Llamas Bring Smiles to the Lane Center: A Morning of Connection and Calm

Llamas Bring Smiles to the Lane Center: A Morning of Connection and Calm

On September 3, the Lane Center at UCCS was filled with laughter, curiosity, and connection during a special visit from two friendly llamas brought by Terry Rajendran, owner of Luxy Llama. Under clear skies, more than 60 students, faculty, and staff gathered to experience the calming presence of these gentle animals.

Representatives from Milestones Resilience Care, part of the Lyda Hill Institute for Human Resilience, joined the event, including Director of Healing and Community Programs Nicole Weis, Dr. Justin Lincoln, Joanna Polk, and Erin Fowler. Other Institute team members, including Dr. Chip Benight, Elyse Dunckley, and John Cooke, also stopped by to enjoy the morning. Students from Dr. Emily Kulakowski’s Health and Behavior Change class added to the lively atmosphere. If you would like to see the llamas in action at an unrelated event, here's a Fox21 News story that they were feature in. 

The event was warm and welcoming. While some attendees approached the llamas with curiosity, most were smiling, laughing, and visibly relaxed. The llamas’ calm and intuitive nature fostered a sense of ease and connection that spread throughout the crowd.

Llama-Assisted Therapy and Milestones Resilience Care

Beyond the smiles, this event demonstrated how animal-assisted therapy can support emotional health and recovery. Llamas are known for their gentle temperament and ability to help individuals manage stress, anxiety, and trauma. Their presence encourages mindfulness, lowers blood pressure, and promotes feelings of safety and connection.

At Milestones Resilience Care, animal-assisted therapy is an important part of a holistic approach to healing. By incorporating interactions with animals like llamas into therapy sessions, Milestones helps clients build emotional regulation, resilience, and trust. Events like this show how the healing power of human-animal connection can extend beyond clinical settings into our everyday campus community.

Whether you came to pet a llama or simply observe, the morning served as a powerful reminder that connection, both human and animal, plays a vital role in well-being.

Learn more about Milestones Resilience Care and animal-assisted therapy at the Milestones webpage here.