AAT Across Disciplines
The highly trained therapy animal team at Mobile Therapy Centers of America (MTC) brings together traditional and holistic therapeutic approaches to help our clients achieve their highest potential through Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT). AAT partners a licensed therapist with a trained therapy animal to support the emotional and physical well-being of our clients while complementing conventional therapeutic outcomes. The addition of Animal-Assisted Therapy at MTC’s Libertyville clinic supports children of all ages by providing additional support for clients to increase overall participation and goal achievement.
Animal-Assisted Therapy at MTC is a subset of Occupational Therapy (OT) in which therapy professionals support client life skills and functional participation in daily activities. This creates an optimal environment to boost client engagement which serves to further enhance goal achievement and overall client success throughout all therapy disciplines. Collaboration is a key value here at MTC, which not only allows Animal-Assisted Therapy to benefit occupational therapy services but also serves to enhance the delivery of all MTC services through co-treatment opportunities including speech therapy, feeding therapy, behavioral/counseling therapy, and applied behavioral analysis (ABA).
Occupational Therapy
Integrating AAT into Occupational Therapy settings, like those at MTC, has proven to be highly beneficial in improving functional participation for clients within the home, school, and community environments. Young children are particularly receptive to the presence of therapy animals, which may serve as a significant source of motivation and support in areas such as emotional regulation, play, school readiness, and self-care. As a result, implementing AAT within our pediatric setting can greatly enhance traditional OT outcomes and support our client’s independence in daily activity completion.
Speech Therapy
Our AAT and OT teams partner with our speech department to further enhance social and play skills for our clients. AAT significantly contributes to these necessary life skills with the pure and genuine interactions of a trained therapy animal. By working with these animals, children are encouraged to develop and expand their communication skills which further increases their ability to functionally interact with their daily environment. Additionally, the presence of a trained therapy animal helps boost general confidence, allowing children to develop and maintain friendships more easily.
Feeding Therapy
One significant advantage of involving therapy animals in the treatment process is the boost in motivation for the children which can be a great support in settings such as feeding therapy. As animals provide a calm and reassuring presence, they tend to create a comfortable and engaging environment for therapy sessions that otherwise can be particularly challenging or frustrating for our clients such as trying new foods or stepping outside of their comfort zones. This increased motivation facilitates greater participation and confidence within seemingly difficult situations allowing our pediatric clients to accomplish goals they may have been struggling with in traditional environments.
Behavioral/Counseling Therapy
Our AAT professionals support emotional growth within co-treatment sessions with our counseling and behavioral therapy partners. The involvement of therapy animals in the treatment process can lead to improved emotional well-being to further support increased functional participation in all daily activities. Experienced counselors and therapists in combination with the genuine presence of a therapy animal at MTC, work together to assist clients in emotional management and sensory regulation. This understanding and personable approach ultimately results in a more balanced emotional state, for carryover into both the home and school settings.
Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA)
With the assistance of therapy animals, clients are encouraged to take part in activities at MTC that promote autonomy and responsibility, ultimately leading to increased school readiness and overall independence. The integration of Animal-Assisted Therapy into Occupational Therapy has proven to be an effective approach to enhancing social, emotional, and functional development. The combination of these therapeutic approaches with Applied Behavioral Analysis supports our clients' functional participation in their daily activities across environments with benefits reflected within the home, school, and community environments.
In conclusion, Animal-Assisted Therapy brings traditional therapy services one step further for both the individual clients and the families at Mobile Therapy Centers with positive impacts on therapeutic goal achievement and everyday success. Through structured and goal-centered treatment plans, AAT targets a range of essential skills for kids of all ages, including functional play skills, sensory exposure, emotional regulation, and school readiness. The combination of Animal-Assisted Therapy and traditional therapeutic services at MTC helps children develop necessary life skills and provides the necessary support to help our clients achieve their full potential in all aspects of life.