Animal Assisted Therapy is a guided interaction between a person and a trained animal. It also involves the animal’s handler – the therapist. The purpose of Animal Assisted Therapy is to help someone recover from or cope with mental health conditions. While many types of animals can be used in Animal Assisted Therapy, Dogs are the animal of choice at Rum River Counseling.
Animal Assisted Therapy builds on the pre-existing human-animal bond. Interacting with a friendly pet can help many physical and mental issues. It can help reduce blood pressure and improve overall cardiovascular health. It can also release endorphins that produce a calming effect. This can help alleviate pain, reduce stress, and improve your overall psychological state.
Animal Assisted Therapy can be used in many different ways. Defined objectives are an important part of therapy, and your progress will be observed during your sessions.
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The goals of a Animal Assisted Therapy program can include:
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Other benefits of Animal Assisted Therapy include:
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The success of Animal Assisted Therapy depends on establishing realistic goals and expectations and meeting those goals.
Animal Assisted Therapy can help both children and adults with a variety of physical and mental issues. It can reduce stress, anxiety, and depression, and increase positivity and socialization.
Animal Assisted Therapy can help both children and adults with a variety of physical and mental issues. It can reduce stress, anxiety, and depression, and increase positivity and socialization.
Meet Jessica
If you are reading this, then you are willing to take the incredible first steps in considering yourself and your mental health healing process. My name is Jessica Bauman-Matheis and I am a licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) as well as a Board Approved LPC/LPCC Supervisor.
I am pansexual-identified and affirmative, sex positive therapist that has 17+years’ experience working within a gender diverse community and the LBQTIA+ communities. I specialize in working with both individuals, dyads, and triads desiring to explore their intimacies concerns, coupled with other mental health concerns such as infidelities, anxiety, depression, mood regulation, work and life stressors. I am passionate about reaching humans needing to de-escalate emotional conflict, deepen safety and transparency, as well as strengthen compatibility and connection.
My clinical approach blends both directness and compassionate to navigate in your life’s explorations and concerns. My clients can expect a compassionate and collaborative emotionally safe space to heal from their past wounds, strengthen their emotional wellness, and improve their relationships for lasting and meaningful change.
If you are experiences marginalization or shame around aspects of your identity, we will work together on how you can gain more freedom to become your authentic self. To assist you in getting to know me better, here are some fun facts about me:
I am pansexual-identified and affirmative, sex positive therapist that has 17+years’ experience working within a gender diverse community and the LBQTIA+ communities. I specialize in working with both individuals, dyads, and triads desiring to explore their intimacies concerns, coupled with other mental health concerns such as infidelities, anxiety, depression, mood regulation, work and life stressors. I am passionate about reaching humans needing to de-escalate emotional conflict, deepen safety and transparency, as well as strengthen compatibility and connection.
My clinical approach blends both directness and compassionate to navigate in your life’s explorations and concerns. My clients can expect a compassionate and collaborative emotionally safe space to heal from their past wounds, strengthen their emotional wellness, and improve their relationships for lasting and meaningful change.
If you are experiences marginalization or shame around aspects of your identity, we will work together on how you can gain more freedom to become your authentic self. To assist you in getting to know me better, here are some fun facts about me:
- I provide Animal Assisted Therapy during in person sessions with my Pit/Lab rescue named Dino
- I am an Enneagram 8
- My spirit animal is a Hawk
- I am a certified Reiki therapist
- I am a registered yoga instructor
- I have 30+ tattoos
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Supervision:
I am a MN Behavioral Health & Therapy Board Approved Supervisor since 2012 and can provide supervision for any person working towards licensure as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) or Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC). Supervision approach: I utilize a mixture of direct and compassion, person centered approach to supervision. My preference includes clinicians come ready to relay cases as an informative narrative style. We will focus in on specific questions, case conceptualization, practical techniques with measurable outcomes, along with providing an emotional safe and supportive place to explore “when you feel stuck with a client.” Supervision will also include professional development, competence and self-care for the clinician. All individual and group Supervisor will be held in my Blaine office Cost: Individual supervision by appointment is $120 per hour Group Supervision by appointment is $45 per hour per person (3-5 individuals per group) |
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Meet Dino
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Dino is a certified therapy dog through the Alliance of Therapy Dogs (ATD).
After months of training, he is excited to meet you and assist you through the process of healing. He works with his handler, Jessica. Dino is a Lab/Hound mix, originally from Alabama. He is a rescue dog that has experiencing his own share of healing in his short life. Jessica and Dino will work together under the philosophy of ADT and human-animal bond and connection. Dino and Jessica hope to bring an increased sense of comfort and ease during your sessions. Additionally providing increased and innovative ways to decompress and find emotional comfort. |
"When action
meets compassion,
lives change."
Andover Blaine Plymouth St. Paul Elk River Becker Teletherapy
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Disclosures
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Clinical staff of Rum River Counseling, Inc., but, with limited exceptions, are independent practitioners who are not employees or agents of Rum River Counseling, Inc., . The facility shall not be liable for actions or treatments provided by clinical staff.
Model representations of real patients are shown. Actual patients cannot be divulged due to HIPAA regulations. This site is presented for information only and is not intended to substitute for professional medical advice. Presentation and Design ©2004-2022 Rum River Counseling, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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