It all started with Lola, a rescue dog. Karin Long had a long, hard history with trauma, drugs and alcohol. Lola, and then so many dogs after her, guided Karin to become a dog trainer, help heal other people’s PTSD (and her own), and find her purpose. I hope you enjoy this uplifting story as much as I did.
Dog Trainer Heals PTSD and Finds Purpose: Meet Karin Long
Below you’ll find an outline of the answers Karin provided prior to the interview (not a transcript).
What kind of work did you do before you felt called to new work?
Sales.
Was your prior work fulfilling? Did you excel at it?
I excelled, at least for awhile. Then I would get tired and burnt out. Never fulfilling, something I did to pay the bills. I would always end up thinking something was wrong with me. I always hit a wall. Then I would move on to something else.
What occurred that made you change course? Did you encounter something difficult, like tragedy, illness, burnout, getting fired or laid off? Or was is something positive like a jolt of inspiration, a powerful idea, or something so alluring that it demanded your attention?
I was in a stuck time, seriously depressed, another job, another case of burnout, lack of fulfillment, lack of gratification, just working to pay bills and have some money. Someone gave me the book, “Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover’s Soul” as a gift. I remember being really sad and depressed about my life and my job and reading that book cover to cover. I remember praying to God to find something I could do that would help both animals and people somehow. I didn’t know what but I knew that’s what I wanted.
Did your purpose/calling come to you in a flash or was it a series of events, moments, insights?
For me it was a series of events. It started with that book followed by Marianne Williamson in a book saying, “Do what you love and the money will follow,” so about that time I got a puppy. Lola. And that’s what got the ball rolling. She need a lot of exercise, so I began hiking in the mountains and found another love: hiking. Then I began taking her to classes, participating in sports, learning skills, started my own team, did more rescue, and more classes, and it snowballed. It is a craft, and I honed my skills.
What are/were you called to say or do?
Help people , thru animals, specifically my favorite animal dogs. Science has proven that animals, living an animal, petting your dog or cat has healing properties. I worked with therapy dogs, and then service dogs. And the healing began. I realized I had PTSD. Working with people with PTSD has been healing for me as well as healing for the people that got their dogs trained.
What do you do now?
I train service dogs for veterans with PTSD. I also would get to work in a prison program where the women actually train the dogs and get some basics on them and I work in a treatment facility that has a dog living there as well.
What actions did you take to shift into this new work? What did you let go of?
One foot in front of the other for years, reaching and moving forward. Looking back, it was a steady progression toward my dream, even though I did not realize it. I had NO idea, I thought it was a volunteer type thing, not a career. It took about 13 years to become a vocation. That said, there is a lot to know and understand to be proficient to the point of training service dogs.
How do you define success? Where are you in relation to your definition?
Getting up in the morning, loving what you do, and knowing that you make a difference, a positive impact. And really, for me, not dreading the day, the job, waiting for the weekend, or 5 o’clock. The other day someone asked me where I was going or what I was doing. “I’m on my way to work.” They said to me, “I’m sorry.” I said, “I love what I do! Going to work is exciting!”
What now wants to come through you and your work?
I definitely want to do “more”, but I do not know exactly what that looks like. I am going with the flow on that one. I’m in a good place right now — I work with veterans with PTSD, with a prison dog training program, and with dogs in a rehabilitation for substance abuse facility. I know there is more, but I’m gonna go with the flow. I’m lucky, I feel like I have one of those lottery jobs that I would do the same thing I’m doing now if I won the lottery.
What legacy to you want to leave?
I’m not sure what exactly that looks like either. My mantra is to make a positive impact on people’s lives, and how that happens changes. I don’t even know if it’s always possible. Life is messy. I think people that have been through a lot of darkness, pain, in trauma, sometimes get stuck in that . I know I have. For many years I struggled to find the beauty and joy in life. Dealing with PTSD is not easy. I feel that by helping others, you help yourself. That’s were the healing occurs. The drugs, alcohol are covers, covering pain, shame. But nothing can really do that. You get stuck in that cycle. I began to break out of it by helping others through the very thing that helped save me.
Know someone who has been through a painful transition and found or created success in a new way? Is it you? Whether you know an interesting story you’d like to nominate or would be willing to share your own, I’d love to hear from you!
Email me at jennifer@rainmakerresume.com (or comment on this post), reach out via my Contact form, or give me a call. 406.530.9249. I can’t wait to hear your story.