Licensed Clinical Child and Family Psychologist, Dr. Lesli Preuss, specializes in the emotional well-being of Gifted and Twice-Exceptional (2e) children and adolescents, and children diagnosed with ADHD, Asperger's Syndrome, and anxiety-related issues. She helps her clients achieve social and emotional therapeutic results by working with the animals on her ranch and relating animal behaviors and personalities to behavioral issues in children. Her rescue horses, long-haired adolescent goats, Karl the pig, and loving dogs are all part of the therapy on Dr. Lesli’s ranch. In addition to providing animal-assisted therapy on her SoCal ranch, Dr. Lesli created a summer day camp, Buddy Building, LLC, to provide a fun summer experience for children with these special needs. Dr. Lesli is solution focused, utilizing Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Animal Assisted Therapy and Experiential Therapy. When introduced to the personalities of the ranch animals, young patients are often more accepting of dialogue and open to counseling. Sessions focus on skill-building, improving coping strategies, and supporting communication within the family. Benefits include:
• Understanding and developing coping skills
• Learning to make better choices
• Improved self-esteem and motivation
• Translating positive animal interactions into positive human interactions
• Elevated mood and reduced stress
• Ability to confide in a more comforting environment
• Reduced depression and social disorders
• Emotional growth and learning
• Improved communication skills
• Positive relationship development
