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Our Therapeutic Services

CIC offers a few different therapeutic services for those in the Twin Cities:

Click on the service to learn more about what CIC can do for your community.

Supporting Growth, Connection, and Emotional Well-Being Through Therapeutic Programming

At Canine Inspired Change, we believe healing happens through connection.

Our therapeutic services use the human-canine relationship as a bridge to help individuals build confidence, practice emotional regulation, strengthen social skills, and experience meaningful connection with others. Through trauma-informed, relationship-centered programming, our therapy dog teams create opportunities for participants to feel seen, supported, and capable.

Whether we are working with a student navigating social challenges, adults seeking connection, or a community recovering from adversity, our goal remains the same: to create safe spaces where growth can happen.

Our Approach

Every CIC program, from dog training classes to therapeutic sessions, is rooted in trauma-informed principles and designed to meet participants where they are.

Our therapy dog teams provide a calm, non-judgmental presence that helps participants feel safe enough to engage, learn, and connect. Working alongside our trained volunteers and therapy dogs, participants practice skills that support success both inside and outside of our sessions.

Programs may focus on:

  • Building self-confidence

  • Emotional awareness and regulation

  • Communication and relationship skills

  • Empathy and compassion

  • Teamwork and problem-solving

  • Stress reduction and mindfulness

  • Resilience and coping strategies

Our work is not about "fixing" people. It's about creating opportunities for connection, curiosity, and growth. Being a part of the community can make the difference for someone in need of support.

CIC Program Overview

CIC partners with schools, treatment programs, healthcare organizations, and community agencies throughout the Twin Cities.

Our curriculum-based programs combine social-emotional learning with hands-on interactions with therapy dogs. Participants engage in activities that encourage self-reflection, cooperation, emotional regulation, and confidence-building while developing meaningful relationships with dogs, volunteers, and peers.

Programs can be customized to meet the unique needs of your students, clients, or community members.

School & Organization Programming

Customizable Group Courses

A typical group program runs weekly for 6–12 weeks. Each week’s session lasts for 1 hour. We can serve up to 10 students in either 1 session for the duration of that hour, or you have the option to serve up to 20 students by doing 2 back to back 30 minute sessions with a max of 10 students in each session.

Courses focus on teamwork and agility training to create a trusting environment, and sessions end with a student partner performance that instills confidence and accomplishment. Depending in the needs of the population, we can modify your group’s curriculum through different activities such as:

  • Dog training skills and activities

  • Mindfulness and breathing exercises

  • Emotional regulation strategies

  • Dog and human nervous system education

  • Cooperative games and problem-solving activities

  • Canine body language education

  • STEM focused education

Our flexible approach allows us to create experiences that are engaging, supportive, and meaningful for each participant.

Program Details & Pricing

CIC can come to your organization or you can come to CIC HQ in St Paul, MN. The optimal space would be large enough for up to 20 humans and dogs to have room to be active. The space would ideally have non slip flooring, low/no echo, free from disruptions and distractions, with clear and easy access for teams to enter and exit. Many organizations use spaces such as open classrooms, meeting rooms, gyms or music rooms.

CIC sessions are held in small groups to promote community and connection, that being said the size of the space and environment in which the sessions are held play a significant role in keeping both the dogs and the participants regulated. CIC can come to your facility to plan how we can implement a fresh way of encouraging growth and learning within available spaces.

A fully funded 10–week session is $5,000. Full and partial scholarships are available for those that need assistance with funding.

Past & Present Partners

Anoka Metro Regional Treatment Center

Avalon School

Columbia Heights Public Schools

District 916

Face to Face Academy

Girls Rise Up

Hall STEM Academy

HOPE Community Academy

Hopkins Transition Plus

Horace Mann Elementary Journeys Secondary School

Karner Blue Education Center

Literacy Minnesota

Minneapolis Public Schools

Minnesota Excellence in Learning Academy

Minnesota Jewish Community Center

Neighborhood House

Pankalo Education Center

Quora Education Center

Ramsey County Juvenile Detention Center

RiverEast Elementary and Secondary School

St. Paul Public Schools

The Willows at Avanti Center

Turtle Lake Elementary

Twin Cities German Immersion School

Union Gospel Mission-Twin Cities

University of Minnesota

Waite Park Elementary School

WELS North

Women’s Advocates-Youth Engagement

Youable Emotional Health

Let's Create Something Together

Whether you're a school administrator, mental health professional, community organization, healthcare provider, or family looking for support, we'd love to explore how CIC can help. Have more questions? Watch the video or read the FAQ here!

