Kenzie has a heart for Animal-Assisted Therapy and is implementing her Goldendoodle Kopa in her social work.
In this 40th episode of Therapy Dog Talk, I spoke with Kenzie and her Goldendoodle, Kopa, about their journey into Animal-Assisted Therapy and their work together in Kenzie’s social work practice. We delve into their experiences with training, evaluation, and how they became a registered therapy dog team through Pet Partners.
Kenzie shares how her love for dogs led her to earn an Animal-Assisted Social Work certificate from the University of Denver, which has been crucial in creating policies at her clinic. We discuss the growing interest in Animal-Assisted Therapy, driven by accelerated research and the many benefits it offers.
Throughout our conversation, we emphasize the importance of advocating for your animal and ensuring they genuinely enjoy the work. Kenzie talks about Kopa’s journey to build confidence around inanimate objects and how agility, hiking, and new experiences have helped him along the way.
We also touch on the challenges of navigating liability issues in professional settings and the significance of animal welfare. Kenzie shares her goal for Kopa to open new pathways for healing that people haven’t had access to before and offers valuable advice for those considering therapy work with their dogs.
By the end of this episode, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of the joys and challenges of Animal-Assisted Therapy, as well as helpful insights on how to prepare your furry friend for this rewarding work.
In this episode, we discuss …
- The differences between two Animal-Assisted Therapy programs for mental health professionals.
- What the Pet Partners training and evaluation experience was like for them.
- How Kenzie has helped Kopa to build his confidence with inanimate objects.
Key moments you won’t want to miss:
- [01:21] We reminisce about meeting on Instagram through a Therapy Dog chat started by Adele.
- [02:33] Kenzie introduces her pandemic puppy, Kopa, who recently passed his Therapy Dog test.
- [03:27] We discuss evaluating through Pet Partners and their focus on both handler and dog.
- [06:31] Kenzie shares her journey to an Animal-Assisted Social Work certificate at the University of Denver.
- [08:22] We talk about the growing interest in Animal-Assisted Therapy due to recent research.
- [10:28] The importance of advocating for your animal and ensuring they enjoy the work is highlighted.
- [14:31] Kenzie tells us what she was looking for in a Therapy Dog when she found Kopa, her Goldendoodle.
- [16:06] Kopa’s journey to build confidence around inanimate objects is discussed.
- [18:52] We explore how agility, hiking, and new experiences have helped build Kopa’s confidence.
- [22:52] Kenzie shares her goal for Kopa to open a new pathway for healing that people haven’t had access to before.
I hope you enjoy this episode as much as I do. Give it a watch or a listen and then let me know in the community which part you found the most helpful!
Mentioned in this episode:
- 52 Hike Challenge
- Adele + Rosie
- Animal-Assisted Counseling Academy at Texas State University
- Kopa in The Lion King
- MSW Certificate in Animal-Assisted Social Work at the University of Denver
- Pet Partners
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Therapy Dog Talk is a podcast where I interview a different team each week via Instagram Live. If you enjoyed this episode please find us over at Apple, Google, or Spotify and give us a follow after you leave a review.
Do you know someone who would make a great guest? Be sure to reach out and let me know.
