Therapy dogs use unique strengths to better serve students
Derek, Epcot, and Josie each leverage their CliftonStrengths talents to help Hokies.
(from left) Josie, Epcot, and Derek are Cook Counseling Center's therapy dogs. Photo by Tayten Allison for Virginia Tech.
Taking Gallup’s CliftonStrengths assessment is a rite of passage for most Hokies keen on discovering and deepening their personal talents. Handlers of Virginia Tech’s three therapy dogs, Derek, Epcot, and Josie, helped identify the dogs’ strengths that aligned most with their tendencies (since there is no paw-friendly version of the assessment). The dogs’ strengths vary, but they all work together to make Virginia Tech’s campus more connected.
Derek
Derek’s top five CliftonStrengths are:
- Self-Assurance
- Adaptability
- Consistency
- Empathy
- Relator
These strengths make him a confident leader who guides his therapy team in their work together. He is happiest when he can sit with students and improve their mental health.
As a master of Adaptability, Derek understands that different days bring different emotions, and he will adjust his behavior accordingly.
“I think Derek does a really good job of meeting people where they’re at, whether they are crying or they're having the best day they’ve ever had, or maybe they're feeling neutral,” said Abbey Lynch, Derek’s handler. “He’s really good about just meeting people where they are and being there regardless.”
Derek is an old soul and the longest-serving member of the group. He is committed to treating others fairly and showing up every day, flexing his Consistency strength and serving as a role model for his dog teammates.
He leverages the internal confidence of his Self-Assurance along with his commitment to treating others fairly as a dimension of Consistency to be a pillar of wisdom for his dog teammates.
For students struggling with confidence, Derek’s Self-Assurance can serve as an example of how to utilize and explore all the opportunities available on campus, along with how to cultivate an inner certainty of where they're going and what they need to get there.
Epcot
Epcot’s top five CliftonStrengths are:
- Connectedness
- Positivity
- Empathy
- Includer
- Harmony
These all make Epcot an excellent confidant and a source of positive support.
Epcot shows his Positivity whenever he leads his handler, Trent Davis, with a wagging tail and lolling tongue. As the youngest member of the therapy dog team, his youthful optimism speaks to college students.
Davis is a counselor for Virginia Tech’s Cook Counseling Center and serves as the coordinator for animal-assisted therapy. Davis lives with both Epcot and Derek and said that Epcot sees Derek as his hero.
The bond between the two is evident when they're together, and Epcot’s Connectedness strength helps him accept that all his experiences and those around him are related and contribute to improving his work.
He really values connectedness and greeting people,” Davis said. “He’s more playful than some of the other dogs we’ve had. He follows me wherever I go.”
Epcot’s Harmony strength helps him recognize opportunities to find common ground and understanding in his household and in the Virginia Tech community during conflicts.
“Epcot is a role model for Harmony and is very devoted to making sure people are cared for and connected,” Davis said. “They provide a grounding because they’re such a stable, positive force.”
Josie
Josie’s top five CliftonStrengths are:
- Connectedness
- Includer
- Self-Assurance
- Focus
- Relator
Josie helps create a welcoming culture at Virginia Tech. Her presence immediately attracts attention, and she uses this phenomenon to bring those who visit her together.
With Josie, students understand their presence is treasured on campus, and she serves as a reminder to reach out and make new friends.
Josie applies her Includer strength when fostering bonds between students in the Virginia Tech community by attending social events and throwing some of her own, like her recent birthday party. She encourages new friendships and helps eliminate anxiety in students during introductions.
“There’s something about Josie that makes it really easy to come together around her,” said Kelsey Hammer, Josie’s handler. “I even see it in individual therapy, when it's me and another client with Josie. It feels like she helps that connection go deeper, more quickly.”
Josie’s training as a service dog revealed her innate sense to focus during her care work, which showed itself as one of her top five strengths.
“She reads situations really well and is always looking to take cues from me,” Hammer said. “She’s always reading me and saying, ‘What should I be doing? What’s next? What are we up to?’”
With Focus and Relator in her top five, Josie balances her ability to comfort without getting distracted while nurturing meaningful relationship building that greatly benefits students.
Students can learn about and take the CliftonStrengths Assessment for free. Strengths coaching to help apply Strengths on campus and beyond is available by contacting strengths@vt.edu.
Written by Caitlin Whitfield, a senior majoring in multimedia journalism.
