In our Animal Assisted Counseling(AAC) program, Comfort Dog teams are trained to handle the clinical and emotional situations that may arise in a school atmosphere as well as during group and individual intervention sessions. The integration of AAI in our counseling and remedial support services not only improves student motivation, but it also creates a noticeable decrease in anxiety as well as improvement in communication, anger management, and peer relations. Social Emotional Learning is also woven into our AAI program. Students are supported as they develop empathy, not only for the dog, but classroom peers and family members. Our dogs assist students in developing skills for making independent and appropriate decisions, developing positive social behaviors, peer relationships and healthy life choices. Progress monitoring through the DESSA, social emotional screener, and student surveys.
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