Signed in as:
filler@godaddy.com
What is this?
Animal Assisted Counselling - a different kind of therapy
Animal Assisted Counselling is a gentle, integrative approach to therapy that invites animals into the counselling space as supportive companions in the healing process.
I do not believe in animals being “used” as part of treatment, animals are respected as sentient beings who naturally bring a sense of calm, presence, and relational connection.
Their quiet, non-judgmental way of being can help you feel more at ease, support emotional regulation, and create space for deeper reflection and understanding.
For many people, especially those who have experienced trauma find that animals can make it easier to engage and open up during therapy, feel grounded, and reconnect with themselves in a way that feels safe and natural that sometimes isn't possible during other types of therapy.
Animals are only ever invited to participate with sessions either through interaction or observation, in a gentle, optional and guided way that works for the client and animal with safe rest areas the animal can remove themselves to when they feel like it.
Some clients choose active involvement, while others prefer a quieter, observational presence or no animal involvement at all.
There is no right or wrong way only what feels safe and right for you.
how can animal assisted sessions help support you
Animal Assisted Counselling offers a unique way of healing
A gentle, relational approach to supporting anxiety and depression by combining therapeutic conversation, goal setting and regulation, with the calming presence of animals, nature and a range of creative therapies.
Research and clinical experience show that the inclusion of animals can support emotional wellbeing in several meaningful ways:
Supporting emotional regulation through the senses: touch, hearing, smell. Feeling the animals heartbeat, the warmth of their skin and texture of their fur. The gentle sound of their breathing, the melodic song of a bird. The smell of their unique scent.
Reducing feelings of loneliness and isolation, we are not supposed to be alone and sometimes being around animals is just easier then humans.
Creating a sense of safety and trust, often for people that have experienced trauma find it difficult to easily trust other people. Animals are fantastic judges of character, seeing how the animal reacts can help to build that therapeutic relationship during sessions.
Encouraging gentle engagement and motivation, through exploration of experiences during sessions and between sessions to help develop the new behaviors.
Supporting mindfulness and present-moment awareness, stress and anxiety live in the past and future so learning how to live as animals do in the here and now help to reduce the symptoms.
Strengthening emotional connection and self-compassion, often animal lovers put their own health and needs second to their animal companions during our sessions we will work on developing that self-compassion for yourself as well.
Animal Assisted Counselling is a gentle, evidence-informed approach that works to enhance traditional therapy and techniques.
It aims to Support nervous system regulation, strengthen the therapeutic relationship especially when humans are considered unsafe, and working with animals and nature allows us to create a more engaging and personalised experience!
What sessions might look like if we work together
What sessions might look like - in person
Sessions are personalised around what you identify during the initial session where we collaboratively create a care plan, identify what you would like your sessions to look like and any creative therapies you might be interested in exploring.
Although I will have a general plan there is no locked in process, no pressure to perform, and no right or wrong way to show up. We will work together with what shows up for you on that day, and what you will find supportive.
We begin with a brief check-in to see how you're arriving, what's feeling present for you, and what you'd like to focus on during the session.
From there, we move into some gentle grounding to help settle your nervous system this also helps us to practice techniques that you can use when you need support and a baseline we can review at the end of the session to determine if it is helpful.
The heart of the session is guided by you.
Depending on what you're working through and what feels right that day, this might look like:
Talk-based counselling while an animal rests nearby, gently stroking or sitting with an animal as we explore what's coming up for you
A walk and talk session outdoors — moving through nature while we talk, or simply pause and notice, mindful observation of the animals — watching how they move, rest, and respond — as a way of slowing down and becoming present
We will work together using structured therapeutic exercises drawing on ACT, CBT or other modalities, alongside animal and nature-based experiences and creative activities. To address what comes up for you during the session and come up with a plan for exploration between sessions.
We close each session with reflection, making sense of what came up and gentle regulation to ensure you leave feeling grounded and supported, not raw or exposed. This helps you to feel supported and resourced before leaving the safe counselling space.
