Students De-Stress At Dog Therapy Thursdays
By Kendall Steiger
Staff Writer
College can be trying at times with the stress of exams, expectations from professors and all the studying that students must do on a day-to-day basis. The Counseling Center on campus recognized that students can be stressed during these difficult times and may need to take a break during their busy days.
Therapy Dog Thursdays are the Counseling Center’s way of helping students de-stress. These 45-minute sessions allow students to take some time away from their days and spend some time with well-trained therapy dogs.
Therapy dogs are trained by their handlers to provide affection to people who need it most. Often times, therapy dogs can be seen in schools, nursing homes or hospitals in order to give people some much-needed puppy love.
The program occurs on campus every Thursday at 3:30 p.m. in the Trinity Residence Hall conference room. Walk-ins, as well as appointments, are welcome. Students are able to interact with golden retrievers and spend half an hour relaxing and loving a pup.
“I’ve thought about going to Therapy Dog Thursday before,” said Kat Milian, senior. “College can be hard, and it’s important to take time for yourself. I’m a huge advocate of self-love and care, so I’d encourage people interested in attending to give it a try.”
Therapy dogs can be incredibly helpful in other educational settings as well. Emily Paz, junior, an education major thought that therapy dogs could be helpful for all students.
“Even though I’m planning on teaching younger kids, I’d still recommend at least entertaining the idea of inviting a therapy dog to students of any age,” said Paz. “The dogs can be so relaxing and helpful for any students.”
For more information on Therapy Dog Thursdays, students can call the Counseling Center at (561) 237-7237. Therapy Dog Thursdays can help students relieve stress during the year and take a few minutes of personal time to improve a person’s day.
