Graduate Spotlight

Marianne Courey, Companion Animal Studies graduate, 2009

Mahatma Gandhi said, “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” Marianne Courey, 2009 graduate of CCNH’s Companion Animal Studies program, lets this statement, as well as her own beliefs, guide her every day in her work as an animal trainer and animal nutrition coach.

Courey takes a compassionate rather than a monetary approach to work. “While money is a necessary evil, I believe the work is more important than the monetary gain,” she says. “I apply compassion to my professional life and believe I am there to heal the animal and strengthen the human/animal bond.”

After earning a Bachelor of Science in animal science and nutrition as well as a Masters degree from the College of Veterinary Medicine at Michigan State University, she came to CCNH because her health, along with her pets’ health, has been challenging in the past. “I never found conventional medicine to totally eliminate the problems, only mask the symptoms,” she says. She decided on CCNH after researching many natural health schools, finding that “CCNH was well–respected and had an animal–specific program.”

She is in tune with the connection between mind/body/spirit, as she listened to her intuition regarding ways to address health challenges. In reflecting on her decision to enroll in the Companion Animal Studies program, she says, “I knew there had to be something more. Intuitively I have always seen health, the body, disease, and nutrition connected. Natural health and holistic nutrition fit what I knew internally.”

Along with listening to her own inner wisdom, she is open to learning from the wisdom of others and reading their works on natural health. She says of Liz Palika, one of her favorite authors within the field, “She wrote a book on how to feed your pet with home-based cooked foods. She has exposed the horrors of the commercial pet food industry and researched healthy alternatives.”

Courey will soon be an author within the field as well. “I am currently outlining a book to write on total pet care—training, feeding, grooming, and bonding.”

She lets the connection between her mind, body, and spirit influence her not only in her health choices, but also lets it guide her on her life’s path. She says, “I have started this new path a little late in life but am blessed to have realized what my life’s purpose is and to have the courage to follow my dreams. Each stage of life is full of vitality and the chance to gain knowledge.”

This article was based on an interview with the graduate.

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