Intertwined
Therapy & Consulting
Supporting wellbeing through connection and compassion
It's all Intertwined.
Wellbeing is shaped by the connections between our mental and physical health, relationships, environments, communities, and, for many people, the companion animals who share our lives. At Intertwined, we support people to navigate life’s complexities with care, clarity, and compassion.
I recognise that no two lives are the same. Through inclusive, justice-centred support, I work alongside children, adolescents and adults experiencing mental health challenges, disability, chronic illness, neurodivergence, grief and life transitions. My practice has two particular areas of focus: women’s and girls’ health and wellbeing across the lifespan, including neurodivergence, parenting, reproductive transitions, perimenopause and menopause; and the relationships between people and companion animals, including grief, caregiving, wellbeing and multispecies family life.
I offer online and community-based therapy, supervision, consulting, and education, with services delivered online and within homes, workplaces, and other everyday environments.
Let's work together
I offer flexible, accessible online support across Australia and worldwide, and community-based support, including sessions in homes, workplaces, and other everyday environments, as well as professional consulting within South Australia.
Therapy for Complex Lives
Supporting children, adolescents and adults navigating mental health, disability, chronic illness, neurodivergence, relationships, parenting and life transitions.
I have particular interests in women’s and girls’ health and wellbeing across the lifespan, as well as the relationships between people and companion animals, including caregiving, illness, grief, changing needs and family life.
Support is adapted for neurodivergence, disability, pain and fluctuating energy, with attention to the interaction between health, relationships, home, environment and everyday life.
Supervision & Mentoring
Reflective supervision for social workers, counsellors, and allied health practitioners seeking sustainable, ethical, and values-led practice.
A space to think deeply about your work, including complexity, capacity, and the realities of practice. This may include exploring burnout, scope and direction, disability and neuroaffirming approaches, and working with clients within multispecies lives.
Sessions support thoughtful reflection, professional growth, and holding the emotional impact of the work over time.
Mentoring is also available for students from undergraduate to doctoral level.
Consulting & Education
Consulting, training and education for organisations and practitioners working at the intersection of people and companion animals, conducted online or in person.
Support to navigate complexity in practice, including client relationships, ethical decision-making, communication, and the realities of multispecies lives. This may include work with veterinary teams, therapists, those working in animal welfare, and services seeking to better support diverse households.
Grounded, practical input that strengthens confidence, builds capacity, and supports more thoughtful, inclusive ways of working.
EMBRACING THE COMPLEXITY OF SHARED LIVES
Life is complex and interconnected. We support people to navigate health, relationships, transitions and shared lives with care, clarity and respect for capacity.
Anita Franklin, Founder of Intertwined
Meet the founder
Anita Franklin
I believe in supporting others with compassion, curiosity and care as they navigate the complexities of health, relationships, transitions and everyday life. My work has particular areas of focus in women’s and girls’ health and wellbeing across the lifespan, and in the relationships people share with companion animals.
My work is grounded in compassion, justice, and connection, with a strong ethical commitment to the wellbeing of people, companion animals, and the relationships they share. I am particularly interested in how mental health, disability, chronic illness, neurodivergence, and everyday life shape our experiences of home, belonging, and wellbeing.
I am an Accredited Mental Health Social Worker with a Bachelor of Social Sciences and a Master of Social Work, and I am currently completing a PhD in Sociology. My research explores how disabled people, families, and companion animals create and experience home, and how services, communities, and systems can better recognise and support these relationships. I am also the author of We Make Home Together, an inclusive children’s book celebrating the many ways humans and companion animals create home together.
I am currently undertaking the Post-Master’s Certificate Program in Veterinary Social Work through New York University, further developing my work around grief, caregiving, companion-animal relationships and multispecies families.
My approach integrates evidence-informed therapeutic, embodied and lifestyle practices, thoughtfully adapted for neurodivergence, disability, chronic illness, pain and fluctuating energy. I am particularly interested in the ways biological, psychological, social and environmental factors interact across different stages of life. My work is relational, strengths-based and non-exploitative, recognising autonomy, connection and the importance of the relationships that make up people’s lives, including relationships with companion animals.
Through Intertwined Therapy & Consulting, I provide therapy, supervision, consulting, and education for individuals, families, practitioners, and organisations navigating complexity, including those working within multispecies contexts. As my work continues to evolve, I remain committed to supporting wellbeing through connection and compassion while contributing to more inclusive and accessible communities.
