Animal Assisted Psychotherapy for Children

How can emotional therapy for children with animals help?

Many children who face challenges such as anxiety, risky situations, social difficulties, and more, feel a deep connection to animals. Sometimes, this connection allows them to express content they cannot convey to humans.
The bond between children and animals is something that emotional therapists observe and use to gain access to the child’s inner world, their attachment patterns, and the non-verbal aspects of their psyche.

In our view, therapy for a child should be accompanied by parental guidance (parental therapy). This is because opening up topics related to the child’s world, which create internal changes, must become part of the parents’ world and a new element in the family dynamic.

What does individual therapy for children include?

Child therapy occurs on two parallel tracks by the same therapist:A weekly meeting with the therapist in the Wind Chimes space, and a parent meeting with the same therapist, scheduled every two to three weeks.
Every therapeutic process begins with one or two meetings with the parents to introduce the therapist to them personally.
This includes gathering a comprehensive picture of the child — developmental, functional, emotional, social, and more — and defining joint therapy goals.
After about a month, we reassess the necessary frequency of meetings with the parents and the goals of the therapy.
Involvement in educational frameworks.

What does group therapy for children include?

Children often need a group of belonging related to shared struggles. Sometimes, such a group can make the child feel part of a team—if the group consists not only of humans, but also animals.

In our group therapy, we create a “flock” of children and animals, with a common focus on shared challenges, which facilitates access to the child’s inner world, their difficulties, and helps provide words and meaning for those feelings.

The group therapy at Wind Chimes is conducted in small groups of 4–6 participants, including animals who choose to join.
Each group therapy process begins after one or two in-depth introductory meetings (intake) with the child’s parents to assess their needs.
The group therapy is led by our team, in cooperation with individual therapy (if it exists) and with the educational framework, if needed.

We Invite you to an Introductory Call

We’ll discuss and understand your needs, and we will be able to recommend the best treatment for you.
Leave us a message and we will get back to you within 2 business days.