Wow, I CAN'T thank you enough for this guide. As someone who is bad with explaining things and usually gets anxious trying to find the right words, this guide will be very helpful for me to help explain therianthropy to people close to me who don't understand it. Luckily they aren't too against it, and they just see it as an odd quirk.

Again, thank you so so so much for this guide.

Thanks for the guide. This should be placed alongside our other resources! Otherwise, I would like to say, for the longest time I was skeptical too. But then again, your only insight on the community being a bunch of 13 year olds wearing gears doing quads is definitely not the best introduction to the therian community. One day, I began to think, like I usually do. Then I got really panicky; they're just kids, so chances are they are not making the community look the greatest. Then I found this place and quickly discovered I was therian, and suddenly, it was like my entire life had begun to make sense. I had thought for years that my shifts were just me coping, despite not being able to help when they randomly come. I feel a lot of us may have been skeptical for the same reasons I have put out, and honestly, probably for a good reason. Most of us still live mainly normal lives afterall!

So I think I had a phantom shift? I was looking at my shadow, and I felt like it was meant to have a tail and maybe(?) ears? Not wearing tails can make me feel horrible and upset, but mostly, I feel completely fine.

In my opinion this guide is well written and covers the important stuff. I like that you also included that there are Alter-Humans who doesn't shift, or are permanently shifted.

I'd just like to add that voluntary/induced shifts (e.g. through meditation) are not a reliable way to find out your kintype!
I've seen some people who tried that, but please don't do that.

…mayyyybeeeeee
Have a shifty day!!! (Jkjkjk)

Are you implementing a bad word when you say shifty? cuz my mind always goes to 'shitty' instead of shifty. ( ꩜ ᯅ ꩜; )  xD

If you did that on purpose, i despise you immensely... (¬_¬")

What a shifty place you’ve found yourself in! Shift here, shift there, shift everywhere!

While I’m sure this guide has been done countless upon countless times, I thought I’d at least try to take a stab at it myself! Plus maybe someone somewhere will learn something new from this they haven’t read from other guides

That being said:

Welcome to Milo’s Guide to Everything Shifty!

Let’s start with a preface.

Shifting is one of the most talked about experiences in therianthropy. However, you do not have to shift to be a therian! Many therians (especially our younger folks) get anxious or feel like they aren’t truly a therian because they haven’t experienced a shift before, or at least not to some of the extents they’ve heard others mention.

Not shifting does not take away from being a therian.

But, that leads us to asking, what exactly is shifting?

The term “shift” as used in therianthropy is sort of used as an umbrella term for many types of experiences where a therian experiences a psychological or spiritual change that causes them to feel or act more animal-like. Some shifts can be acute (meaning they happen quickly and don’t stick around for an extended period of time) or some may extend to even being a constant and permanent sensation or mindset. There are a few main categories of shifts, which I will detail below!

Types of shifts

• Mental Shifting
  Mental shifting describes a change in mental state where one may exhibit more animalistic behaviors or an animal-like mindset. For example, a wolf therian who undergoes a mental shift may find themselves using wolf-like vocals more often, or they may find themselves more alert, or even have certain urges such as running on all fours. Mental shifts can change in severity. They can be as simple as simply feeling more animal-like in the moment and having that perhaps bleed through in some behaviors such as alertedness, or can even go as deep as clearly exhibiting animal-like behaviors and feeling deeply like an animal.
• Phantom Shifting
  Phantom shifting describes feeling as if you have limbs, fur, feathers, etc. that aren’t actually there. These sensations can feel different depending on each person. Sometimes people will feel a tingling sensation or a pressure, while other times it’ll genuinely feel like a limb is there. Similarly to mental shifts, phantom shifts can range in severity and can be minor sensations that last a short time to much more prevalent sensations that last much longer or even permanently in some.
• Spiritual Shifting
  Spiritual shifting can describe a few things. They can describe dream shifting (dreaming that you are your theriotype), astral projection shifting, aura shifting, or even inducing mental-like shifts through spiritual practice.
  

• To start, find a quiet area. If you are able to go out in nature, then that’s even better! However, it’s not necessary. Then, slowly work to clear your mind. If you need, find something to focus your mind on, such as a soft fan or something smooth to feel on. Once your mind is clear, picture yourself in third person and imagine yourself with the animal-like features of your theriotype. Maybe such as a tail or with sharp canines. Then, start to vocalize. For example, if you’re a wolf, then let out a deep growl. Put your energy into this growl, feel your muscles tense, feel your heart beat, and when you feel you are ready, open your eyes. Do what feels right to you. Let your instincts take over!
  

Hello all!

