Individual Animal/Equine Assisted Counselling and Psychotherapy (1 Hour).

Animal Assisted Psychotherapy is a type of therapy that involves integrating animals into the therapeutic process as a form of treatment and research has shown it has a number of positive benefits.

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• Animals provide a special human-animal bond that immediately helps the client feel comfortable and at ease. This helps the therapist connect with the client more quickly and makes the counselling process more positive and enjoyable.

• Clients feel that the animal accepts and understands them in ways that others may not.

• Some of our therapy animals have been rescued and have their own stories. Some clients can relate directly to the animals’ stories. Thus helping the healing therapeutic process.

• In clients (particularly children and adolescents), we can develop and create fun interventions with the animals that help focus on the child’s issues and challenges without having to directly confront the client.

• Clients find they can address issues and challenges faster when animals are present, which results in therapy taking less time and is, therefore, more effective.

• Animal Assisted Psychotherapy is an experiential therapy that gives clients the opportunity to learn through engagement and ‘learn by doing’ and reflecting on the experience.

• Communication in the human-animal bond positively affects the human and animal physiologically, by releasing "feel-good" chemicals such as dopamine and lowing heart rate and blood pressure. Positive interactions between humans and animals benefit both in very physical ways, making these interactions more reinforcing and motivating.

• In Animal Assisted Psychotherapy nature therapy is also incorporated into our sessions which clients find extremely beneficial.

• For children, we integrate our therapy animals into the play therapy process, providing fun and creative interventions. This makes the therapy process more positive, engaging and enjoyable for them.

 

During your initial session, the therapist will gather information, evaluate the client and start to develop a treatment plan specifically designed for the client. We believe that effective therapy is based on a strong, trusting, supportive and comfortable relationship between the client and their therapist.

 

 

Therapy Groups

(1 ½ Hours, Up to 10 clients per Group)

Homelea Farmstead provides Animal Assisted Counselling and Psychotherapy groups covering a wide range of different areas and for different age groups, duration etc.

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We offer therapy groups for all ages including:

Children – Ages 7-9 Years

Pre-Teens – 10-12 Years

Young Adolescents – 13-15 Years

Adolescents – 15-18 Years

Young Adults – 18-25 Years

Women and Men’s Adult Therapy Support Groups

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Some of the specific areas we cover for group therapy include:

• Anxiety

• Depression

• Grief and loss

• Panic attacks

• Divorce recovery

• Social or school problems

• Self-Esteem and confidence building

• Social skills groups

• Women’s empowerment group

• Siblings of special needs families

• Parents of children with special needs

• Relationship problems

• Anger Management

• Parent-Child Problems

• Personal growth and development

• Domestic violence recovery

 

 

Couples and Family Therapy (1 Hour)

Couples and Families can receive many benefits from Animal Assisted Counselling and Psychotherapy, including improving relationships, communication and interaction, problem-solving skills, behaviours and self-expression. Here at Homelea Farmstead, we have received professional training and certification on how to integrate our therapy animals into the therapeutic counselling process. We work with couples and families to establish specific goals that will be incorporated into the counselling sessions, helping them through the therapeutic process.

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Counselling without a therapy animal (1 Hour)

If working with a therapy animal isn’t your thing, not a problem at all. We also offer in-room counselling that doesn’t involve any therapy animals.

 

Reports & Support Letters

Reports are available to those who need them for NDIS reviews and/or other support reasons.

*28 days notice is required*

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