Camelid-assisted psychotherapy

Greetings from New Mexico!

As a psychotherapist working with adolescents in a residential treatment center, I recently received my certification as an equine therapist in the EAGALA model. My ES partner and I have been working on coming up with interventions that will specifically benefit our population of kiddos with attachment disorders and a variety of other issues stemming from developmental trauma.

I enjoy working with the horses, but at heart I will always be a camelid person. So, my goal is to have perhaps a pair each of alpacas and llamas to work as my camelid partners in therapy sessions. I wondered if anyone out there could share experience or thoughts on camelids in psychotherapy - I would love to hear from you!

Best,

Paulette Kaskinen, LPCC
Sandhill Child Development Center