Animal treatment therapy - AAT
Animal-assisted therapy is a therapeutic holistic approach that sees animals as enabling and bringing about change in patients and as integral parts of the care team.
It is a well-established field that has been operating successfully in many countries around the world, and in the last 30 years, the field has become well-known and studied in academia. It is a focused tool that allows the patient to use the animal as a mediator between himself and the therapist. All this, while using physical and motor skills with the animals in their environment.
The therapeutic approach at the Havayot Center is based on the model known as “Triangular Therapy” – a psychotherapeutic process with the help of animals developed by Dr. Yehuda. According to this model, the treatment is done via encounters between the patient and the animal, under the guidance and expertise of the therapist.
During the treatment the patient is given various tasks involving animal care including feeding, cleaning the animals, and the like. These tasks allow him or her to be involved in what is happening, to take responsibility and feel positive and capable of offering care (all of which empower him/her in the therapeutic space).
The patient views himself as the caregiver of the animal, and is worthy of offering care, so as the caregiver and the patient are “equal” for the benefit of the animal. It is an initial fundamental experience of ability and success, and a rapid transition from an experience of "having difficulties" to an experience of giving to another. Also, this process allows the patient to express his feelings and go through a deep psychotherapeutic process.
The fields in which treatment helps
For whom is the therapy suitable?
 |
|