LETS TALK
Animals help you feel deeper. They heal you and love you unconditionally.
Sessions are either face to face or online, the first session will be part of an initial assessment and relationship building.
Working with animals provides a very powerful way to connect with young people who are often suspicious of the usual therapeutic approaches. I am trained at level 1 in Animal Assisted Play Therapy which allows me to use Kato my Japanese Splitz to assist me with therapeutic work. Practice-based in its evidence which suggests that this type of intervention enables confidence building and self-regulation skill, it can also be used with the child and their family.
The intervention is not the same as animal assisted therapy as each dog will have their own personality which is embraced and used to enable young people to be empathic to another beings needs. Before, meeting Kato young people will have a session with myself in terms of animal body language and to understand Kato’s personality.
I have trained Kato using positive methods, under the guidance of some very positive trainers and consultants. He is generally well-behaved, but he brings his own personality into play. Kato is not a toy; he is my assistant. His wishes and feelings are equivalent in importance to those of the child. He always has a choice whether to interact or not and can leave the room if he wants. I am the trained therapist, so it is my responsibility to build the relationship with the child and use the material presented to enhance the child’s goals.
How does it help?
It encourages a non-pressured relational bond with an animal. My dog interacts with young people through walking, playing, and training. I have worked mainly with children and their families, and a suitability assessment will take place first. It supports to reduce, stress, anxiety, depression, and it builds confidence. It is often used as part of an integrative intervention.
