Canine-Assisted Therapy

Our Guiding Principles

A Westie with his tongue hanging out and a maltipoo sitting next to each other on a brown plaid blanket in a grassy field at sunset. Meet Riley and Westley, Jessica Allen, LCSW, C-AAIS therapy dogs from Lancaster, NY.
A Westie with his tongue hanging out and a maltipoo sitting next to each other on a brown plaid blanket in a grassy field at sunset. Meet Riley and Westley, Jessica Allen, LCSW, C-AAIS therapy dogs from Lancaster, NY.

At Canine Connected Counseling we:

  • Create sensory-informed, inclusive, and non-judgmental environments.

  • Commit to authentic connection and therapeutic support.

  • Honor the connection between the mind, body, and spirit through the human-animal bond.

  • Administer trauma-informed care rooted in neuroscience.

  • Respect individual experiences and identities.

  • Respect animal welfare and foster an ethical partnership with our animals.

  • Emphasize personal strengths and resilience.

  • Firmly believe in the affirmation of neurodiversity.

Our Approach

Riley, a maltipoo, and Westley, a Westie dance for treats given by Jessica Allen, LCSW, C-AAIS. Jess owns Canine Connected Counseling located in Lancaster, NY.
Riley, a maltipoo, and Westley, a Westie dance for treats given by Jessica Allen, LCSW, C-AAIS. Jess owns Canine Connected Counseling located in Lancaster, NY.

Our canine-assisted therapy (AAT) approach integrates specially trained therapy dogs into the therapeutic alliance, creating a unique, multisensory experience that engages clients on emotional, physical, and relational levels.

This framework fosters connection, trust, and emotional regulation through directed and indirect interventions, offering benefits that complement and enhance traditional talk therapy approaches.

Through this integrative approach we offer a differentiated, innovative pathway to mental health care that broadens access, deepens healing, and enriches the therapeutic relationship.

A girl in her twenties on a hike with her dog in dense fall foliage.
A girl in her twenties on a hike with her dog in dense fall foliage.

Our Mission & Vision

To harness the reciprocal and synergetic partnership found in the human-animal bond as a compassionate, evidence-based practice that integrates with trauma therapies such as EMDR, Internal Family Systems (IFS), somatic psychotherapies, and play therapies, facilitating intuitive healing, authentic connection, and personal embodied growth.