From time to time, North Shore Child and Family Guidance Center has used animal assisted therapy (AAT) in its mental health treatment programs with children and teens, working in partnership with local canine and equine organizations.
In animal assisted groups, the therapist works closely with the animal handler or trainer. Think of the handler as an interpreter who teaches about the animal. The handler loves to talk about the personality of the animal and its unique qualities. They can humanize how the animals “speak” and keep appropriate boundaries.
Although using dogs is a little easier to arrange logistically speaking, there are a growing number of settings that offer equine facilitated therapy. Following is an illustration of animal assisted therapy using horses that helped build social skills and self confidence in a group of young teenagers who were identified as painfully shy or socially awkward.
After they arrived at the stables, the girls and boys sat around a table. Group work with horses mostly entails ground activities. Sitting on or riding the horses is the exception. The horses were led outside and the group members were asked, “How do the horses welcome each other? How did they say hi?” Or “Look at Rusty: he looks like he is trying to get away from the others. Why do you think that is?” This opened the door for humor, as one of the more quiet boys said, “Maybe he has B.O. or bad breath.”
The handler then said, “Oh, did you see that? Rusty tried to kick that horse. Why do you think he did that?” This led the way to some discussions about anger and aggression.
In time the process became a little more sophisticated—for example, when the teens were asked, “How do the horses communicate?” The group could see that horses are powerful animals. The handler taught them that horses are prey animals that are always on the lookout. They learned that these majestic animals are instinctual and that they don’t see straight ahead but side to side, thus the rule to always stay on their side. (And, similarly, when a group is working with canine therapy, they learn not to look a dog in the eye because he can take it as aggression.)
The handler said, “See, you stay on their side because horses look side to side to scan the horizon.” Later, they learned that approaching and petting animals is a lesson in respecting one’s boundaries.
It was all about observation and metaphor, helping the young people build their observational muscles and reflect on what they saw and sensed. The activities were both direct and yet metaphorical in nature.
After a while the group members were asked, “Which horse do you want to spend some time with and why?” One group member said, “I’ll take Rusty; he’s a little shy but I think he is a tough horse and nobody’s gonna mess with him.”
Some of the teens we work with are immigrants from Central America, who escaped treacherous circumstances, and being with the horses brought back fond memories and staked a little claim to fame for them in the group. For example, Maria shared, “I know something about this. My family has horses. That one over there looks sad.”
The handler then talked about the “sad” horse’s history. Many of the horses were adopted and/or donated. This piqued the kids’ interest as the horse’s experience became a metaphor for their own dislocations and transitions. These issues were explored in a subtle, sensitive manner whereby the participants could project their feelings and experiences on the horses in an emotionally safe way.
By working with horses or dogs, children and teens learn many lessons, among them the importance of expressing their emotions, the ability to bond (both with the animal and with the other kids) and ways to keep calm and decrease stress. It’s a profound experience that can have lasting positive effects.
Andrew Malekoff is the executive director of North Shore Child and Family Guidance Center, which provides comprehensive mental health services for children from birth through 24 and their families. To learn more about the Guidance Center’s innovative programs, call 516-626-1971 or visit www.northshorechildguidance.org.
In this episode of Well Said, we’re talking about something that many may think of more as ancient history than contemporary health – the dangers of pregnancy and childbirth. Sadly, deaths related to child delivery still occur and happen at higher rates in the United States than in most other countries in the developed world. Our guests will help us understand just how risky pregnancy and childbirth are today, and why.
Special thanks to Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell first-year students Joy Achuonjei and Alec Xiang for research and production support for this program.
Are you anxious about hosting the perfect holiday dinner? Do you worry that your kids will be disappointed that they didn’t get the newest iPhone? Tell the truth: Is all of the pressure to be jolly making you miserable?
While the holiday season is a time for family togetherness and celebration, it can also be one of the most stressful times of the year. The notion that you’re supposed to be happy can make it even more difficult time for people of all ages, especially those who experience depression or other mental health challenges.
Below are some tips from experts at the Mayo Clinic on how to prevent stress from ruining your holidays:
Acknowledge your feelings. If someone close to you has recently died or you can’t be with loved ones, realize that it’s normal to feel sadness and grief. It’s OK to take time to cry or express your feelings.
Reach out. If you feel lonely or isolated, seek out community, religious or other social events. They can offer support and companionship. Volunteering your time to help others is a good way to lift your spirits and broaden your friendships.
Be realistic. The holidays don’t have to be perfect. As families change and grow, traditions often change as well. Choose a few to hold on to, and be open to creating new ones.
Set aside differences. Try to accept family members and friends as they are, even if they don’t live up to all of your expectations. And be understanding if others get upset when something goes awry. Chances are they’re feeling the effects of holiday stress, too.
Stick to a budget. Before you go gift and food shopping, decide how much money you can afford to spend. Then stick to your budget. Don’t try to buy happiness with an avalanche of gifts.
Try these alternatives:
Donate to a charity in someone’s name.
Give homemade gifts.
Start a family gift exchange.
Learn to say no. Saying yes when you should say no can leave you feeling resentful and overwhelmed. Friends and colleagues will understand if you can’t participate in every project or activity.
Don’t abandon healthy habits. Don’t let the holidays become a free-for-all. Overindulgence only adds to your stress and guilt.
