Testimonials

“In an ideal world, all students would hear the Healing Species message.
However, for students whose lives are difficult, the message is critical.”
– Donna Shealy, PhD, Head of Guidance, Lexington District One

“Our school climate has improved since Healing Species has been part of our program.
Empathy has begun to be developed by middle school students who didn’t know
the meaning of the word prior to participating in the program.”
– Jennifer Powlas, Principal, Alternative Academy for Success

“Personally, I have seen children that started as very isolated
and angry children blossom with their interaction with the dogs.”
– Laura A. McCann, Chief Family Court Prosecutor, 1^st Judicial Circuit, South Carolina

“Some of our most aggressive, “bully” types have mellowed once they participate in this program.
For some, it is the first time they’ve realized their actions hurt others.”
– Nancy Montgomery, Principal, Willow Lane School, Department of Juvenile Justice, SC

“There is nothing I don’t like about Healing Species.  Every Tuesday I wake up very excited.
Can you guess why?  Healing Species!”
– 4^th grade student at Gilbert Elementary, SC

“I love Healing Species.  I learned a lot about animals and how to treat them.
You should not shoot BB-guns at them, like my uncle does.
Now I show empathy for my dogs.”
– 4^th grade student at Gilbert Elementary, SC

“I learned that when I let people control how I feel,
they are basically in control of my life.”
– High school student, Communities in Schools of the Midlands, SC

“One day I had just entered an EBD classroom (children with emotional and behavioral disorders) together with one of my volunteers and her dog Amber when a little boy in the first row got very upset about something and he pushed his desk so hard that it fell over. The teacher called the counselor and the little boy was taken into an adjacent room where the counselor tried to talk to him. The boy was inconsolable though and kept crying and screaming. Amber, a yellow Labrador Retriever mix, kept looking at the door and started to pull on her leash and it was obvious that she wanted to go into that room. Finally the teacher gave her ok and Amber walked into the room,and went straight up to the boy. Within a few seconds stopped crying and put his arms around her. It was amazing. Amber had done what none of the present adults had been able to do, she calmed down a very upset little boy.”
– Carolin Behrend, Director of Healing Species Puget Sound

Survey Results  2010-11
From service to Gilbert Elementary, Clark Middle School, Lexington Solicitor’s Office, and Olympia Learning Center

STUDENT COMMENTS

• “Healing Species teaches you how to get over your anger quickly and how to have empathy for others.”
• “They really help us out with changing our lives, not letting anyone pull your trigger.”
• ” I had an incident when a teacher yelled at me and had no respect for me, and if I was the old Kelvin, I would have shown no respect for her and might have hit her. I remembered that I should show respect, and I had to keep my power”
• “It’s possible to make a difference in the world or in your community, by using what you do best to help others.  Do whatever chores you can to help someone.”
• “You shouldn’t drink because it is bad for you and you say no to drugs because you have got to be a leader, not a follower.”
• “A lot of people who do cruel things to animals and humans don’t see people or animals with their heart, only with their eyes.  Empathy is the act of caring.  Grieving and forgiving is all part of the healing process."

Question: What do you like best about the Healing Species program?

• “The teachers.”
• “The teachers’ kindness towards me.”
• “Being taught how to handle things.”

Question: What have you learned from the Healing Species program?

• “Help think positive and to tell when something bad is happening to you.”
• “To control my behavior better.”
• “I learned how to calm down.”

STATS

• 98% of students report that Healing Species is an effective program for teaching them positive behaviors
• 85% state that they have exhibited positive changes before others since having the Healing Species program
• 92% of students responded appropriately to knowing the proper way to handle themselves when someone “pulls their trigger” or gets on their nerves.
• 81% responded that they think before they respond when someone “pulls their trigger”
• 92% report in the post survey that they know when and how they need help calming down if something bad happens to them.
• 80 % responded appropriately to knowing how to react and make things better when sad, hurt, angry, frustrated or confused
• 77% reported an increase of appropriate responses to violence and also in practicing conflict resolution

TEACHER COMMENTS

Question: What do you like best about the Healing Species program?

• “Students are introduced to a wide variety of information that will not only assist them at school, but also at home.”
• “Teaching empathy and acts of kindness was a great thing, because many of the students did not previously show empathy for their peers.”
• 100% of the fourth grade teachers feel that Healing Species is an effective program in teaching students positive behaviors.
• Teachers and Guidance Counselors report students had an average of 89% improvement in knowledge of strategies for avoiding violence and making good choices.

PARENT TESTIMONIALS

Question: What are the strengths of the Healing Species program?

• “This particular program out of all the ones he’s been in I can see a difference in him, and I am so proud of him.  He came home yesterday, whatever you said made a difference, as he sat down with his sister and opened up and they talked for three hours.  I was so joyous, I cried.  I’m crying even now.  They have not been talking to each other.  Everyone in the Healing species and Arbitration program seems to understand him. When he sees that, it seems a little bit of a flower opens up in him.”
• “I have noticed a change in my child’s attitude, with more self-control.”
• “Healing Species has helped my daughter and I get closer than we were before.”
• “I really enjoyed the parent class.  I learned a lot.”
• “By observing my daughter’s behavior I can see the emergence of new characteristics.  While I realize new habits take time, I can see a positive start.”

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