Welcome on "Giulio´s Way" - Animal-Assisted Therapy and Consolidation of Compassion
„Working with an animal means working on yourself© “– this statement describes the content and process of our different offers at its best. We believe that through the contact with an animal we can discover new aspects about ourselves. The animal mirrors us; it reacts on our behavior – and that means: by having contact with an animal, we are able to actually learn more about our appearance and impact on others. By this way of learning we get the opportunity to reflect on ourselves and to grow as a person. More concrete: we can learn to become self-confident and authentic and - by this way - to face our life better.
The name „Giulio´s Way“ refers to the significance of our passed-away team-member for the development of our particular form of animal-assisted therapy. His history and character have influenced our professional and private growth and our attitude towards humans and other animals.
Our Credo
Besides our belief "Working with an animal means working on yourself©" our most important credo is that humans and animals have the same imperturbable value. Animals may have partially different needs, different perceptions and different Goals, but this does not diminish their right to express their individuality and their right to live a species-appropriate and peaceful life.
Special form of Animal-Assisted Therapy
All our animals are adopted and derive from maltreatment or are former stray dogs. They all experienced disregard or being abandoned. But they managed to survive and overcome their hard lot. Every single one of them represents the chance to overcome loneliness and despair and to develop acceptance and love of life. Our animals, hence, live what any concept of psychotherapy tries to communicate: Despite of a hard past and/or negative learning experiences there is always room for living a joyful life in the Here and Now.
Team
Katharina Sabine Blesch
- *1985
- Graduated Psychologist (University of Heidelberg, Germany)
- Graduated Specialist in Animal-Assisted Therapy (University for Veterinary Medicine of Vienna, Austria)
- Graduated Specialist in Animal Psychology (ATN Switzerland)
- Advanced Trainings in Animal Training (especially dogs, cows, horses)
Educated in Italy, Germany, Switzerland and Austria. Working experiences with different species (amongst others horses, dogs, cows, rabbits, lamas) and in different sectors (psychosomatic and psychiatric institutions, prison, educational facilities).
Current main occupation: Specialist in Animal-Assisted Therapy at a private Psychiatric and Psychosomatic Institution. Current part-time occupations: Lecturer (amongst others at the University of Genova, Italy) and private courses and sessions in Animal-Assisted Therapy (see „Activities“).
The Dogs Toni & Giulia
Toni is a Segugio-Mix and was born in 2015 as a stray-dog in Central Italy. As a puppy he was collected from the street and brought to a dog shelter from where he was adopted. Toni is an absolute sweetheart, always in good mood, always ready to play and to give a good time to anybody around. Since 2016 he is part of our pack and after trainings and specific education since 2019 he works with us as a therapy-dog.
Giulia was born in 2019 as a stray-dog in Rumenia. She was collected from the street and brought to a dog shelter in Rumenia. From there she was brought to Germany where we adopted her. She is tender, gentle and calm and the perfect partner to Toni. Since 2020 she participates in the therapies and receive special education to become a therapy-dog.
The rabbits & guinea pigs
Our rabbits and guinea pigs also come from situations of misstreatment or abandonment. By now they are experienced therapy-animals and enjoy their new lives interacting positively with people.
Publications & Co
Books
Blesch, K. (2023). Animal-Assisted Therapy with Dogs. Heidelberg: Springer Verlag.
Blesch, K. (2020). Tiergestützte Therapie mit Hunden. Grundlagen, Tierethik und Praxis der therapeutischen Arbeit. Heidelberg: Springer Verlag. https://www.springer.com/de/book/9783662614396
Blesch, K. (2013). Hunde - Musik - Emotionen. Saarbrücken: AV Akademikerverlag.
Interdisziplinäre Arbeitsgemeinschaft Tierethik (Hg.) (2007): Tierrechte - eine interdisziplinäre Herausforderung. Erlangen: Harald Fischer Verlag.
Articles
Blesch, K. (2015). Tiergestützte Gruppenpsychotherapie. Gruppenpsychotherapie und Gruppendynamik. 51, 86-97.
Blesch, K. (2012). Da liegt die Zuversicht - eine empirische Untersuchung im Pflegeheim zum Vergleich der Effektivität von Hundebesuchsdienst und musiktherapeutischer Aktivität. Tiergestützte. 1/2012, 26-30.
Video
Animal-Assisted Therapy at the Rhein-Jura Klinik (Tiergestützte Therapie an der Rhein-Jura Klinik)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jj-Md13PGKc
Activities
We offer the following services (all services can be held in German, Italian or English):
Animal-assisted therapy
Please contact us without engagement if you are interested in developing more self-confidence and security.
Conferences, courses and more
Please contact us without engagement if you are interested in a conference or a course (or also an interview or an article) on the following topics:
- Animal-Assisted Therapy
- Empathy and Ethics within Animal-Assisted Therapy
- Training and Preparation of Therapy-Dogs and other animals
- Animal-Psychology
- And related topics
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Contact & Impressum
For any question you have concerning our work and services please contact us without engagement!
Katharina Sabine Blesch
Liftstr. 35
D- 79737 Herrischried
Germany
katharina_blesch@gmx.net
Tel: 0049 (0)159 02778430
Press
We are always pleased about a collaboration with agents of the media. We are happy to answer your questions on:
- Animal-Assisted Therapy
- Animal-Assisted Consolidation of Empathy
- Animal-Psychology
- Animal Welfare and Animal-Rights/Animal-Ethics
© 2023 Katharina Sabine Blesch - Liftstr.35 - 79737 Herrischried