Anita Franklin
FOUNDER & DIRECTOR | ACCREDITED MENTAL HEALTH SOCIAL WORKER | CLINICAL SUPERVISOR | PhD CANDIDATE | AUTHOR | RESEARCHER
Core Values
Compassion for people, communities, all animals, and the planet
Inclusion, accessibility, and ethical, non-exploitative practice
Honouring the interconnectedness of shared lives, relationships, and environments
Sustainability in capacity, care, and everyday living
Here's How We Can Work Together
Therapy for Complex Lives
- Supporting children, adolescents and adults navigating mental health, disability, chronic illness, neurodivergence, relationships, parenting and life transitions
- Particular interests in women’s and girls’ health and wellbeing across the lifespan, including neurodivergence, reproductive transitions, perimenopause and menopause
- Supporting people through experiences involving companion animals, including caregiving, illness, grief, changing relationships and multispecies family life
- Exploring the interaction between health, relationships, home, environment, routines and everyday demands
- Integrating therapeutic, embodied and lifestyle-informed approaches, adapted for neurodivergence, disability, pain and fluctuating energy
Supervision & Mentoring
- Reflective supervision for practitioners working within complex, ethical and relational practice
- Exploring scope, values, professional identity and sustainable practice
- Supporting work involving mental health, disability, neurodivergence, women’s health, parenting and complex psychosocial presentations
- Making space for the emotional and ethical impact of practice, including grief, caregiving and multispecies lives
- Integrating embodied, lifestyle-informed, accessible and neuroaffirming approaches within scope
Consulting & Education
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Consulting for veterinary teams, animal welfare services, and practitioners working with people and companion animals
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Supporting ethical, accessible, and neuroaffirming approaches within complex, real-world contexts
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Strengthening communication, decision-making, and support for clients navigating multispecies lives
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Input into policy, environments, and service design with multispecies households in mind
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Education, workshops, and reflective spaces grounded in practice, research, and lived experience
Buy my book
We Make Home Together
We Make Home Together is a gentle, beautifully illustrated picture book that explores everyday moments of care, connection, and consent between children and their pets.
Through a series of calm, inclusive scenes, children learn how to notice, respect, and respond to their pets’ needs—whether it’s a cat who prefers space, a rabbit who needs time to feel safe, or a dog who rests beside a child during a quiet moment. Each page includes thoughtful prompts for shared discussion between children and the adults who support them.
Perfect for families, therapists, educators, and support workers, We Make Home Together is ideal for neurodivergent and neurotypical children alike. It gently invites children to reflect on relationships, boundaries, and what it means to build a multispecies home filled with kindness.
frequently asked
questions
Who do you work with?
I work with children, adolescents and adults navigating mental health, disability, chronic illness, neurodivergence, relationships, parenting and life transitions.
I have particular interests and advanced specialised training in women’s and girls’ health and wellbeing across the lifespan, including neurodivergence, mental health, parenting, reproductive transitions, perimenopause and menopause. I also have specialised training and experience in companion-animal relationships and multispecies families, including grief, caregiving, illness and loss.
You do not need to fit a particular category or have a specific diagnosis. The focus is on your life, your values, your health and the relationships and environments that matter to you.
DO YOU PROVIDE ANIMAL TRAINING OR ANIMAL-ASSISTED THERAPY?
No. My work may include supporting people around their relationships with companion animals, but I do not provide animal training or behaviour modification, and I do not use Animal-Assisted Therapy.
I work alongside veterinary and animal behaviour professionals where appropriate, supporting ethical, non-exploitative, and relational approaches to shared lives.
How do online sessions work and what do I need?
Sessions are offered via secure telehealth, usually using video on a computer, tablet, or phone. You will need a stable internet connection and a place where you feel as comfortable as possible.
I can adapt sessions to suit your needs, including pace, breaks, sensory supports, or using phone instead of video. The aim is to create something that feels safe, accessible, and workable for you.
I am a practitioner, vet or animal professional. Can I work with you?
Yes. I offer supervision, mentoring, therapy, and consulting for social workers, counsellors, allied health practitioners, and those working in veterinary and animal welfare contexts.
This can include reflective supervision, support with complexity, burnout, grief, ethical decision-making, and developing sustainable, values-aligned practice.
Do I need a referral and what about Medicare or NDIS?
You are welcome to self-refer and contact me directly. A GP Mental Health Treatment Plan is only needed if you wish to access Medicare rebates for eligible sessions with an Accredited Mental Health Social Worker.
I also work with some self-managed and plan-managed NDIS participants where appropriate. Fees and options are discussed before starting so you can make informed decisions about what is sustainable for you.
Ready to begin?
Let's Connect
I offer a range of session times, including after-hours options, to support your schedule—wherever you are in the world.
I value sustainable practice. I intentionally avoid over-scheduling and protect time for breaks and rest so that my work remains thoughtful, present and sustainable.
I aim to get back to you within two business days.
