Lola is a big, sweet, lazy Great Dane. She spends most of her time sleeping, either on the couch at home or on a couch at Creative Family Counseling.  As Lola grew from a puppy to a young adult, Lacey was excited to see that Lola demonstrated the sweet, gentle, and understanding temperament needed for her to become a Therapy Dog. When she was old enough to start classes to be trained to provide Animal-Assisted Therapy, she did. Lacey and Lola were first certified while living in Nashville, TN.  They’ve been certified through a few different groups over the years, but most recently, Lola and Lacey are certified as an animal-assisted therapy team through Pawsibilities Unleashed.

Lola offers a calming presence to clients who may feel anxious about coming to therapy.  She brings an instant smile to people’s faces, despite challenges they may be facing. Lola is sometimes used in session in this very way – allowing clients to pet her while they discuss challenging memories, thoughts, and feelings.  Other times, Lola is used in more direct ways, such as interventions addressing social skills or emotion identification for child clients or for grounding interventions with clients who have just processed difficult content during their session.  Upon meeting Lola, you’ll understand her magic. Some clients have even been known to request “more sessions with Lola” upon scheduling appointments. :)

While not working, Lola does get pretty excited and turns into a big ole puppy when at the park playing.  She especially loves playing fetch and hiking trails.