Healing with Hearts and Paws

Animal-Assisted Therapy in Owasso, Oklahoma and the greater Tulsa area integrates the human-animal connection to support the work you do in counseling.

Current Status:

I currently have a therapy dog in training.
Full Animal-Assisted Therapy will resume once he consistently demonstrates the stability, and reliability required for clinical work. With your consent, the therapy dog in training may be present in your sessions.

Animal-Assisted Therapy

Animal-assisted therapy is structured, goal-oriented, and intentionally integrated into the therapeutic process. It does not replace traditional counseling, but supports regulation, engagement, and connection within the work you’re already doing. Animal-Assisted Therapy brings the unique relationship between humans and animals into the work.

Both research and experience indicate that the presence of a trained therapy animal can be useful in several ways:

• Emotional Support: Animals offer acceptance and comfort, which can reduce your feelings of isolation, stress, and anxiety.

• Stress Reduction: Interacting with animals can lower blood pressure and cortisol levels, promoting relaxation and a sense of calm. This can be harnessed as an additional source of support as you work through challenges.

• Improved Communication: Animals can encourage communication and trust, particularly if you struggle with social interaction or with wanting to come to therapy.

• Increased Motivation: The presence of an animal can increase motivation and engagement in therapy.

• Sensory Stimulation: Petting and interacting with animals provides sensory stimulation, which may be particularly beneficial if you have sensory processing difficulties.

In practice, this matters most when you’re dealing with things like:

• Anxiety

• Trauma and PTSD

• Challenges with trust

• Social anxiety

• Isolation

• Chronic illness

• Uncertainty about starting therapy

• Or if you’re just an animal person

Not everyone will need or want animal therapy, and that’s ok. Your therapy is always tailored to you, and nothing is done without your consent. If you’re not interested in animal-assisted therapy, any animals will remain crated during your session.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Animal-Assisted Therapy is the intentional inclusion of a trained therapy animal as part of your treatment. The animal does not replace counseling or change the goals of our work. Instead, the animal may support regulation, engagement, and connection within the therapy we are already doing. Some people find that Animal-Assisted Therapy reduces barriers to engaging in therapy.

Following in the pawprints of my longtime therapy dog, Josh, therapy dog in training Maverick is now learning the skills, stability and intuition required to provide the same level of clinical support. A therapy dog has demonstrated consistent reliability, impulse control, and appropriate behavior for clinical work. A therapy dog in training, as the name implies, is still developing those skills.

Training focuses on temperament, impulse control, responsiveness to cues, and the ability to remain calm and predictable in a therapy environment. During this training period, participation in sessions is structured, and limited to what is appropriate for the dog’s current level of skill. If you choose to engage with a therapy dog in training, you may consent to do so, but this is not considered full Animal-Assisted Therapy.

My therapy dog in training is a Miniature Schnauzer. The breed has a wire coat with minimal shedding and is often considered hypoallergenic. Many people with mild dog allergies tolerate schnauzers well.

That said, if you have significant dog allergies— even to hypoallergenic breeds— animal-assisted therapy may not be a good fit. You know your body and should honor it.

If you’re uncomfortable around dogs, and want to work on that in counseling, Animal-Assisted Therapy can be a structured way to do so. The dog will remain in a covered crate until you feel comfortable seeing him, and any interaction would move at a pace you choose. Until you request otherwise, the dog will remain crated or leashed.

If being in the same room as a dog would make it difficult to focus on your therapy goals, animal-assisted therapy may not be the right fit. We can talk through that before you schedule.

A therapy dog has demonstrated consistent reliability, impulse control, and appropriate behavior for clinical work. A therapy dog in training, as the name implies, is still developing those skills.

A therapy dog in training is being raised and trained specifically for work in a therapy setting and will participate in sessions only by request and with consent. Training includes daily structured training at home and in the office, weekly classes, and participation in competitive obedience. The focus is on impulse control, reliability, temperament, and creating an environment that encourages calm, predictable behavior and positive choices.

Absolutely not.

He will be crated unless you specifically consent to engagement, and his crate is a comfortable. structured place for him.

No.

Participation in Animal-Assisted Therapy is included as part of your regular session fee.

Current Therapy Dog in Training

Maverick

Maverick is a Miniature Schnauzer puppy and current therapy dog in training.

Updates about his training and development will be shared here as he prepares for his future role as a therapy dog.

Sometimes hope has paws.

If you’re interested in incorporating Animal-Assisted Therapy into your work, click the “I’m Ready” button and choose “Schedule Appointment” to get started today.

Animal-Assisted Therapy sessions are available in Owasso and accessible throughout the greater Tulsa area.