Welcome to the Curacao Dolphin Therapy & Reserach Center & Apex Social Partnership Program

Join Dolphin Suites & Wellness in celebrating as they continue to redefine accessible travel and offer unforgettable Caribbean retreats!

Apex Families and Care Professionals are welcome to participate in this amazing 1-2 week program designed for the whole family. In addition, Apex Social Care Professional Alumni are invited to participate in a 90 day Dolphin Therapy assistant program for a once in a life time opportunity to live on site and work in an interdisziplinary team of passionate healthcare professionals alongside with therapy dolphins at the Curaçao Dolphin Therapy & Research Center, (CDTC), the leading dolphin-assisted therapy center in the world that offers a unique and effective therapy program in a beautiful inspiring and relaxing Caribbean destination.

CDTC | We Believe That Anything Is Possible

Welcome to the Curaçao Dolphin Therapy & Research Center, (CDTC), the leading dolphin-assisted therapy center in the world that offers a unique and effective therapy program in a beautiful inspiring and relaxing Caribbean destination.

Dolphin Assisted therapy has long been regarded as an effective form of therapy that has helped to improve levels of cognition and mobility for people with a wide range of developmental, physical and emotional conditions. Gentle by nature, the dolphins display an extraordinarily high level of intelligence and intuition that enables them to create, what many would describe as, a ‘magical’ connection with special-needs patients. These therapy dolphins work together with a team of qualified therapists and trainers under supervision of a scientific advisory board, to help improve the patient’s overall wellbeing.

Highly Trained Professionals

As the leading dolphin assisted therapy center in the world, the Curaçao Dolphin Therapy & Research Center, (CDTC), was founded in 2004, located on the Dutch Caribbean island of Curaçao. They employ a group of dedicated and caring, qualified professionals, including psychologists, physical therapists, speech therapists, and occupational therapists who are all highly trained in the field of dolphin-assisted therapy. In the center, they work closely together with a facility physician available to provide absolute care for their patients and their families. And of course, their five amazing bottlenose dolphins who exclusively work together with their team in their ground-breaking therapy program.

Personalized Therapy and Rehabilitation Programs

Since 2004, they have treated thousands of patients with their personalized dolphin-assisted therapy and rehabilitation programs. They offer their two-week programs in four languages: English, Dutch, German, and Spanish. The unparalleled care for parents, siblings, and the family as a whole, is an essential part of their therapy concept. CDTC continuously seeks to implement therapy forms that provide added value to its line of competencies, such as the Brucker BioFeedback Method which requires additional qualification of therapists.

What is Dolphin Assisted Therapy?

CDTC offers an individualized one or two-week therapy program where personal interaction with dolphins sits at the core of the treatment. The patient is given the opportunity to interact with these highly trained dolphins while integrating customized therapy programs with specialists that are all leaders in their field. The program is designed for the treatment of patients, from 3 years and older, with wide range of special needs including Autism, ADHD and Cerebral Palsy, as well as people with physical and psychological conditions like Cancer, Depression and PTSD.

The dolphin therapy program is intended to work as a supplemental program alongside the patient’s traditional therapy received regularly at home. They recognize the crucial role that their families play in the process of rehabilitation. All become closely involved in the education and activities of the program and can observe their loved one’s transformation right before their eyes. The program is provided in four languages: English, Dutch, German and Spanish.

“The demand for accessible accommodation has surged. Dolphin Suites & Wellness, founded nearly 15 years ago as an accommodation initiative for the Dolphin Assisted Therapy Center, has evolved into the top accommodation choice for wheelchair-bound and able-bodied travelers eager to experience the magic of the Caribbean.” – Alette Borger, Dolphin Suites hotel general manager