Center for Creative Counseling

Meet Gizmo, a 9 year old male Pekingese Therapy Dog. Therapy Dogs work with  health-care professionals as part of a treatment plan. Animal Assisted Therapy is designed to promote improvement in physical, social, emotional, and/or cognitive functioning.
Animal-assisted psychotherapy incorporates animals into the psychotherapeutic treatment of people. Having an animal present in the therapy process provides the client with a sense of comfort not equaled in traditional therapy.
The use of animals in therapy is founded on the animal's sense for supplying the client’s need for cuddling, companionship and unconditional acceptance.
Even an angry, hurting child learns quickly to be gentle with an animal that eagerly demonstrates a desire "to be friends." 

Goals of Animal Assisted Therapy Programs~

• In a Mental Health Setting~
  • To increase verbal interactions between patient and therapist
  • To increase attention skills (i.e., paying attention, staying on task)
  • To increase self-esteem
  • To reduce anxiety
  • To reduce loneliness

                                        

Animal Assisted Therapy interactions may provide the following benefits~

• Empathy:
  Identifying with and understand the feelings and motives of another

• Outward Focus:
  Bringing individuals out of themselves
• Nurturing:
  Promoting the growth and development of another living thing
• Rapport:
  A relationship of mutual trust or a feeling of connection or bonding
• Acceptance:
  Favorable reception or approval
• Physiological Benefits:
  Positive effects on the basic functioning of the body
• Physical Contact, Touch:
  Much has been written about the correlation between touch and health. For some people touch from another person is not acceptable. But the warm, furry touch of a dog is. The touch of an animal is safe, non-threatening, and pleasant. Having an animal to hold, hug, and touch can make a world of difference to someone who would otherwise have no positive physical contact.

For therapy info contact~

For more information call~ 561-347-7211
Gizmo is an AKC certified Canine Good Citizen

Want Gizmo to visit your facility? Call us at: 561-347-7211

Gizmo Visits~

Gizmo in the News!

Gizmo on the Radio!

For more articles on AAT~

     AKC® Canine Good Citizen® (CGC)

The 19^th annual Walk for the Animals March 7, 2009
at Huizenga Plaza www.walk4theanimals.com

For Dog Bandanas~ Kam Sew Unique