Miramichi psychotherapist offers goat-assisted counselling in move to family farm

For John Fletcher of Miramichi, combining his love for counselling and farming has given him his dream job.

After nearly a decade of office-bound therapy, he expanded his fourth-generation family farm to offer animal therapy, as well.

To do so, he enlisted the help of man's best friend. No, not that one. 

"Come on goats, come on boys. Single file here."

As Fletcher walked into a narrow wooded path on the back edge of Fletcher's Farm, three purebred alpine goats came running. They followed him happily, never straying too far from his hip.

Beau, Apollo and Frank the Tank are in training to become certified pack goats. Once they are fully grown, Fletcher said, they will carry hiking gear on walks all over the province.

They have a unique temperament that Fletcher said helps his clients via animal-assisted psychotherapy.

"They're big and they can be intimidating but they're like big puppies," he says. "So that can be very powerful in a therapeutic context."

The way the goats are used in counselling sessions is also unconventional. If they're up for it, Fletcher tells some of his clients to take a hike — literally.

"We offer mindful goat walks here," he says. "We have a nice little walking path here that we can take people on and really try to learn about mindfulness and being grounded through the animals and nature."

One behind the other, the trainees followed Fletcher further into the woods, occasionally pausing to enjoy a bite of a leaf or two. There is no mistaking it, they are tuned into Fletcher and always on the lookout for his next move.

Fletcher bottle-fed the trio beginning at six weeks, a big part of what has taught them to connect with humans, he said.

"I think, in their goat brains, they think I'm a goat or they think they're human," he said. "So when I have people here for therapy — and a lot of times attachment is a theme that needs to be worked on — these guys want to jump in your pocket."

Working with animals can help some clients approach difficult topics in a more indirect way, which can be beneficial.