A step in the right direction

Southdale

St. Boniface

Windsor Park

Winnipeg

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 22/01/2025 (415 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

When it comes to mental health and therapy, finding the right fit can make the world of a difference — and sometimes that right fit is a rat.

Lil’ Steps Wellness, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this summer, recently its newest venture: a Winnipeg-based office at 9-1329 Niakwa Rd. E.

The therapy practice was founded by Lucy Sloan, who began the business with a farm in the southern town of St. Malo, Man. Although its main focus and selling-point is its use of animal-based therapy — everything from horses to rats, depending on the location — Lil’ Steps has been able to incorporate a broad range of different methods. It takes a client-based approach and serves people any age.

Lil’ Steps original Winnipeg office on Marion Street has been doubled in size with this relocation. The company currently serves over 700 clients — a dream come true for Sloan.

“That was the dream when I first started — to service all different walks of life,” Sloan said, adding she’s also proud of the positive vibe in the building, and she works to make sure all of the staff also feel safe.

“The St. Malo (location) feels like a family,” she said. “We wanted to give the Winnipeg location that feeling, as well.”

Someone who’s been involved with Lil’ Steps since its inceptions is Monique Tellier, a therapist who specializes in animal-assisted work with her dog, Fusion. She said working with animals has taught her a lot about connection. In turn, it does the same for many of the patients.

“(Dogs) let people’s guard down,” she said, and are very face-value when it comes to dealing with complex emotions such as anxiety and grief. “They help tackle very difficult topics.” She said someone may learn a lot just from observing Fusion’s body language. He’s an anxious dog, and will often shake to relieve stress. He’s also quite attached to his owner, and will whine at the door when she leaves the room.

Observing this behaviour helps people with autism spectrum disorder, or ASD, understand certain social cues, and normalizes emotions or traits that can be stigmatizing.

This rings true for all the animals at Lil’ Steps. Many aren’t trained therapy animals — they are often rescues — and can really express their individual personalities, as well as teach specific lessons. For example, rats have often been used to teach kids not to judge a book by its cover, and the large, yet meek horses can teach human beings a lot about empathy.

“A lot of it is about storytelling,” she said. “Sharing the stories of the animals.”

Alongside the therapy practice, Sloan has been working on the Lil’ Steps Foundation, a non-profit which funds youth camps at the St. Malo location during the summer, and the ‘Being Me’ program, which aims to introduce animal-based teaching in different schools.

“It’s been hard over 10 years,” Sloan said, adding that she’s finally at a place where it’s everything she hoped it could be. “No blood, but sweat and tears, for sure.”

Lil’ Steps operates on a sliding price scale due to its practicum program, which helps train post-graduate students from all over Canada, and people from anywhere in and outside of the city can reach out to the practice if they think there may be something it offers that matches their needs. Therapy services are also available in French and Tagalog.

Lil’ Steps also has three published children’s books about its animals, which can be found online.

For more information on the practice and the foundation, or to meet all of the “animal co-workers,” visit lilstepswellness.com