What is a therian? Seattle woman Naia Ōkami, who identifies as a wolf shares what her life is like

A woman who identifies as a wolf has opened up about her unique life and hit back at bullying trolls who call her ‘mentally ill’. 

Naia Ōkami, from Seattle in the USA, calls herself a therian, which is someone who identifies as either an extinct or living non-human animal, and believes she is ‘spiritually and psychologically’ a British Columbia Wolf.

Speaking on the I’ve Got News For You podcast, the 28-year-old – who goes by NaiaGoesAwoo online – said identifying as a wolf does not affect her day-to-day life, relationships or job and that she ‘doesn’t really care’ about the nasty things people say about her online. 

Naia, who is also transgender, said she was just 10 years old when she started telling people she had ‘the spirit of a wolf’ and spent years figuring out her identity before finding the term therian. 

She said she is a wolf ‘on all levels except physical’, often howls, sometimes dons a tails and ears when dressing up and spends time volunteering at wolf preserves to bond with the animals.

‘So spiritually and psychologically, I identify as a wolf but I know I’m human. I walk on two legs, I’ve got a job, I’ve got a career. My partner is human,’ she said.  

Naia has been open about her identity and copped cruel criticism and trolling as a result but is unfazed.

‘There’s plenty of reasons to hate a person. If you’re going to hate me because I’m blunt and I said something that offended you or a did something wrong that’s a valid reason not to like me,’ she said. 

‘But if you’re going to dislike me because of just an identity or a trait that’s not hurting you or anyone else, I don’t really need you in my life anyway.’  

Naia said people also often wrongly assume she must have mental health issues but assured listeners that isn’t the case. 

‘Mental health issues are judged by how they’re affecting your performance in society. Are they affecting your daily living skills? Are they affecting your ability to have a career? Are they affecting interpersonal relationships? Being a therian does none of those things,’ she said. 

She said she is a wolf ‘on all levels except physical’, often howls, sometimes dons a tails and ears and spends time volunteering at wolf preserves to bond with the animals

‘Are there people who have taken it way too far to the point where yeah if you go to work and you’re barking at your co-workers clearly that’s in the realm of causing some sort of problem but most therians don’t do that.’ 

Naia volunteers at wolf preserves to be closer to her canine counterparts and said her bond with the animals is not ‘supernatural’ or ‘magical’ but more like that of a wildlife professional who care for and study them. 

She often dons wolf-themed clothing and accessories and said she occasionally dresses up in a tail and ears when attending special events like Comic Con. 

Naia has been open about her identity and copped cruel criticism and trolling as a result but is unfazed

Naia said her unique identity ‘doesn’t make a difference’ in her friendships and relationships and only has a few fellow therian friends.

She claims being a wolf therian actually helps her in her job as an investigator where she tracks down people who harm animals and children. 

‘When I’m going after predators … I get to feel like a wolf hunting my prey and my prey happens to be humans who are doing bad things,’ she said.