Animal Assisted Therapy Program to expand

Beyond Abuse is looking for additional qualified handler/dog teams to be a part its Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) program.  Beyond Abuse has been providing AAT in house since May 2016 and is looking to expand the program due to its overwhelming success and increased need.  This project is funded by SPF North America.

Beyond Abuse provides evidenced based therapy for both child and adult victims of sexual violence and child physical abuse victims. In attempts to avoid thinking about the trauma they have experienced, clients frequently reschedule or cancel appointments. The agency has been supplementing the current evidenced based therapy with AAT which will:

1. Alleviate some of the stress related to the memories of the trauma during therapy
2. Improve clients’ comfort level and engagement in evidenced based therapy
3. Improve drop-out rate of therapy clients

This program is only the second certified AAT program in South Carolina implemented by a Children’s Advocacy Center or Sexual Assault Center.

For more information and to find out whether you and your dog would be candidates to be a therapy team, contact Jessica Bell at Beyond Abuse at (864) 227-1623.