Pawsitive Pathways:

Animal-assisted wellness

Pawsitive Pathways provides trans, queer and ally youth (18 and under) with an 8-week wellness program that utilizes the profound bond between humans and animals to facilitate growth and resiliency.

Led by registered mental health clinicians as well as individuals with lived experience in the trans and gender diverse community, 6-8 participants meet once a week at sessions that feature hands-on interactions with all manner of animals and experiences.

Using the intrinsic benefits of animal-assisted support, this program aims to achieve 4 goals often referenced in research as the most valuable resiliency factors for trans and gender diverse youth:

• Emotional regulation
• Sense of self-worth
• Connection and group identity
• Sense of affirming & belonging