Maya is a rescue puppy being trained to be a therapy dog and she’s already had some experience with clients. Depending on the need, she can sit with a client and provide comfort, or she can provide pressure if someone is feeling anxious or stressed.
“That’s her job,” said Avery Cook, clinical coordinator at CAPS and Maya’s owner. “She’s more of a therapeutic tool that can be used in session.”
But Maya was not adopted with the intention of putting her to work — that came later.
“She had such a good temperament and was so good with people that I thought she might do a really good job with the therapy dog training,” Cook said. “So we started with the training and have been bringing her in here to see how she does and she’s doing a great job.”
Dr. Allen O’Barr, director of CAPS, said he is excited about having Maya at CAPS and that they have been needing therapy animals for a long time.
“Occasionally if somebody has been traumatized, an animal can really provide a level of security and comfort that is really hard to get to otherwise,” O’Barr said.
Cook said animals, especially dogs, can be important in therapy.
“A dog can bring a calm, even energy into the room,” she said. “That can be really helpful for someone who’s experiencing a lot of sadness or grief or any sort of strong emotion. A dog can be soothing in a way a person can’t.”