I am a strong believer of doing work between sessions, this allows you to put the work we do together into your everyday life. A metaphor I find expresses this best is:
The first time you walk a path its challenging, overgrown and uneven ground with long grass making it hard to see the way. But the more times you walk that path the more confident you become in walking it and it becomes worn so you can see the path forward more easily.
The same can be said for the exercises we will do together.
What sessions might look like - Online
Online sessions are full counselling sessions specifically designed for this service type, not a lesser version of in-person work.
Many clients actually find the online format easier to open up in, you're in your own space, with your own familiar surroundings, working with your own animals and there's no travel expenses or waiting rooms to navigate. It's especially helpful if you are located in a rural surrounding or have a compromised immune system and catch every virus under the sun.
Animal assisted counselling doesn't disappear online — it simply takes a different, often surprisingly powerful form. Being able to do the experiences in your own space.
Your own animals as co-regulators
If you have a pet — a dog, cat, rabbit, bird, or any animal you feel connected to they are warmly invited into your online sessions.
You don't need a trained therapy animal. The model that I am trained in recognises the true beauty of animals natural behavior and being their authentic selves because that is the wisdom we are working to learn, honoring their personality, boundaries, being in relationship with them. It's very exciting to have that open curiosity during the sessions.
The same as in-person sessions, we will confirm the focus of the session before working through the grounding exercise to check in with how your feeling before the session.
We will collaboratively decide on what experiences you would be interested in working with depending on what presents during the session, you can either turn the camera off during these times or your welcome to take me along with you either by placing the laptop where I can still interact with you or via phone.
Experiential exercises adapted for online
Many of the experiential practices used in in-person sessions translate beautifully online. We are able to use recordings of nature or animals interacting via screen share or the whiteboard to work collaboratively it all depends on what would be beneficial during the session, the possibilities are endless!
I can hear you thinking: but what if I don't have a pet?
You don't need one. Online sessions are fully therapeutic without an animal present on your side, and we can change the experiences to incorporate nature or other creative therapies instead.
The same as in person we will close each session with reflection, making sense of what came up and gentle regulation to ensure you end the zoom call feeling grounded and supported, not raw or exposed. This helps you to feel supported and resourced before leaving the safe counselling space.
I am a strong believer of doing work between sessions, this allows you to put the work we do together into your everyday life. A metaphor I find expresses this best is:
The first time you walk a path its challenging, overgrown and uneven ground with long grass making it hard to see the way. But the more times you walk that path the more confident you become in walking it and it becomes worn so you can see the path forward more easily.
The same can be said for the exercises we will do together and doing the sessions at home your already a step ahead.
What animal assisted counselling is not
Counselling for animals (as smoosh is demonstrating), or about building or repairing your relationship with your pet.
Using animals as tools or props to achieve outcomes for the human: the animals involved are respected co-facilitators who offer unique perspectives of situations, they are respected participants who choose their own level of involvement.
Forced or staged animal interactions to amuse clients during counselling sessions: animals can come and go freely and are never forced to engage.
A replacement for qualified counselling: animal assisted counselling is still evidence-based therapy, delivered by a trained professional who has obtained training in both generalised counselling and specific animal assisted training.
A right way to do this: Because this work is very experiential there is no "right" way to do this work. There is no performance, no expectations, and nothing you need to prepare before attending the session.
One size fits all approach: every session is shaped around your needs, preferences, and pace, with regular check-in's to ensure we are going along the right path.
Only for people who love animals: while having a passion for animals can be beneficial for our work together, you are welcome to have little or no animal involvement if that feels like a better fit for you.
support between sessions
While I care deeply about your wellbeing between sessions our sessions together, for immediate or urgent support outside of sessions please reach out to one of the following services.
Lifeline Australia – 13 11 14 (24/7)
Suicide Call Back Service – 1300 659 467 (24/7)
Beyond Blue – 1300 22 4636
eheadspace – Online chat support
Emergency Services Australia – Call 000 if you are in immediate danger
You are encouraged to seek support whenever you need it. Reaching out whether to a trusted person or a support service is an important step in caring for yourself.