Vision, Mission and Principles
Our Vision
We believe that our natural world can help us heal and feel well; that animals and nature can instinctively uplift people’s spirits.
We believe that we benefit from feeling connected to something larger than ourselves; that we can thrive along with animals and nature if we feel connected to them.
The Centre for Animal and Nature Assisted Therapy exists to deepen our connection with animals and nature to improve our well-being.
Our Mission
Our commitment is to help people who are struggling with mental health challenges, by offering therapy with animals and nature to bring deep healing and resolution, for long term benefit and well-being.
To meet that commitment the centre aims to create an outstanding legacy of practice, skills and knowledge in animal and nature assisted therapy.
We will create this legacy by being a centre of excellence that supports professional development for practitioners, provides therapy to clients, and continually evaluates our work.
Our Principles
- Humility with respect to other beings and a deep appreciation of the earth we share is fundamental to the way we work. We respect the changing relationship between animals, nature and people throughout the seasons and let it guide our practices accordingly
- Every client and outcome is unique, and that change can only happen when a client feels supported, safe and ready to move forward. We respect our clients’ courage to engage, learn, and face their vulnerabilities.
- We collaborate with other organisations to be able to reach people in need and to share information to help partners and their wider work.
- Our approach combines modern understanding of emotional trauma and mental health issues, with ancient and traditional wisdom; we value both. We seek to complement medical practice and help clients make the most of community and home-based strategies.
- We acknowledge that our therapy practitioners are also on a path of continuous self-development and we respect their commitment to their own well-being as well as that of their clients.
- We protect time set aside for reflection, research, and evaluation throughout the year to enhance our work.