If you’re reading this (and you’re not already part of the community!), chances are that somebody in your life has mentioned therians, therianthropy, or otherkin to you. Perhaps a friend, a loved one, your child, or maybe you heard about it in the media. Either way, I want to briefly thank you. The fact that you’ve found this post means that you are open to learning, and haven’t written therianthropy off as a fake phenomena or a bunch of loonies.

In this guide I will try to provide an introduction into the concept of therianthropy — common misconceptions, and what might cause someone to identify as a therian — from the perspective of a former skeptic of the community.

A lot of topics are already covered on the main therianguide website, but I would like to make some additional points.
(I will mostly be using the term therian/therianthropy, but the majority of these points also apply to the otherkin / fictionkin community as well).

A small tidbit of info about the person writing this:
Hello, I go by FernFox on TG! I am an adult, of sound mind, and I am a former skeptic of the therian and otherkin community, who now identifies as a therian after educating themself and evaluating their own experiences. I have had plenty of therapy (mostly for unrelated mood disorders), as well as having a large interest in psychology. I am not a staff member of this website, and have no financial incentive in writing this; I’m simply someone who wants to help dispel common myths and provide peace of mind for those who may be concerned about a loved one identifying as one of these things!

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“Is therianthropy a cult / religion / spirituality?”

This is definitely one of the most common misconceptions! When you see terms like ‘shifting’, ‘awakened’, and talk of ‘astral planes’, it can definitely give the wrong impression. However, modern therianthropy / otherkin is NOT defined by any religious or spiritual beliefs.

There are certainly therians who believe in spiritual reasons for their experiences, but this is not universal and (I would say) not even the majority of the community in the current day. Most modern therians believe in, or at least acknowledge, psychological reasons as a cause for their therianthropy — such as a coping mechanism, imprinting on animals, and responses to trauma. The current accepted definition is as such this:

Quote:

“A person who experiences being and identifies as a non-human animal on an integral, personal level."
"Someone who experiences animalistic traits.”

People who identify as therians come from all manner of backgrounds, faiths, religions, and non-religions. There are no core beliefs, structures, world-views, or rituals. The one thing that connects therians or otherkin, is feeling in some way non-human or ‘other’.

The therian community therefore exists in the same way as any other group or interest, such as folks who enjoy fishing, or folks who are home-carers; a group of individuals who connect over a shared experience.

“If therianthropy isn’t inherently spiritual, then why are spiritual terms used?”

The use of ‘spiritual’ terms such as awakening and shifting mostly derive from older (now-defunct) online communities dedicated to therianthropy. In the past, it was thought by many that therianthropy was inherently connected to a spiritual experience; such as the concept of misplaced souls or past lives. However, in the modern day, this is only a part of the community, and not a necessary part of claiming the identity.

There are many reasons as to why these terms are still used; from habit and nostalgia, to differentiating those who are therians from those who are out to mock them; but ultimately they help more accurately describe their experiences for many people, and therefore help others more easily connect to those who feel similarly— even if for them, therianthropy is not spiritual.

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“Is therianthropy a mental illness or a symptom of mental illness?”

Therianthropy is not a mental illness, nor a symptom of one. There are likely millions of people out there who behave animalistically, or identify as non-human on some level, whilst living completely normal and functioning lives— never thinking to question their identity! Does this mean they are all therians? Not necessarily— that is because this isn’t an illness, or researched phenomena with set criteria. It is an identity that someone chooses for themselves based on their experience and sharing the same thoughts/feelings as others in this community.

With that said, there is certainly an overlap between those who identify as a therian/otherkin, and those with mental illness or past trauma. But, this is correlation; not causation. People with mental health problems are more likely to look for answers or solutions to how they are feeling, and are therefore more likely to stumble across the concept of therianthropy and identify with it. A reaction to trauma is also one of the many potential theories put forth as to why therianthropy might ‘develop’, (though many therians feel as if they have always had this connection from birth).


“Is therianthropy a coping mechanism, then?”

Maybe. This is one of the many theories that people put forth to explain the feelings of therianthropy. However, there are plenty of therians who have no mental or emotional difficulties whatsoever, and simply feel as if being non-human this is an integral part of their identity. This forum in particular is home to a good number of older therians— with jobs, families, and a stable home life! For many, the concept of therianthropy goes deeper than that of a coping mechanism--it could almost be described as a 'developmental adaptation' in a similar way that we developed lungs to 'cope' with air. It's not something that is actively engaged in, but rather something that therians have always felt is there.

Regardless of whether it is or isn’t a coping mechanism, (and your beliefs on the matter!), it’s important to take anyone questioning therianthropy seriously. Asking them why they feel non-human is a great way to connect with them and learn the unique reasons why they feel they are a therian. It may be a passing phase, or it may be a core part of their belief system. Either way, we’re all humans (in body at least!), and deserve equal respect.

