On Nov. 11, 2022 the Mental Health at Masters club (MH@M) announced that therapy dogs will be coming to school each week. Starting Nov. 17, 2022, Louie the Poodle will come to Masters every Thursday during club time along with his owner Leslie.
Source of benefits: Northwell Health
Claress Bahamundi and Ana Castillo co-founded the Mental Health at Masters club in 2020 after the pandemic. “The point of the therapy dogs is to provide our community a sense of wellness during stressful times, like school, and provide something in the hope they will feel better” said Castillo.
Upper School Counselors Lydia Whitney, Brandon Sanders and Stefanie Carbon are all faculty advisors for the club along with the Chair of the Department of Visual Art, Cheryl Hajjar. They have worked closely with Bahamundi and Castillo to improve the mental health resources at school.
Whitney sees many benefits to our community with weekly therapy dog visits. She said, “Its important for students to know that there will be dogs at school every week, it gives them something to look forward to. Students can rely on knowing that they can have that contact with the pet to de stress. We know that having contact with a calm pet really does make an impact on students mental well-being.” Whitney continued, “Some students are unable to have access to pets, either due to allergies in the family or restrictions in their housing. This is just offering another outlet for our students who aren't able to have pets.”
Bahamundi and Castillo hosted therapy dogs on campus for the first time last May during the De-Stress Fest. They partnered with Hudson Valley Paws for a Cause, a nonprofit organization that provides pet therapy to those who need it; with no charge. Their goal is stated on their website as: “Our mission is to help those in need of emotional support of any kind. We are there to share a story, a smile, or to help a struggling child read or interact socially. We share the unconditional love and solace that our dogs give us everyday with anyone in need. It is through your generous donations and support that we can continue to thrive to serve our communities.”
Since the therapy dogs visit last year was successful, Bahamundi and Castillo wanted to make the dogs a permanent currency at Masters. Bahamundi said, “So it was just for the initial distress fast but because we started building those connections with Paws for A Cause by reaching out and just asking if it can be a permanent currency at Masters. One of the therapy dog owners had an opening on Thursdays during club time, which works perfectly with our schedule.”
Although there were some concerns regarding dog allergies and phobias, Mental Health at Masters found a solution. “Since it's starting to get cold outside, we don’t want the dog and its owner standing outside in the freezing cold so they will gather in the student lounge. It's an area that is easily avoidable for those who don’t want to be around the dogs,” said Bahamundi.
Therapy dogs have been proven to relieve stress. Junior Lainey Spencer, has a mutt at home that brings joy to her life. “When I get home after a long day of school and see my dog waiting at the front door, all that stress from the day goes away,” said Spencer. She continued, “I am able to take breaks from my homework by playing or walking my dog. It gives my mind a break and lets me be more efficient when I get back to my work. I feel a little less anxious about my schoolwork because I'm like, okay, it took me and I had a good reason to.”
Amidst a long day of school, Mental Health at Masters hopes the therapy dogs will bring the community together to think of the broader mental health issues.
“I really hope that this starts a conversation about the de-stigmatization of mental health. I want people to start being more open to improving their well-being and reaching out for help when they need it. It's important for the community to know that there are support systems in place for everyone and to not feel alone or isolated. I hope this starts a chain of events of incorporating bonds and well being into the Masters culture,” Bahamundi said.
Photo by Jack Parsons. Graphic designed by Lily Zuckerman.