Kevin the rooster helps lower stress at Napa recovery program
Furry animals such as Golden Retrievers don’t have a corner on the therapy animal world. A feathery creature with comb, wattle, beak and claws can fit the bill as well. Kevin is a resident at the substance abuse treatment program run by the McAlister Institute for Treatment and Education on the grounds of Napa State Hospital. He has plenty of fans among the clients, who live at the center during their recoveries. “He helps me calm down,” said Bianca Solorio on a recent day. “I do breathing techniques and hold him. He’s calm. I feel like he can feel me – my emotions.” Other clients wrote testimonials for Kevin to Jeanne McAlister, the CEO of the El Cajon-based McAlister Institute. “I talk to Kevin all the time,” one wrote. “I pick him up and hold him and pet him till he falls asleep in my arms! He helps sooth my emotions for a while. And he’s funny when he runs to you, because he knows you have treats for him.” Read more about Kevin the Rooster at the Napa Valley Register.