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“Do therians think they are literally animals?"
"Do therians think they can transform into an animal?”

No*. The vast, vast majority of therians know and accept that they are human in body, and that transforming (also known in the community as physical shifting or p-shifting) is impossible. Therians are not delusional, and can separate fact from fiction, as well as separate mental phenomena from what is physically happening with their bodies.

Within the community, we often refer to certain animalistic experiences as ‘shifting’ — an example would be ‘phantom shifting’, where one feels that they have the features or limbs of the animal they identify as. Almost all therians will be able to tell you that although we may feel such sensations, they are almost certainly limited to our minds (or soul/spirit, in the case of more spiritual therians)!

*With that said, there may be a tiny minority out there who express clinical delusions and claim the therian label. They are not any more indicative of the therian community than murderers are indicative of those with depression! If a therian is willing to discuss with you about why they feel the way they do, chances are that they have a perfectly sound mind, and should be taken seriously.

“Should I suggest my therian friend/partner/child seek therapy?”

When considering this question, I’d invite you to think about other symptoms or life occurrences your loved one may be experiencing aside from therianthropy. Try to separate this specific experience from other ‘symptoms’. Feeling non-human is not necessarily a symptom of mental illness, and therefore the answer would thoroughly depend on whether other life factors may have contributed to such a belief.

Ultimately, you should definitely speak to the person and get their view before making any recommendations or decisions on their behalf (if possible and appropriate). Chances are, if they are of sound mind, they will have no problem explaining the reasons behind why they think they are therian!

“What are some possible explanations of therianthropy?”

There are many theories! You can hear the takes of other therians right here on the forums, but here are just a small selection of reasons someone may feel that they are at their core, non-human, and express non-human behaviours.

. A deep childhood connection to an animal— also known as ‘imprinting’.
. A reaction or adaptation to trauma.
. Neurodivergency — Simply the way the brain is wired.
. Feeling ostracised by humans over an extended period, and therefore more ‘animal’ than ‘human’.
. Deeply relating to, or connecting with, a certain animal species.

More spiritual takes include:
. Reincarnation / Feeling that you were an animal in your previous life.
. A non-human soul that was mistakenly placed in a human body.

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“I’m still not convinced.”
Where to go from here.

Ultimately, I understand that the concept of a physical human, feeling like a non-human, can be hard to grasp. However, even if you still believe that therianthropy is a result of mental illness, or a phase, I’d invite you to consider how you would talk to someone with another kind of mental illness, or perhaps a different religion; would you tell someone with hallucinations that they are crazy or unintelligent? … Hopefully not! Would you tell someone who believes in angels that their beliefs are stupid and unfounded? … Again, I hope not!

All in all, I think it’s important that we all have empathy and compassion for one another. What you believe does not change the very real, lived-in experience of someone else. So long as someone’s beliefs is not hurting themselves or others, hopefully we can all agree that there is little harm in it!

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If you’ve gotten this far - thankyou! I hope that you have been able to find something useful or interesting in this guide. Remember that everything written here is solely the opinion, research, and experience of one person: people with the same therian experience as me may disagree, and that's to be expected with something as personal as someone's identity.

Regardless, I’ve tried to provide a thoughtful and compassionate view from the perspective of somebody who, for a long time, suppressed their experiences and refused to acknowledge therianthropy as a result of outdated beliefs. Furthermore, I will try to update with other Q&A’s as they are provided to me, and also update existing answers as more up-to-date information is provided!

If you have further questions, the therian-guide forums is a great place to ask questions and hear from the lived-in experiences of many different kinds of therian, otherkin, and otherhearted people. Contrary to belief, you don’t have to be a therian or questioning therian to join! — The sign-up process is solely there to keep trolls and those who might otherwise be here just to upset others out. So long as you are open-minded and respectful, your questions will be answered!

And of course, google is always your friend.

- FernFox

Hello! No idea how old this is, but I was wondering if it’s okay if I make my own post about therian journals? A separate one obviously! But it would definitely be more about things to write about? Instead of just the five things listed here, as I have many more prompts for writing, journaling, logging and drawing

Actually just saw it’s from 2017 so sorry for the bother, but still wondering? ?

It's a good way to express your theriotype, and it's very good excercise for your body, but one negative that I would say about doing quadrobics is that it can also hurt your body, because human bodies aren't meant to walk/run on all fours. I'm not a therian myself, so I don't really know what it's like; I'm just animal-hearted.

A big misconception is that quadrobics is only linked to therians. Quadrobics isn't just for therians. For example, Collin McClure is the fastest person on all fours. But he isn't a therian, he just does quads for sport. Anybody can do quads without being a therian.