What We Do

Animal H.U.G.s offers traditional
counseling and psychotherapy
combined with Animal Assisted
Therapy (AAT) to children and
their families, seniors, couples
and single adults who believe
that connecting with animals can
be a starting point for recovery
and renewal.

Animals are known to reduce anxiety
in therapy and motivate people to
participate in their own therapy. At
Animal H.U.G.s, a Ph.D. psychologist
and her therapy pets focus on
helping children and adults develop
healthy relationships and adapt to
their changing environments. The
therapist-animal team enjoys helping
individuals find inner peace and
happiness by encouraging them to
reconnect to the things that were
once important to them.

Animals are considered natural
healers because they have an
inherent ability to meet many of
our basic needs in a society that
is becoming increasingly inadequate
to provide for them. And while doing
so, they don't talk back, criticize or
complain. They don't remind us that
we're too fat or too skinny or our hair
is falling out. Our pets provide us with
love and companionship when no one
else is around. They calm our fears and soothe our wounds with unconditional
magnanimous hugs.

The white man must treat the beasts
of this land as his brothers
for what is man without the beasts?
If all the beasts were gone,
man would die from the great loneliness
of spirit, for whatever happens to the beasts
also happens to man. All things are connected.
Whatever befalls the earth
befalls the sons of the earth.

Chief Sealth (Seattle) -1854