All About Animals Animal-Assisted Therapy

11/08/2025

Interacting with horses in a psychotherapy session provides an experiential process where clients can feel, see, hear, smell, and physically move in the change process. It is more than talk as the relationship with the horse provides real-time feedback and application of what is being learned.

The relationship with the horse doesn’t change until we change ourselves. And conversely, as the horses move and change, clients move and change with them.

These embodied experiences are engaging and memorable, creating long-lasting impact.

Learn more by visiting: horsesformentalhealth.org/how-horses-help/

04/08/2025

03/08/2025

International Assistance Dog Week begins today. To celebrate we’re launching Four Paws. Full Access. Together. Over the next week, we invite you to learn more about Assistance Dog’s Public Access Rights, why they’re important and along the way we will show you some fun and wacky places Assistance Dogs can go.

To learn more, check out our website --> https://www.assistancedogs.org.au/iadw25/

02/08/2025

How wonderful to have PTSD Dogs Australia at the always special Top Dog Film Festival this year!

02/08/2025

Why do some people reach out for canine-assisted services?

“Trust is a powerful force that shapes our connections with others. Yet, trust isn't always a simple concept—it can be fragile, easily shattered in human relationships. Perhaps this is why so many of us turn to our animal companions for unwavering loyalty.

The bond with our animals is not bound by expectations or conditions, it’s simply given freely.

As we move through life, let’s remember that trust is not just about giving it to others—it’s also about fostering it within ourselves.”

Post credit: spiritscienceofficial

31/07/2025

Another great online conference by ATL and I am presenting on my work in one of the morning sessions.

Have you registered for tomorrow’s National Disability Forum yet?

The 1st August online National Disability Forum is fast approaching. The ATL Disability Forum will focus on how animal-assisted services can support the goals of those in our community who live with a disability and what the critical success factors are for services to be funded.

Each person’s experience of disability is unique and multi-dimensional. Functioning refers to a person’s physical, psychological, cognitive and social capacity to manage day-to-day activities they find meaningful and support independence. Disability supports aim to improve social and economic participation, reducing disability-related barriers.

The ATL Disability Forum brings together health practitioners, clinicians, researchers, those with a lived experience and the broader animal-assisted services sector to share case studies, learnings, best practice, evidence base, achievements and challenges to better serve the needs of those living with a disability.

You can view the program here: https://animaltherapies.vfairs.com/

10/07/2025

It’s coming towards the end of and we honour kinship with animals, nature, plants and mountains. Please watch this trailer to learn more:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbVP4H8_X8g


If you would like to view the First Nations film festival for your team they go to the link and register.

17/06/2025

Looking forward to this great forum. And I have just been accepted to present on my animal assisted therapy work too!

Join us at the Outdoor Health Forum 2025 ‘Nurture with Nature’ as we ground in a journey of health and wellbeing outdoors. Evidence-informed nature-based health services supporting wellbeing and healing for people from all walks of life. October 17 - 19, 2025, Lake Ainsworth Sport and Recreation...

19/11/2024

My Charlie! Beautiful photo by local artist, Cameron Gillespie.

18/11/2024

If the origin of a persons traumatic experiences are human in nature then it may be difficult to feel safe in future human interactions.

There may also be a tendency to rate relationships based on the degree of safety they feel in them. This creates a hyper vigilance around human connections which can be exhausting.

Good mental health relies on safe human connections. Animals can help to build the feeling of having safe connections.

Animal-assisted therapists work within the scope of practice to help people who have been diagnosed with trauma related injuries to rebuild safe connections and put in place appropriate boundaries.