For animal lovers of all ages
Having a therapy dog or cat present during counseling sessions can be very relaxing and comforting. Simply petting an animal is proven to reduce human stress levels and increase positive emotion. For children who may be nervous about attending therapy, the presence of a therapy animal can make the experience positive and fun. Therapy dogs have passed rigorous tests to ensure their safety and emotional ability to connect with humans and assist with expressing emotions. At ECS Psychological Services, P.C. we can involve a therapy dog or cat in counseling sessions if requested by the client.
ECS also offers a unique partnership with Therapeutic Horses of Saratoga to provide Equine Assisted Learning services (EAL) to clients by request. EAL uses the diverse personalities and calming effects of horses as a means of helping clients work through their own emotional challenges. There is no riding involved in EAL and no prior horse knowledge is required.
How EAL can help
EAL is used as a complement to traditional mental health therapy by using a client’s interpretation of a horse’s movements, behaviors or reactions as a metaphor to identify and change negative patterns of thinking that lead to emotional difficulties. To learn more about EAL visit Therapeutic Horses of Saratoga, Inc.