Animal Assisted Therapy
Animal-Assisted Therapy in Columbia, Maryland
For Anxiety, Stress, and Emotional Regulation
Looking for Animal-Assisted Therapy in Columbia, MD?
We offer structured, evidence-based therapy enhanced by the calming presence of Zoe, our trained therapy dog, for children, teens, and adults.
This is an optional, cash-pay specialty service designed to support emotional regulation, anxiety reduction, and therapeutic engagement.
Serving Columbia, Ellicott City, Clarksville, Laurel, Elkridge, and the greater Howard County area.
How Animal-Assisted Therapy Helps
Clients often experience:
- Improved emotional regulation and coping skills
- Reduced anxiety and stress responses
- Greater confidence and therapeutic engagement
- Easier access to emotions in children and teens
- Improved nervous system regulation
Animal-Assisted Therapy provides a structured, experiential way to practice real-life coping skills in session.
Who This Is For
Animal-Assisted Therapy may be a good fit for:
- Children who struggle to express emotions
- Teens experiencing anxiety, school stress, or social challenges
- Adults feeling overwhelmed, burned out, or emotionally dysregulated
- Clients who feel stuck in traditional talk therapy
This Service May Not Be Appropriate For:
- Severe untreated animal phobias
- Significant uncontrolled allergies
- History of animal aggression (without clinical evaluation)
A brief consultation helps determine whether this approach is appropriate.
What Happens During a Session?
Each Animal-Assisted Therapy session includes:
- A clearly defined therapeutic goal
- An evidence-based coping or regulation skill
- Guided interaction with Zoe to practice the skill
- Reflection and integration for real-life application
Interaction with Zoe is always structured and clinically guided — not unstructured play.
Participation is voluntary. Clients may request sessions without animal interaction at any time.
Clinical Oversight
Our Animal-Assisted Therapy program is overseen by a licensed mental health professional trained in ethical integration of therapy animals and evidence-based treatment modalities.
This ensures that animal involvement supports measurable clinical goals.
Meet Zoe
Zoe is a female 10-year-old Boxer mix. She is a trained service dog known for her calm temperament and comfort in clinical settings.
Her health, rest schedule, and stress signals are carefully monitored to ensure both client safety and animal welfare.
Pricing
Animal-Assisted Therapy individual sessions begin at $165 per session.
Group therapy programs and workshops are also available.
Animal-Assisted Therapy is offered as a cash-pay specialty service and is not billed to insurance. Clients may continue using insurance for standard therapy services if desired.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Animal-Assisted Therapy is a structured, goal-directed clinical intervention. Zoe’s involvement is intentionally integrated with evidence-based therapeutic techniques.
Clients are screened for allergies and sensitivities prior to participation.
Strict sanitation and hygiene protocols are followed before and after each session.
Yes. Participation is completely voluntary. Clients may opt out of animal interaction at any time.
Ready to Get Started?
If you are located in Columbia, Maryland or surrounding Howard County communities and would like to explore whether Animal-Assisted Therapy is right for you or your child, consider attending our Open House in April.
Contact doctor_brewer@mpbgroupinc.com for questions and for details on our Open House Program.
