Program Updates: Animal Assisted Therapy

What is the therapeutic purpose of interacting with animals?

Animal assisted therapy is used to expand on emotional growth and learning. Animals, along with a therapist and a specialist, are used as tools toward increased self awareness.

Another benefit of using animals in therapy is that the therapy becomes experiential. Experiential learning is the process of making meaning from direct experience. Aristotle once said, “For the things we have to learn before we can do them, we learn by doing them.” Essentially, a key part of learning is by doing.

The Villa Orlando and Pasadena Villa’s Smoky Mountain Lodge are adult intensive psychiatric residential treatment centers for clients with serious mental illnesses. We also provide other individualized therapy programs, step-down residential programs, and less intensive mental health services, such as Community Residential Homes, Supportive Housing, Day Treatment Programs and Life Skills training. Pasadena Villa’s Outpatient Center in Raleigh, North Carolina offers partial hospitalization (PHP) and an intensive outpatient program (PHP). If you or someone you know may need mental health services, please complete our contact form or call us at 877-845-5235 for more information.