Animal Assisted Therapy
Animal assisted therapy (AAT) is a meaningful and goal-directed therapeutic intervention designed to promote an individual’s physical, social, emotional, and cognitive functioning. It is a planned, structured, and documented intervention approach, directed by a licensed and trained health and human service provider. AAT differs from volunteer therapy animal teams that participate in animal assisted activities and visitation programs.
Learn more about types of animal assisted interventions (AAI) here.
Getting Started
Clients will be carefully screened and evaluated for participation in AAT, as this intervention approach may not be appropriate for everyone. While it may be scheduled for Dottie and/or Tater to participate in a therapy session, clients should understand that their welfare is a priority and it is ultimately up to the dogs to decide the duration and amount of engagement in each session. When the dogs are resting, clients may engage in animal and dog-related games, make toys/treats for the dogs, or focus on other skill areas. Please contact Dr. Karen Ni if you are ready to complete a new client packet.