Alpaca therapy
Coming next year!
Occupational therapy and alpaca therapy at Alpacarnia Zielony Lasek
What is occupational therapy?
Occupational therapy is a form of psychophysical support that stimulates development and improves quality of life through a variety of activities tailored to the participant’s abilities. It doesn’t just involve performing “hands-on activities”—its main goal is to actively engage the individual in activities so they can develop their skills, maintain fitness, and increase independence.
As part of occupational therapy, participants learn:
- independence in everyday activities,
- expressing emotions and coping with stress,
- communicating and building relationships,
- teamwork and responsibility for shared tasks.
Occupational therapy is used in work with children, adolescents, adults and seniors.
What is alpaca therapy?
Alpaca therapy is an innovative form of supportive therapy that utilizes contact with alpacas – animals with exceptionally gentle temperaments. Their calm nature, curiosity about the world, and lack of aggression allow them to quickly connect with humans and evoke positive emotions.
During classes, participants have the opportunity to:
- observing, petting, feeding, and leading alpacas,
- learning gentleness and mindfulness through caring for an animal,
- building relationships based on acceptance and trust,
- performing movement and manual exercises with an alpaca.
Combining alpaca therapy with occupational therapy enhances the effects of both methods – it provides not only the joy of contact with the animal, but also real support in the emotional, social, cognitive and motor areas.
What areas will our classes impact?
- Emotional – reducing stress, improving mood, building a sense of security,
- Social – developing communication, empathy, cooperation, breaking down barriers,
- Cognitive – stimulating memory, concentration, and creativity,
- Movement – developing fine and gross motor skills, improving coordination, balance, and agility,
- Therapeutic – strengthening a sense of agency, self-confidence, and motivation to act.
Why are our classes unique?
- They are individually tailored to the individual or group,
- led by qualified and experienced therapeutic professionals,
- take place in a peaceful and safe space,
- combining the joy of contact with alpacas with specific therapeutic goals.
Who are our classes intended for?
Preschool and school-age children
- Supporting psychomotor development,
- learning concentration, patience, and independence,
- overcoming fears and shyness,
- developing empathy and a sense of responsibility.
Children and adolescents with developmental difficulties
- Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) – supporting communication, reducing tension, developing social skills,
- ADHD – practicing concentration, patience, and emotional control,
- dyslexia, dysgraphia – improving motivation, mindfulness, and developing manual dexterity,
- anxiety and emotional disorders – reducing stress, promoting a sense of security.
Adults and children with disabilities and chronic diseases
- Cerebral palsy (CP) – movement exercises, improving coordination and balance,
- Genetic syndromes (e.g., Down syndrome, Williams syndrome) – emotional and social development,
- Intellectual disabilities – cognitive stimulation, building a sense of empowerment,
- Neurological diseases (e.g., multiple sclerosis, epilepsy) – mood improvement, physical activation,
- People undergoing rehabilitation – strengthening motivation and fitness.
Seniors
- Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia – stimulating memory, evoking positive memories,
- Parkinson’s disease – improving coordination, reducing muscle tension,
- depression, loneliness – supporting mental well-being, reducing feelings of isolation,
- maintaining physical and social activity.