Therapy Dog

Bella the therapy dog and her owner Laura have recently accessed Thornbeck College to visit learners. Bella and Laura are volunteers at the charity ‘Pets as Therapy’. Pets as Therapy aim to provide comfort, companionship and joy throughout the community.

Learners were very excited to see Bella again; they enjoyed her company and getting to stroke her, play with her and cuddle her.

Accessing visits facilitated by Bella and Laura has many positive benefits to learners including:

• A reduction in levels of anxiety and stress – therapy dogs offer a soothing presence, support students to manage their emotional wellbeing
• The encouragement of social interaction – therapy dogs create a natural opportunity for interaction, thus promoting community inclusion and the development of social skills
• The promotion of emotional regulation – therapy dogs can support with the management of an array of emotions by offering a calming outlet, improving overall emotional wellbeing
• The promotion of their community inclusion skills

Bella and Laura will continue to access Thornbeck on a regular basis, providing frequent opportunities to explore this as a method of regulation.