Can Animal-Assisted Services be a Possible Pathway for Rural Mental Health
Tracks
Bluewater II - In-Person
| Friday, November 8, 2024 |
| 8:55 AM - 9:15 AM |
| Bluewater II |
Overview
Wendy Coombe, Animal Therapies Ltd
Presenter
Wendy Coombe
Director
Animal Therapies Ltd
Can Animal-Assisted Services be a Possible Pathway for Rural Mental Health
Abstract
This presentation will explore the potential for animal-assisted mental health support to become a path forward in rural communities.
Animal Therapies Ltd (ATL) is a national health promotion charity and is the lead organisation for the animal-assisted services sector.
Animal-Assisted Services leverage a disrupter health support model seeking to deliver health support services differently and has grown out of this need for improved treatment acceptability as a viable alternative to traditional room-based help.
Moreover, for individuals with complex mental health profiles, such as those who have experienced traumatic events or abuse, traditional talking therapy can be intolerable or distressing. Animal-Assisted Therapy has grown out of this need for improved treatment acceptability and as a viable alternative to traditional room-based help.
The animal essentially is the go-between to help foster a relationship between the therapist and the client that will provide comfort, promote a sense of safety and non-judgement, and engender trust to expedite a therapeutic response.
“Animals can often be a very valuable bridge back to establishing a human relationship. They help build trust and can give people the sense that they can have positive relationships again.” Tedeschi
Animal-assisted services can help a recipient to become more self-reliant, to thrive and improve their life by providing the tools to help prevent or manage mental illness, disability, disease and suffering.
The animal-assisted services sector is made up of a range of different professionals and volunteers who work within the scope of their practice alongside animals.
These types of services are usually goal-directed programs designed to support people with intellectual, physical, sensory, cognitive and psychosocial health conditions in which a specially trained animal-handler team is an integral part.
Three Key Learnings:
1. What an animal-assisted service is.
2. How can animal-assisted services support mental health.
3. How you can become an animal-assisted service provider.
Animal Therapies Ltd (ATL) is a national health promotion charity and is the lead organisation for the animal-assisted services sector.
Animal-Assisted Services leverage a disrupter health support model seeking to deliver health support services differently and has grown out of this need for improved treatment acceptability as a viable alternative to traditional room-based help.
Moreover, for individuals with complex mental health profiles, such as those who have experienced traumatic events or abuse, traditional talking therapy can be intolerable or distressing. Animal-Assisted Therapy has grown out of this need for improved treatment acceptability and as a viable alternative to traditional room-based help.
The animal essentially is the go-between to help foster a relationship between the therapist and the client that will provide comfort, promote a sense of safety and non-judgement, and engender trust to expedite a therapeutic response.
“Animals can often be a very valuable bridge back to establishing a human relationship. They help build trust and can give people the sense that they can have positive relationships again.” Tedeschi
Animal-assisted services can help a recipient to become more self-reliant, to thrive and improve their life by providing the tools to help prevent or manage mental illness, disability, disease and suffering.
The animal-assisted services sector is made up of a range of different professionals and volunteers who work within the scope of their practice alongside animals.
These types of services are usually goal-directed programs designed to support people with intellectual, physical, sensory, cognitive and psychosocial health conditions in which a specially trained animal-handler team is an integral part.
Three Key Learnings:
1. What an animal-assisted service is.
2. How can animal-assisted services support mental health.
3. How you can become an animal-assisted service provider.
Biography
Wendy Coombe is the Founder of National Health Promotion Charity, Animal Therapies Ltd (ATL).
In her younger years, Wendy graduated from Hawkesbury Agricultural College and spent time as a jillaroo. She then established one of the Hawkesbury;s first automated goat dairies.
Fast forward to 2014, Wendy went to work like any other day as a senior manager for a large corporation but that afternoon – with no memory of how she got home – her life took a dramatic turn. A critical path for Wendy’s recovery came in the form of an Assistance Dog and equine-assisted therapy.
