Assisted Interventions Involving Animals, Humans and the Environment 67Established in 1947, Green Chimneys offers therapeutic education, environmental
and recreation programmes, and clinical treatment including animal-assisted
therapy for children with social, emotional and behavioural challenges. The inter-
connection of human well-being, animal welfare and environmental stewardship
is ingrained in the organization’s founding principles.
The organization’s philosophy is based on the belief that, if children are given
a chance to explore and discover their inherent strengths in a safe and structured
nature-based environment, their self-esteem, compassion, coping and social
skills will improve. The concept of an enriched treatment setting that brings
people together with animals and plants in a mutually beneficial relationship lies
at the heart of Green Chimneys’ founding principles.
Its approach focuses on an awareness of how trauma impacts human and animal
lives, that a healing setting can benefit both, and that there is a broader parallel
between human, animal, environmental and societal well-being. Human–animal
contact, and contact with all aspects of nature, can have a profound effect on
ContinuedCase Study 17. Continued.