W. Leigh Atherton currently holds the position of Assistant Professor, Coordinator, Substance Abuse Counseling certificate program within East Carolina University’s Department of Addictions and Rehabilitation Studies. He has over 15 years of clinical experience in the mental health and addictions field, serving as a clinician, supervisor, and educator. His teaching and research interests include addictions and mental health counseling, and integrated care, especially related to the integration of Animal Assisted Interventions into addictions and clinical counseling.