Music therapy and zootherapy a hit at Peter Hall
by Jay Jones Doyle
The students at Peter Hall School have had something special since January 2022. During COVID, the school’s administration applied for, and received, special funding from the Quebec government to pilot two new programs at their school: a music therapy program and a zootherapy program.
“The impact of both programs on our students is magnificent,” said Valérie Arsenault, principal, Côte-Vertu Campus of Peter Hall School.s
Peter Hall’s music therapy program is run by Katie Komorek at the Côte-Vertu Campus, whose boundless energy, creativity, musical prowess and dedication have combined to make for a music therapy experience that is nothing short of TV-worthy. During the pandemic, Komorek took it upon herself to record videos of her lessons for her students so that they could continue benefitting from home during lockdown periods. This was extremely well received by parents, many of whom have reached out to express their gratitude, according to Arsenault. I was lucky enough to participate in one of these classes and I was simultaneously blown away by, and not surprised in the least by, how the students gravitated to Katie’s infectious joy for teaching. Funding for the program has been renewed for this school year.
The zootherapy program has also been a tremendous success. In addition to being very helpful in teaching communication and emotional regulation, it’s also useful for students with family pets to learn the practical skills needed to care for animals at home. This has translated into some students being able to take on more responsibilities as well as stimulating relatable conversation points. A particular success story that emerged from the program was that of a student new to the school, who was having trouble integrating. The process of leaving her old school had resulted in feelings of abandonment and rejection, and so she was continuously expressing that the new school was going to “throw her out/get rid of her.” When she started to interact with the animals, the teachers and administration indicated that “a whole new student emerged,” and the impacts were extremely positive, Arsenault explained.
“To see a student blossom during zootherapy or participating with his group for the first time during musicotherapy are moments that we really cherish and shows us the full potential of our students,” said Arsenault.
Jay Jones Doyle holds a B.A in psychology, Master’s in business, and is the executive director of Capitals Hub Canada. He enjoys mentoring, backwoods canoe camping and is the proud father of a Dawson student.
And he has cerebral palsy.
