The specialists of the Feldman Ecopark Centre for Psychosocial Rehabilitation gave an induction animal-assisted therapy lesson in the Kharkiv Regional Multidisciplinary Children’s Health Camp. They visited little patients, who undergo a health-improving course there, and brought the four-legged doctors – ponies and dogs – with them.
“There are nearly a hundred of children with different diagnoses in this establishment, and animal-assisted therapy may be used as an additional rehabilitation measure in these cases. The communication with animals improves mood, empowers and motivates positively for the future game-like lessons with a psychologist,” the head of the psychological service of the Centre for Psychosocial Rehabilitation Tetiana Aliieva told. “We gave the first, one-hour induction lesson to become acquainted with children here and to bring them together with our helpers – Polly (the Golden Retriever), Luna (the Alaskan Malamute) and Kapitoshka (the pony). Children just loved them! We are planning to come here again in order to have more intensive lessons in small specific groups.”
It should be reminded that in summer, the specialists of the Centre for Psychosocial Rehabilitation give the animal-assisted therapy lessons in Feldman Ecopark to the children of special schools, in particular to the children with visual disorders from V.H. Korolenko Kharkiv Regional Educational Complex. Moreover, the project “Lessons of Kindness” continues as well. Within this project, the field lessons with use of canis therapy take place in different children’s establishments. Feldman Ecopark carries out a fund-raising charitable campaign “The Art of Mercy” aimed at the development of these and many other activities of the Centre for Psychosocial Rehabilitation.
