Animal Assisted Therapy Experts Monthly News
We are happy to have this opportunity to share the news of what is happening at our wonderful, engaging site with a plethora of delightful animals!
Our animals are delighted to have some warmer days! Of course, they certainly will begin to process the time to begin to shed their warm coats.
Speaking of coats, our sweet baby twin lambs, Linus and Lucy are quite fluffy and look plump! Lucy has begun to express herself more with people as her shyness quietly disappears! Our clients love both and work quite frequently to gain Lucy’s trust. It is like us working with a new client to gain rapport! Well, honestly, we lean into watching how Lucy does that as well!
Our Flemish sweet bunny Thumper has been busy all winter settling in with clients in our warm room in the arena. Thumper and Dolly, the rescued Saint Bernard, have an amazing relationship! They literally romp around (excuse the pun)!
Linus, Lucy, and Thumper spend their days with their 2 rescued pot-bellied pigs, Wanda and Maryann, their happily “oinking” friends share treats (when Wanda lets them)! Our days begin with hearing the oinks, baa’s, and thumps to enjoy how they begin a great day letting us know they are near, waiting for clients, and oh yes, a treat!
Treats are often the key word with the pony, Guinnea, Thelma and Louise, our donkeys, and of course to our gentle giant horse, like Chief! Chief continues to delight our clients with his gentle nod as they arrive. He is like a giant monitor as he watches the coming and going at the farm.
We are always delighted to welcome clients and this past summer, we also had some groups that came to meet our “crew” of animals and learn how we help others with the delightful antics of our dogs, donkeys, cats, pony, horses, potbellied pigs, Flemish bunny, and lambs.
One group was 8 doctoral students from a couple and marriage family program! They participated in a demonstration, by building an obstacle course in the arena that represented what they were all wanting to focus on in their world. Then they chose some animals to walk through the obstacle while we asked some metaphorical questions! What Fun!
Another group was 12 master and doctoral students in a mental health counseling program, enjoying an elective class from a university. The delightful group was busy enjoying and learning about animal-assisted therapy and the growing movement to incorporate animals into working with clients.
Therefore, the next group we had, which included some of the above students, is our animal-assisted therapy certification training (AATC).Here we focus on the application of metaphorical tools, theories, and discuss how to start a practice with animals, beginning with an understanding on the various animals, the basic care, desensitization to touch, and to implementing insurance.
Whew! It has been a great whirlwind of training and counseling!
Speaking of a whirlwind, our NEXT AATC is April 25, 26, and May 30, and 31 for 32 Credit Hours and 4 full packed days commencing in supervisor and consultation for a year!
We know the magic of having an animal “co-therapist,” and hope more will as well!
Happy Oinking, Baaing, Meowing, Yapping, Whinnying, and Thumping,
Kate, LPC and Sandy, LCPC