Dr. Janet Hoy-Gerlach

I specialize in supporting veterinary and animal welfare professionals navigating burnout, compassion fatigue, and moral injury. Supporting adults grieving pet loss, providing neuro-affirming care for late-identified AuDHD women in neurodivergent burnout, and helping other high achieving adults facing anxiety and stress are also areas I have expertise in. I am compassionate, committed to social justice (in accordance with my professional social work code of ethics, which you can review here: https://www.socialworkers.org/about/ethics/code-of-ethics/code-of-ethics-english?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=24120581257&gbraid=0AAAAABu9SBrNOHpoZO2k_-eWcgxQ53XOZ ), and offer evidence-based strategies while approaching each person as a unique individual. I hold a PhD in social work and practiced while a tenured professor and mental health researcher before returning full-time to clinical work. I also have extensive experience in veterinary social work. Currently, I practice in-person in Pittsburgh's South Hills (Mt Lebanon) and via telehealth across Pennsylvania and Ohio.

Therapy with me is collaborative, at your pace, and grounded in research evidence. I’m neuro-affirming, trauma-informed and aware, and a proud member of the LGBTQA+ community. I’m mindful of how structural stressors impact mental health and wellbeing. Through centering psychological safety and integrating somatic tools in our sessions, I will help support your nervous system regulation and capacity. I also draw on interpersonal neurobiology and attachment theory, as well as feminist, culturally sensitive, and anti-oppressive frameworks. I primarily use two evidence-based practices: Trauma-Focused Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (TF-ACT) and Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT). My style is gentle, direct, and deeply respectful of your autonomy. Working as a team, we'll help you build insight, self-compassion, and move toward what matters most to you.

Our first session together will be a collaborative conversation, not an intake checklist. I want to understand what you're going through, what's most important to you, and what kind of support would actually feel helpful. You don't need to have your story organized beforehand or know exactly what you want from therapy - that's part of what we’ll figure out together. And if after our first meeting you feel we're not the right fit for whatever reason, I'll help you find someone who is!