“Go and work with animals, it’ll help your mental health.”

So many of us have heard that… but what if it’s not that simple?

In this 38-minute episode of Stories from the Sanctuary, Donna and Rob from Get to Know Animals CIC – an indoor exotic animal sanctuary in Epping, Essex – talk honestly about what working with animals is really like, and how that differs from animal-assisted therapy / animal-assisted interactions (AAT).

They explore:

Why “working with animals as therapy” can sometimes make mental health worse

The physical reality of animal care: poo, pain, bites, scratches, illness and loss

How physical and mental health are completely linked in an animal care environment

The difference between animal care work and structured animal-assisted therapy sessions

Real stories of AAT helping with depression, anxiety, selective mutism and stroke recovery

What medical professionals and therapists should know before prescribing “animal therapy” or “working with animals”

This episode is especially helpful for:

Doctors, GPs, psychiatrists, psychologists and therapists

Support workers, social prescribers and mental health teams

People living with depression, anxiety, chronic pain, fibromyalgia, disability or long-term illness who are considering working or volunteering with animals

Animal lovers curious about what really happens behind the scenes in an exotic animal sanctuary

Then things get lighter as Donna introduces GTKA’s newest team member, Nathan Ofsthun – an American ecologist and ornithologist with a huge passion for ducks, birds, education and conservation.

Nathan shares:

How he fell in love with birds (and why “duck” was basically the first word in his house)

Why ducks are so special, soft and helpful for people who are scared of birds

His passion for nature education, wildlife conservation and local ecology

Why joining Get to Know Animals felt like “finding his people”

Expect:

Honest talk about mental health, disability and working with animals

Insight into animal-assisted therapy from a real sanctuary

Plenty of laughs, duck stories and some truly terrible American accents at the end

If you’ve ever thought, said or prescribed “working with animals as therapy”, this episode offers a kinder, clearer picture of what that really looks like – and where animal-assisted therapy truly shines.

To support our rescued animals and therapy work, you can donate at https://gtka.co.uk/donations 💚

Well good mornflakes, Zooligans! 🐾

In our most personal episode yet, join Donna and Rob as they reveal the hilarious, heart-warming story of how a lockdown Facebook message, some burnt chicken sausages, and an improvised cable tie proposal led to the creation of Get to Know Animals.

From supermarket 'dates' to cleaning snake tanks together, hear how two school acquaintances became life partners and sanctuary founders. Featuring guest appearances from Donna's parents and a story that proves love - and rescue - can happen in the most unexpected ways.

Grab a cuppa, settle in, and get ready to laugh, cry, and fall in love with the wild journey of GTKA! 💚

Join Donna as she shares the incredible journey of how Get to Know Animals sanctuary came to be. From a simple fish tank to a 12,000 sq ft tropical paradise housing 300+ rescued exotic animals, this is a story of love, resilience, and second chances. Discover how a former recruitment consultant with fibromyalgia found her true calling creating a healing sanctuary in Essex.