COLDSPRING — Melissa Crowder, the James Street Elementary school counselor, took the podium at the June 22 board meeting to present the idea of having an animal partner to assist in guiding students.
“Animal-Assisted Counseling (AAC) is a goal-directed, evidence-based intervention that integrates a trained animal into the counseling process to support and enhance therapeutic outcomes,” Crowder said. “It has been shown to reduce anxiety, build rapport, improve emotional regulation, and increase student engagement-especially for students impacted by trauma, grief, anxiety, or behavioral challenges.”
Crowder, a licensed professional counselor associate, states that animal-assisted counseling can be a powerful addition to JSE’s comprehensive school counseling program.
“Emotional regulation is really the foundation for everything we expect students to do in school,” she said.
The idea of Crowder’s animal-assisted counseling is centered around her partner, Arlo, an Aussie-Doodle animal practitioner. Arlo’s role will include providing a calm state for students that is natural and easily understandable. Crowder states that Arlo will demonstrate to students what emotional regulation looks like in real life.
“My data shows that Tier 2 counseling primarily focused on foundational school-success skills: emotional regulation, social interaction, cooperation, goal setting, conflict resolution, and coping skills,” Crowder said. “Arlo and I have training and experience addressing all of these needs in a school counseling setting.”
Given the board’s concern with the overall safety of students, Crowder ensures them that the proper steps will be taken to prevent any mishaps.
“With Arlo, James Street Elementary has the opportunity to strengthen its comprehensive school counseling program through an innovative, evidence-informed approach — provided by a certified and trained professional at no additional cost to the district,” Crowder said.
