Helping People
Animal Focused Therapy in Treatment Centers and Shelters
Animal-assisted therapy with animals is proven to help treat people with mental disabilities, illness, and addiction. Dogs are intelligent, friendly, and trainable. Just being in the company of a dog causes the brain to increase serotonin, endorphins, and oxytocin. These chemicals are responsible for making people happy.
Dogs help people relax, and most importantly, they help individuals open up about past trauma and abuse. Animal-assisted communication helps patients share freely. It is also proven to increase the efficiency of counseling sessions. Clinicians gain insight into patients and their struggles when animals are introduced to the therapeutic environment.
People that are exposed to therapy dogs experience many benefits. Studies show the efficacy of this type of treatment. In one study of 231 people divided into groups of people who worked with a therapy dog versus those who did not, the group that worked with the dogs had a far more favorable opinion of the therapeutic experience. This leads to increased success and completion of treatment.
Treatment Workshops
Just Dogs
(Individual or Group)
We provide the dogs (or Kitties), and your therapists decide how you want to spend your time with them.
Guided Treatment
(Individual or Group)
One of our Staff Members will bring dogs for a guided therapy workshop.
Therapy Session
(Individual or Group)
One of our licensed clinicians will conduct this session with staff and patients.
Animal Focused Workshops
Downward Dog Yoga Sessions
Zen Dog Meditation
Mindful Dog Movement
PAWsitive Recovery offers several workshops for people in treatment or sober living an opportunity to get out, exercise, practice mindfulness and art, and socialize with abused and neglected animals. We Partner with Soul Dog Rescue and shelter. We bring the animals to any facility that would benefit from animal interactions.
