Netta and Charlotte are a registered therapy dog team through Pet Partners and are part of the Association of Animal-Assisted Intervention Professionals (AAAIP). We adhere to rigorous, evidence-based standards for therapy animals.

If you choose to participate in animal-assisted therapy, Charlotte will join us for sessions! She loves people and will want to be right by your side. She is energetic, joyful, and has an amazing memory of people. Along with her experience in therapy sessions, Charlotte visits students at Dutchess Community College once a week during the academic year.

If you’ve ever seen a dog and smiled, or pet a dog and felt instantly better, IT IS REAL! There is a TON of research about the benefits of human-animal interactions.

Interacting with a therapy animal has been shown to:

• Decrease levels of general anxiety (Ein & Vickers, 2018)

• Alleviate symptoms of depression (Souter & Miller, 2007)

• Increase perceptions of social support (Maujean et al., 2015)

• Provide support during times of crisis (Chandler, 2008)

• Assist in trauma recovery (O’Hare et al. 2015)

• Lower heart rate, blood pressure, and cortisol (Branson et al., 2017; Barker, et al., 2015)

• Assist in formal mental health treatment in a specific presenting problem (e.g., major life stress, grief, psychological issue) or just maintaining an existing sense of well-being (Barker & Wolen, 2008)

Animals are non-judgmental. They can help us redirect our attention outward instead of inward. They can also help us practice new skills and self-care!