Animal-Assisted Therapy at Grace Behavioral Health & Wellness

Animal-Assisted Behavioral Health Therapy is tailored to each client’s treatment goals, developmental needs, preferences, and clinical presentation. Depending on the intervention and the client’s needs, the therapy dog may participate in part or all of a session. These behavioral health interventions leverage the unique bond between clients and therapy animals to enhance therapeutic outcomes.

Examples of therapeutic activities may include:

Emotional Regulation & Grounding

Clients engage in breathing, mindfulness, grounding, and other regulation strategies while interacting with the therapy dog, which helps in therapy for anxiety and emotional stability.

Behavioral Activation

Incorporating activities such as walking, play, and structured care with the therapy animal encourages movement, engagement, and positive reinforcement, all of which are crucial for effective behavioral health interventions.

Social Skills & Communication

The presence of the therapy dog provides a natural setting for practicing vital social skills, including conversation, turn-taking, nonverbal communication, appropriate touch, asking for help, and reading social cues in a supportive environment.

Assertiveness & Boundaries

Clients can work on identifying and communicating their boundaries, offering and respecting cues, and understanding that healthy relationships involve both connection and the importance of personal space with the help of therapy animals.

Coping Skills

Through their interactions with the therapy animal, clients can learn and practice various coping strategies, including cognitive, behavioral, relaxation, and sensory-based techniques, which are essential for managing anxiety.

Emotional Awareness

Engaging with the therapy dog allows clients to explore their emotions, body language, reactions, and relationship patterns in an approachable and experiential manner, making it easier to navigate their mental health journey.