Dr. John Tyler Binfet will present an overview of B.A.R.K.— the faculty’s dog therapy program.
Dr. Binfet will share with the UBC Vancouver campus an overview of the B.A.R.K. Program. Standing for “Building Academic Retention Through K9’s”, B.A.R.K. is a dog therapy program that brings together UBC Okanagan students, trained therapy dogs and handlers, and faculty in an effort to reduce stress, foster interpersonal connections and institution affinity, and to promote students’ social-emotional well-being.
“I’m looking forward to showcasing some of the great connections that have been established by bringing dogs to UBC Okanagan and highlighting some of the initial findings from our first intervention study,” Binfet says.
Dr. Binfet will share how intervention studies and drop-in sessions are run, initial results from his innovative research, and a demonstration of techniques used to facilitate interactions between students and therapy dogs. But, not without his faithful companion Frances— “B.A.R.K.’s K9 ambassador Frances will be on hand to share strategies for interacting with clients.”
This presentation is sponsored by the UBC Mental Health Awareness Club as part of their ongoing commitment to raising awareness about student mental health. The club aims to eliminate stigma towards mental illness and create an environment where students, staff and faculty members can discuss and learn about mental health together. This year the club will include organizing pet visits on the Vancouver campus.
What: Supporting Students’ Social -Emotional Well-Being Through Animal-Assisted Therapy: An Overview of UBC Okanagan’s B.A.R.K. Program
When: November 12, 12:30-1:30pm
Where: 201 Westbrook Building (6174 University Blvd)
Learn more about the B.A.R.K. program
Visit the UBC Mental Awareness Club site