Lil’ Steps on path to helping the world with animal therapy

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 29/08/2023 (622 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Wilbert the pig wants to help you with your diaphragmatic breathing.

Lil’ Steps Wellness owner Lucy Sloan explains that Wilbert and the other animals greeting guests of all ages at the open house fundraiser in St Malo Aug. 19 are not just pets, they are her partners in therapy.

“They have dogs in our Winnipeg office, but here we have the whole variety of different farm animals that kind of work alongside the therapists to provide therapy services,” explained Sloan.

“They’re kind of equal partners to us when they work in therapy. So what that means is they’re not really used as a tool in therapy… we share stories about the animal. The kids will connect with the animal. There’s lots of research that shows that rapport and relationship gets built really well when you have an animal with you in therapy.

“Kids just have a space that’s non-judgmental. They feel more accepted, and it does all these things that prime for therapy as well.”

Sloan gave an example of a small child getting a boost of confidence by walking a 1000-pound horse.

Then there is conquering fears, something a couple furry co-workers are specially equipped to help with.

“We might be addressing anxiety. So our two little rats Remi and Gus Gus are fantastic for that because that kind of helps kids address some fears that they might have to work through,” said Sloan.

All ages can book appointments through the website with the 40 or so animals: pigs, ponies, goats, rats, lizards, geese and guinea pigs – and the 11 therapists who work with them.

A specialization of Lil’ Steps is working with schools across Manitoba. They have a program called Being Me tailored for Grades 3-6 that, among other things, helps normalize the anxiety that everyone feels.

That is where Wilbert comes in to do his job with coworking fainting goats.

“Because they’re fainting goats, they actually teach really well the fight, flight, freeze response,” said Sloan.

The goats freeze and fall down.

“That’s what we explain to kids, is that our body does this when we perceive danger,” explained Sloan.

The best way to deal with that is be like Wilbert.

“He has this big round belly that we teach piggy belly breathing strategy, and a few other strategies with his help,” said Sloan.

The open house had about 200 walk through the farm, raising $4,000 for programming. The next event is the Boo Bash coming up in October. The animals like this one because they get to eat the smashed-up pumpkins.

Lil’s Steps’ Winnipeg office opened just this year. Sloan said the added anxiety that came after the pandemic saw an increased demand for this type of service.

Sloan started animal therapy eight years ago, after a decade-plus of the more usual forms of counseling like talk therapy.

It was an idea that came to her after experiencing her own serious head trauma. Sloan realized the huge benefits of having her horses Sweetie and Peanut with her as she recovered.

It is something that she hopes to share with the world.

“I would like to create more programming for schools and I’d like to get my program and some of the work I do, especially around animals to therapy, I’d like to grow that through the country, maybe even internationally,” said Sloan.

She also has two published books with a third on the way. The Duck Who is Mean Sometimes is going through final edits and should pop up on Lil’ Steps Wellness’s website soon.

“That’s based on Mr. Mean Duck who lived on our farm,” said Sloan.

She added that not all animals on the farm like each other, but they respect each other, saying it is a great lesson people can learn from.