We provide Animal Assisted Psychotherapy services and professional training at our unique center.
Animal Assisted Therapy Programs of Colorado is one of the first counseling centers in the nation that specifically integrates teams of professional therapists and their therapy animals to facilitate the counseling process. Inspired by Linda's kitten Mazey and Ellen's dog Sasha, Dr. Linda Chassman and Ellen Winston started this Center in 2010 because they believe in the powerful effect animals have.
You May Also Consider (Sponsored)
Are You Thinking of Online Therapy? Start Here to Get Matched with a Licensed Therapist Right For You.
Therapy with No Waiting Rooms or Driving. Take a quick quiz about your preferences and needs and get matched to a therapist in as little as 48 hours.
Have you been in therapy before?
Services Offered
Family Services * Family Therapy - Our Family Therapists work with families facing a range of issues, including child behavioral problems, divorce and family transition, trauma, and grief. Whenever possible, we work with either our own trained therapy animal or may incorporate the family's pet if appropriate. This allows us to provide a comfortable atmosphere for every member of the family. It also helps us to create unique and innovative interventions to approaching the family's problems.
* Child Therapy - At AATPC, we integrate our therapy animals into the play therapy process. Animals provide a unique connection for clients, one that immediately helps the child feel comfortable and at ease. This helps the therapist connect with the child more quickly.
* Adolescent Therapy - Many parents find it challenging to find their teenagers the treatment they need, especially for those who resist treatment. Our therapists are not only highly experienced in engaging teenagers, but also in working with therapy animals to help facilitate the treatment process. We have found that teens enjoy working with the animals and find the unique sessions fun and motivating. All of our therapy animals have difficult and challenging histories that help teens form a connection. For example, by enlisting the teen's help in developing a behavior plan for a therapy animal, the teen learns the same skills and develops problem-solving skills and empathy.
At AATPC, we integrate our therapy animals into the therapy process. Animals provide a unique connection for teenagers, one that immediately helps teens feel comfortable and at ease. This helps the therapist connect with the teen more quickly.
* Autism Spectrum Disorders - Our Autism Spectrum Disorder teams include a clinician experienced in working with individuals with autism spectrum disorders and one of our many therapy animals. All of our clinicians have received advanced training and certification on how to integrate their animals into the therapeutic process. These teams work with families to establish specific goals. While initial stages of treatment involve our therapy animals, in some cases the team may recommend Filial Pet Therapy, an approach that involves integrating the family pet into therapeutic interactions.
An animal in session can help with: > Emotional awareness and regulation > Behavioral management skills and behavioral improvements > Skill acquisition > Communication skills > Gross and fine motor > Care taking > Appropriate social interaction and feedback about social skills > Assertiveness > Making therapy fun and engaging
* Couples Counseling - Animals provide a unique connection for couples, one that immediately helps them feel comfortable and at ease. This helps the therapist connect with the couple more quickly.
Individual Psychotherapy Most of the work we do at AATPC is individual counseling and psychotherapy. Each of our psychotherapists specialize in different areas, including the treatment of: * addictions * eating disorders * trauma and abuse * domestic violence * relationship problems * depression * anxiety * attachment issues * personal growth and development * grief and loss * pet loss * couples and marital issues
Filial Pet Therapy Filial Therapy was developed by Dr. Louise Guerney and Dr. Bernard Guerney in the 1960's, where parents are taught to use therapeutic play, also known as Play Therapy, to help their children with various behavioral issues. Research has demonstrated its effectiveness with children with attachment problems, child conduct problems, victims of sexual abuse, and children exposed to domestic violence.
Mazey's Dream - Low Fee Counseling Program AATPC's mission is to provide our services to all who need them regardless of income or insurance statuses. Our Co-Founder's cat Mazey offered the inspiration for Mazey's dream and we are proud to be able to provide our services at a very low fee for members of our community who demonstrate financial need. We charge a small, income-based fee to all recipients of Mazey's Dream as we believe this ensures the level of motivation and commitment needed for successful treatment.
Fees and Payment
The value of your counseling is between $60 to $100 per session, depending on your counselor's level of training and experience.
This is a non-profit agency.
Services Offered To: Adults Teens Children
Payment: Pro-bono
If You Call, Please Let Us Know How it Went:
Were You Able to Make an Appointment?
One quick last question. Who was seeking counseling today?
Do you know the reason they are not accepting clients?
A community counseling agency is a group therapy practice that offers affordable mental health services. Most are independent non-profit agencies, state agencies, or publicly-funded agencies. A few may restrict who is eligible for services, so it is a good idea to check when you call.
Community counseling agencies are generally more affordable than other therapy providers, but how much more affordable they are will depend on whether you qualify for a discount or sliding scale fee (or if they accept your insurance). Many, but not all, have a policy that they won't turn away anyone due to inability to pay. You should ask about their fees when you first call.
Expect to talk to kind people who want to help you find the care you need. Most community agencies strive to connect you with a live person within 24 hours, if not immediately. If you're asked to hold or leave a message, don't give up; just leave a message and wait. You should hear back pretty quickly.
Most agencies try to set up an initial assessment appointment within a week (some do within 24 hours), though the waitlist to start therapy is usually longer—about a few weeks on average. If you're not eligible or if the agency is not right for you, it's usually still worth it to call or drop in, because staff are knowledgeable about local options and can often refer you to one.