- Image by George Eastman House via Flickr
Dogs abound on our campus. And so do reptiles if you take a walk up to the woodcarving studio and visit the cold-blooded menagerie. And there’s a reason. As a therapeutic boarding school, the relationships of our students to the many animals they interact with provide many opportunities for growth and development.
“Anyone who has ever loved a pet knows about an animal’s ability to comfort us, reduce anxiety, nurture empathy, and enhance quality of life. Unfortunately, and for a variety of societal and personal reasons, many people today lack the time, ability and/or motivation to develop and benefit from a human-animal bond. This is especially true of high-risk teens.” Christine Hawkins, MSW, Animal Assisted Therapy for High Risk Teens
For those interested, Animal Assisted Therapy in Counseling by Cynthia K. Chandler, is a useful resource that looks at the benefits of ATT from all facets.