Use the form below to reach out and learn how our therapy dog teams can support your community.

Get Started!

Whether you’re at a school, non-profit, corporation, small business, or seeking a fun, dog-filled time, CIC wants to work with you!

Outcomes That Matter

At Canine Inspired Change, we measure success by the growth we see in the individuals we serve. Through structured interactions with therapy dogs, participants develop skills that support their emotional well-being, relationships, and long-term success.

Increased Self-Confidence: Many participants begin our programs struggling to recognize their own strengths and value. Through supportive relationships with therapy dogs and volunteers, individuals build confidence, develop a stronger sense of self-worth, and gain the courage to take on new challenges.

Improved Emotional Regulation: Participants learn practical tools for managing big emotions, coping with stress, and finding calm during challenging situations. Our programs help individuals build self-awareness and develop strategies they can use long after a session ends. Schools report many students use self soothing techniques they learned through CIC throughout the entire school year.

Greater Patience and Resilience: Working with dogs provides countless opportunities to practice patience, persistence, and problem-solving. Participants learn that growth takes time and that mistakes are a natural part of learning.

Stronger Social and Communication Skills: Therapy dogs create natural opportunities for connection. Participants practice listening, collaboration, empathy, and respectful communication while engaging with peers, volunteers, and therapy dogs.

A Sense of Belonging: Our programs create welcoming spaces where participants feel accepted, supported, and connected. For many individuals, relationships formed through CIC become an important source of encouragement and community. Many students return to CIC after their organizational programming; whether to volunteer or explore work based learning opportunities.

Measurable Impact

Our outcomes demonstrate the power of the human-canine bond:

  • Before participating in CIC programs, 15% of students could not identify a single positive trait about themselves. After completing the program, 100% could recognize their own strengths and worth.

  • Nearly half of participants initially struggled with frustration and persistence. Following participation, 98% demonstrated the patience needed to work through new challenges.

  • Participants were six times more likely to consistently use self-soothing and emotional regulation techniques after completing a CIC program.

These outcomes reflect more than skill development—they represent increased confidence, resilience, and kindness.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Promoting social and emotional wellness in a fun, nonjudgmental environment—our adaptable curriculum was developed by CIC founder, Danielle Graczyk, and behavior analyst Beth Child. It focuses on developing self-esteem, confidence, self-awareness, self-regulation, and demonstrating the dynamics of teamwork, and the value of clear communication and establishing healthy boundaries. Along the way, additional mental health professionals have helped shape our programming to better suit individual needs.

  • Dogs have a remarkable ability to bring people into the present moment. They offer acceptance without judgment, create opportunities for positive social interaction, and help participants practice new skills in a way that feels natural and rewarding. Through structured interactions with our therapy dogs & volunteers, participants can experience success, build trust, and develop confidence that extends beyond the session itself.

  • We work with a wide range of students, including but not limited to young people with autism, emotional behavioral disorders, anxiety, depression, Down syndrome and traumatic brain injuries. We also work with youth affected by gang influence, youth experiencing housing instability, youth who have witnessed and experienced violence and sexually exploited youth.

    While much of our work involves children, we also serve adults. Our adaptable programming can be modified to better suit the needs of adults experiencing recovery, mental health challenges, and overcoming other traumas.

  • Participants should be comfortable around dogs and interested in engaging with them in a safe, respectful manner. Individuals should be able to follow directions, participate in group activities, and remain regulated in a shared environment. To ensure the safety and well-being of both participants and therapy dogs, participants must be able to interact calmly with dogs, refrain from aggressive or disruptive behaviors, and avoid grabbing, pulling, or other unsafe interactions. Participants should not have dog allergies that would prevent participation and should be able to engage appropriately in a group setting without causing significant disruption. For schools, grade 3 and up is ideal.

  • CIC therapy dogs are temperament tested skilled dogs who have been trained specifically for the CIC programming. They have taken at least 14 weeks of training and passed a comprehensive evaluation ensuring that they are happy and eager to safely work in our program.

    During the sessions, the Therapy Dog’s owner will lead them during interactions with the students. The humans have trained along side their dog for the entirety of their program. They follow trauma informed practices when interacting with participants.

  • Yes! We have adapted our group programming to suit the needs of students in a 1:1 setting. Learn more by clicking here!

    If you are looking for a health care provider or mental health professional that works with dogs, contact us for a referral.