From 2006 to the present time, Dr. Comley has worked extensively with the OSPCA as a trainer, consultant, and trauma counsellor. Her presentations, comprehensive programs and consulting experience in Animal Welfare expand from B.C. to Atlantic Canada. A few years ago, Pat worked closely with the Ontario SPCA and the Toronto Humane Society. For a five month period Pat helped the THS staff emotionally navigate through highly stressful and challenging times. Pat's consulting role includes EQ (emotional intelligence) testing in training programs for cruelty investigators/shelter workers, and EQ as a tool for professional development with leaders in the animal care field.
Dr. Comley has a Doctorate in Applied Psychology and currently teaches psychology, part time, at Ryerson University, specializing in personal growth and stress management. She works with students in the caregiving professions such as nursing, social work, and early childhood education. Her presentations include organizations such as the Toronto Distress Centre, TDSB Social Workers and Teachers, Government Agencies, Coaches, and Higher Learning Institutes. Pat trains internationally in the area of communications and self awareness where her focus of expertise is on leading across cultures.
Pat is an Internationally Certified Professional Coach and a licensed facilitator in emotional intelligence. As well as being a certified compassion fatigue specialist, she is also certified in trauma counseling and conflict resolution.
Regarded as a creative thinker with an adventurous spirit, Pat lives in Toronto's Beach area where dogs and cats flourish and are loved by all.
