This innovative approach uses the bond between humans and animals to foster healing and growth. At our practice, we offer two services:
THERAPY DOG: Engaging with therapy dogs can alleviate anxiety, enhance social skills, and provide a fun, enjoyable way for children to participate in therapy.
EQUINE THERAPY: Utilizing horses as part of the treatment, this therapy improves motor skills, balance, and coordination while fostering relaxation and emotional regulation.
animal assisted therapy
THERAPY DOG
equine therapy
How do you use a certified Therapy Dog in Speech Sessions?
Dog therapy uses specially trained dogs to bring comfort, reduce anxiety, & enhance social skills.
- Imitation skills
- Target specific phonemes
- Target phonological processes
- Structured sentences and conversation
- Fluency
- Vocal volume
- Generalization of target sounds to functional environments
RECEPTIVE & EXPRESSIVE LANGUAGE SKILLS:
- Ask/answer questions (yes/no, wh-questions, hypothetical questions)
- Pronouns
- Follow multi-step directions
- Identification of vocabulary (body parts, size, numbers, etc)
- Adjectives
- Sequence events
- Follow/give multi-step directions,
- Commenting/descriptions
- Verb formats (third person singular, present/present progressive, future tense)
- Contractions, possession, prepositions, vocabulary and categories
- Concepts (temporal, spatial, quantitative)
- Give directions (sit, drop, shake, stay, hug, etc)
SOCIAL/PRAGMATIC LANGUAGE SKILLS:
- Initiation
- Attention to task
- Joint attention
- Distal/proximal point
- Inviting others to participate
- Turn taking
- Pretend play
- Waiting
- Personal space
- Problem solving
- Planning
- Listening to others without interrupting
- Body language
- Facial expressions
- Requesting (permission, objects, etc)
- Topic maintenance
- Helping others
- Initiate/terminate activities
- Use of hand gestures and signs
- State likes/dislikes
- Ask for help
- Give instructions
- State desire to repeat
- Indicate yes/no
- Answer questions
- Maintain conversation through multiple exchanges
- Ask/answer simple questions
- Picture schedule
- Low tech communication boards
- Eye gaze
ARTICULATION:
- Phoneme specific words (i.e. Initial /p/: Puppy, Paw, Pet, Play. Initial /s/: Stay, Sit, Stand, Step. Velars: Come, Shake, Leg, Black, Grey, Give, Get)
LITERACY: R.E.A.D.:
- Reading Education Assistance Dogs;
- Research-based reading intervention program that utilizes a therapy dog to improve literacy skills (including: comprehension, fluency, target vocabulary, confidence)
Overall benefits of Animal Assisted Therapy:
These loyal companions go beyond being pets; they become intuitive co-therapists who inspire and support in a remarkable way.
Kate is a certified therapy dog handler, and often uses her certified therapy dog, Milo, in her sessions.
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Reduces stress
Helps establish rapport/build trust
Increases response time
Facilitates sensory interactions, as well as physical contact & touch
Increases social interaction
Facilitates communication
Improves student motivation
Facilitates spontaneous communicative interactions
Produces stronger desire to communicate
Improves empathy and acceptance
Equine Assisted Therapy "Hippotherapy" is a therapy using horse movements to provide motor and sensory input for physical, occupational, and speech therapy.
equine assisted therapy
Benefits of Using a Horse in Speech Therapy
Horses enhance speech therapy by improving articulation, rhythm, and control through their rhythmic motion.
ENHANCED ENGAGEMENT:
Horses captivate attention and naturally motivate children to participate in therapy sessions.
IMPROVED SPEECH PRODUCTION:
The rhythmic movement of horseback riding helps regulate breathing, a crucial component in producing clear speech.
LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT:
Activities like grooming and leading horses encourage the use of specific vocabulary and following multi-step instructions.
SENSORY STIMULATION:
The stable environment offers a rich sensory experience, promoting conversation and emotional expression.
CONFIDENCE BUILDING:
Interacting with such large and gentle animals helps build self-esteem and confidence in children.
The bond with horses offers emotional support, and their involvement boosts engagement and motivation.
Therapists use horseback riding and stable activities to create immersive experiences, aiding in breathing regulation, following directions, and language development, making therapy enjoyable and memorable.
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EMOTIONAL CONNECTION:
The bond formed between the child and horse fosters a supportive and therapeutic atmosphere, enhancing overall emotional well-being.
PHYSICAL COORDINATION:
Riding and stable activities improve motor skills, which are essential for effective communication.
Let’s chat more about your child’s needs and how animal assisted therapy services can help!
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