Handlers & Humans LLC

Handlers & Humans is a support service dedicated to the unique challenges of living with and loving complex dogs. Founded by Jess Adam, a licensed professional counselor with over a decade of clinical experience, Handlers & Humans bridges the worlds of mental health and dog behavior. Jess brings a rare blend of professional expertise, personal lived experience with a reactive dog, and her current pursuit of specialized training in a veterinary social work program to provide compassionate, evidence-based support for dog guardians.

One focus of Handlers & Humans is walking alongside caregivers facing one of the hardest choices imaginable: behavioral euthanasia. Jess has developed a specialized approach to help guardians navigate the overwhelming emotions of grief, guilt, shame, and isolation that so often accompany this decision. Through individual coaching and educational resources, she creates a safe space where people can process their experiences, honor their dogs, and care for themselves before, during, and after loss.

Beyond end-of-life support, Handlers & Humans equips dog guardians with coping skills, mindset tools, and community connection to manage the everyday stress of raising a complex dog. Jess’s mission is to ensure no one feels alone in these struggles, and to help people show up more calmly, confidently, and compassionately for both their dogs and themselves.