Animal Assisted counseling

Animal Assisted Counseling (AAC) includes animals as therapeutic agents in the therapy process. It is a theory based approach to working with clients and involves a trained therapist working with an animal as a team. The AAC team uses the therapeutic powers of Human-Animal-Interactions to help clients resolve challenges and achieve growth. Human-Animal-Interactions have been found to increase resilience and empower us to thrive. Dr. Seawell, Cooper, and Henry have all undergone advanced training to be able to provide AAC as a psychotherapy service. During your work in AAC sessions there will be ongoing interactions between you, your therapist, and either Cooper or Henry who will be partnering with Dr. Seawell as a co-therapist. AAC involves goal oriented and structured interventions and is associated with multiple benefits including reductions in anxiety, stress, and depression. A client’s personal awareness can be enhanced by the way the animal responds to their interactions with them. In many cases clients may be able to achieve goals they might not have without the aid of an animal in session. Participation in AAC can reduce the stress of therapy for clients and may allow for quicker and greater recovery. Clients involved in AAC may experience a greater sense of comfort and be more relaxed during the therapy process. As a result it can be easier to open up, more motivating to return to therapy, and easier to build therapeutic rapport. Two of the greatest assets animals bring to therapy are the capacity and desire to nurture people, and the ability to detect and signal emotional distress.