Animal Therapies Ltd Podcast
Paws for Thought is a podcast about animals changing human lives for the better. Anecdotally we know about the therapeutic powers of animals but the science and research are now validating those beliefs.
Animal-assisted services is a recognised field worldwide and through this podcast we hope to educate, entertain and raise awareness among listeners about the countless ways that animals are helping humans.
Episodes
22 episodes since 2021
Why chickens are the best teachers in a neurodiverse world
17-year-old Summer Farrelly (they/them) is the creator of a unique animal assisted learning program called Chickens 2 Love, developed for autistic and other neurodivergent people to help them develop social skills. The program came ...
July 21, 2024
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16:35
What can we do to improve life for blind people and their guide dogs?
More than 500,000 people in Australia are legally blind or vision impaired, yet only 5% of those have access to a guide dog due to a shortfall in funding. For those fortunate enough to receive a guide dog, they face multiple challenges on a d...
May 21, 2024
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15:41
Medical alert dogs for diabetics
Australian Lions has been training hearing assistance dogs for 43 years, pairing more than 690 dogs with hearing-impaired people over that time.More recently, they have branched out to train medical alert dogs for people living with type...
March 06, 2024
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19:33
How horses help us heal and experience joy
Vanessa (Ness) Hawkins is a self-confessed horse nut, who was riding ponies in England before she could walk. Emigrating to Australia as a young child and growing up in rural Victoria, where her British accent made her a target for...
December 20, 2023
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21:37
Teaching old dogs (and children) new tricks
Like many new teaching graduates, Sarah Macdonald started her career full of promise and hope for the potential impact she could have on a child’s life. But she soon realised that a great curriculum and a supportive environment were not enough....
October 18, 2023
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19:53
Neurodiverse students thrive in outdoor setting on horseback
If not for the Dunalley bushfires in 2013, Tasmanian teacher Cheri Allanby may still be delivering lessons to her students in the same way that millions have done before her - standing in a classroom, whiteboard behind her, explaining simple co...
August 22, 2023
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21:44
How dogs are helping first responders cope with trauma
Karen Hollings is a highly experienced paramedic who has been employed by St John Ambulance in Western Australia since 2003. She loves her job and has been awarded several commendations over the course of her career, but it has als...
June 06, 2023
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16:34
When life gives you lemons, make lemonade
Wendy Coombe's world came crashing down in November 2014 after years of buried trauma and corporate conflict led to a nervous breakdown.Overnight, a successful career as a high-functioning executive collapsed, leaving her flounder...
April 07, 2023
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21:17
What horses can teach us about leadership
Not many people can put their hand on their heart and say their job makes their heart sing. Vicki Macdermid counts herself among the lucky few.The executive business coach and chartered accountant has established a model fo...
February 06, 2023
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19:52
Love and attachment: two words that define the human:animal bond
Why do animals play such a pivotal role in helping humans to heal? And how can we ensure this powerful bond is taken seriously by governments and the community? Child psychologist Dr Aubrey Fine has spent 50 years working in the fie...
December 03, 2022
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22:22
Veterinarians in crisis
Seventy per cent of veterinarians know at least one colleague who has taken their own life and almost the same number are experiencing mental health issues within their practice. Long hours, low pay, high stress, unrealistic client expect...
September 27, 2022
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13:03
A little equine magic in Australia's Top End
Northern Territory resident Rashida Khan wears many hats: animal nutritionist; horse, cattle and miniature mule breeder; equine assisted therapist; and corporate and personal coach; not to mention full-time carer for her 82-year-old father.&nbs...
June 28, 2022
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20:31
COVID sniffer dogs: the world's fastest screening tool
With a sense of smell up to 100,000 times more powerful than a human’s, it’s perhaps no surprise that dogs can reliably detect hundreds of different scents, including COVID-19. But as Dr Anne-Lise Chaber explains, their potential as an effectiv...
May 16, 2022
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16:59
Prisoners and Pets
Ever thought of pairing prisoners with retired greyhounds to domesticate the latter for adoption in the community? It's an odd combination but it pays dividends, for inmates and ex-racing dogs alike. Since 2014, the women's and men's prisons in...
March 10, 2022
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18:29
How wild animals heal human trauma
Dr Lorin Lindner is a clinical psychologist based in the Californian mountains above Los Angeles. She operates two very special sanctuaries that pair traumatised wildlife with returned US military veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress...
January 17, 2022
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21:10
A tragedy with a silver lining
Lesley Porter was orphaned at the age of five when she lost her entire family in a car accident in England. She was the only survivor. Raised by her grandmother, who brought her to Australia, Lesley was shunted between relatives and friends for...
October 18, 2021
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13:04
A paw-fect storytime buddy
Childhood literacy rates in Australia are among the worst in the developed world, with one in five children failing to meet international standards. The Federal Government is pouring millions of dollars into addressing the literacy crisis, but ...
August 16, 2021
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15:44
Assistance dogs and veterans
Dani Hale was living her dream life, serving her country in the Army and then in the Navy. But the physical demands of the job took a heavy toll over many years, leading to multiple back operations, a spinal cord implant and, inevitably, a medi...
June 26, 2021
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16:12
Protecting our pets from domestic violence
One in three women experiencing domestic violence don't leave - or delay leaving - because of their pets. But services are now available in Australia to provide safe havens for both. The law is also catching up, with recent legislation in...
April 05, 2021
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15:28
Alpacas spreading the love
Since 2003, Nils Lantzke and his herd of alpacas have been spreading the love around Canberra, helping those doing it tough and putting a smile on people's faces. After 17 years, Nils is hanging up the reins, leaving a remarkable legacy.
February 23, 2021
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11:17