Try these suggestions:
Have a healthy snack before holiday parties so that you don’t go overboard on sweets, cheese or drinks.
Get plenty of sleep.
Incorporate regular physical activity into each day.
Take a breather. Make some time for yourself. Spending just 15 minutes alone, without distractions, may refresh you enough to handle everything you need to do.
Some options may include:
Taking a walk at night and stargazing.
Listening to soothing music.
Getting a massage.
Reading a book.
Seek professional help if you need it. Despite your best efforts, you may find yourself feeling persistently sad or anxious. If these feelings last for a while, talk to your doctor or a mental health professional.
Remember: The best thing you can spend on your kids is time, so don’t stress about getting them every last thing on their wish list.
Happy holidays from all of us at North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center!
With the holiday season upon us, chances are you’re spending a lot of time shopping for toys for the children in your life.
“Toys offer wonderful opportunities for children to learn and explore their surroundings,” says Dr. Sue Cohen, Director of Early Childhood and Psychological Services at North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center. “They provide a great opportunity to develop motor and cognitive skills—plus, playing with your child will create lasting bonds.”
Playing with toys also sparks a child’s creativity and helps them develop emotionally, says Dr. Cohen. “When they use toys to role play, they have a chance to express their feelings, practice managing them and explore different social scenarios.”
Whether you shop online or in stores, it’s important to keep safety in mind when choosing that new board game, baseball, bike, blocks—whatever is on your list!
Each year, an estimated 217,000 children are treated at hospital emergency rooms for toy-related injuries. The majority of those injuries are incurred from riding toys such tricycles and non-powered scooters, which account for more than 40% of toy injuries to children 5 through 17 years of age.
Another big danger is choking, since children under three love to put everything in their mouths. You can guard against this danger by getting a simple small parts tester and also follow the age guidelines on the toy packages.
Following are some toy safety tips from the American Academy of Pediatrics:
Select toys to suit the age, abilities, skills and interest level of the intended child. Toys that are too advanced will frustrate your child and may pose safety hazards for younger children.
When choosing gifts for babies and toddlers, consider toys that will build developmental skills. Toys that can be manipulated, such as shape sorters, stacking blocks and baby-safe puzzles, are great for developing fine motor, cognitive and perceptual skills.
If you are considering a digital device for a child or teen, such as a tablet, smartphone or game system, think about the purpose of the device and the rules you want to set around its use. For more information, see these tips on healthy digital media and technology use.
Children can have serious health problems from swallowing button batteries or magnets. Keep them away from young children and call your health care provider immediately if your child swallows one.
To prevent burns and electrical shocks, do not give children under age 10 a toy that must be plugged into an electrical outlet. Instead, buy toys that are battery-operated.
Children can choke or suffocate on broken or uninflated balloons. Do not allow children under age 8 to play with them.
Remove tags, strings and ribbons from toys before giving them to young children. Watch for pull toys with strings that are more than 12 inches long, because they could be a strangulation hazard for babies.
Warning labels give important information about how to use a toy and what ages it is for. Be sure to show your child how to use the toy.
Parents should store toys in a designated location, such as on an open shelf or in a bin, and keep older kids’ toys away from young children. If you use a toy box, choose one with no lid or a lightweight, non-locking lid and ventilation holes.
Dr. Cohen adds, “When possible choose toys that spark imagination and creativity.”
Are you concerned about what can happen when your teen gets behind the wheel or is a passenger of a teen driver? You have good reason. Motor vehicle crashes are the number one killer of teens.
A big part of the problem: Drinking and driving. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one in 10 high schoolers drinks and drives. They also report that high school students drive intoxicated about 2.4 million times each month. In addition, teen drivers are 17 times more likely to be involved in a fatal car crash when they have alcohol in their system as opposed to when they are sober.
The same holds true for marijuana and other drugs. A report from Liberty Mutual and SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions) found that one in five teens admit driving under the influence of marijuana, and one in four say they would take a ride from a driver impaired by alcohol or prescription drugs.
These statistics paint an alarming picture. So, what is a parent to do?
Here’s some advice from the CDC:
Parents can:
Understand that most teens who drink do so to get drunk.
Recognize the dangers of teen drinking and driving and that teen drivers are at much greater risk of crashing after drinking alcohol than adult drivers.
Provide teens with a safe way to get home (such as picking them up or paying for a cab) if their driver has been drinking.
Model safe driving behavior.
Consider tools like parent-teen driving agreements to set and enforce the “rules of the road” for new drivers. Safe driving habits for teens include the following:
Never drink and drive
Wear a seat belt on every trip—and that includes everyone in the car.
Limit nighttime driving
Set a limit on the number of teen passengers
Never use a cell phone or text while driving
Obey speed limits
Teens can:
Choose to never drink and drive.
Choose a designated driver.
Refuse to ride in a car with a teen driver who has been drinking.
Follow “rules of the road” in their parent-teen driving agreement.
Wear a seat belt on every trip, no matter how short.
Obey speed limits.
Never use a cell phone or text while driving.
Call Us for Help:
If your child or teen has a substance use problem, North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center is here to help. For more information on our chemical dependency treatment services, call (516) 997-2926, ext. 229 or 231. To make an appointment for an assessment, call (516) 626-1971, ext. 318 or 338.
