Meeting Your Therapeutic Goals One Paw At A Time!

By Sonali Pahuja, Intern, Humans of Canines

On a gloomy Monday work morning or a stressful school day, if you saw a dog walk into the room, wouldn’t that brighten up your mood? We get it, we love dogs too!

Humans are undeniably linked to animals and they assist us in almost everything we do. Animal interaction has always proven to be beneficial for people of all ages and has had a positive impact on the mental health of individuals. Incorporating animals like dogs, horses and rabbits into therapeutic intervention may be new but animal interaction has been going on for a long time. “The relationship that humans have with dogs goes back almost 1000 years. We have been hunting together and dogs have always offered protection and loyalty. Now as the dynamic shifts, they also provide us with love, comfort and it becomes a mutually co-existent relationship”, says Poorvaja Kumar, a certified Animal-Assisted Therapist and the founder of Humans of Canines. If we think about Animal-Assisted Therapy today, we often think of it as visiting a dog shelter with our therapist or getting an emotional support animal for building a support system. Even though these practices exist, animal-assisted therapy is a much broader spectrum of interventions. Certified animal-assisted therapists work in various settings to assist mental health practitioners in dealing with mild to severe mental health conditions.

Animal-Assisted Therapy is in its essence a therapeutic intervention that uses animals such as dogs, horses, cats, pigs and birds to work in tandem with a mental health professional for bettering the mental well being of an individual. It can be thought of as being complementary to a clinical or counselling therapy practice and it enhances the positive results. Animals are known to provide calm, comfort and safety. They also help divert attention from stressors and help us deal with stressful situations. Animal-Assisted Therapists say that building a relationship with animals can help develop a sense of self-worth and also help in our emotional development, and socialisation skills. Dogs are the most commonly used animals because of their known relationship and good bonding with humans. “Dogs are adept at understanding human body language and even the minutest of cues. They are capable of a phenomenon called social eavesdropping as they are keen observers. They also understand the human tendency of pointing and this makes them a good fit for therapeutic interventions”, says Poorvaja Kumar.

Animal-Assisted Therapy is beneficial both for individuals and groups and it works in conjunction with other traditional therapy settings. There are various settings in which Animal-Assisted Therapy can be beneficial. Let’s have a look at some of them.

1. Educational Institutions: Animal-Assisted Therapy is gaining momentum is experiencing a rise in popularity and is now being applied to many counselling and school settings. Animals in counselling sessions and classrooms facilitate an atmosphere of trust and relationship building. The various activities with animals’ help children focus on tasks and learn new concepts. Children are eager to get involved because the presence of animals makes them happy. The therapy animal becomes a nonjudgmental companion in the process of development and learning. For example, Animal Angels Foundation based in Mumbai works with a range of schools and mental health centres, conducting frequent workshops. Humans of Canines based in Delhi works closely with mental health professionals in schools, mental health centres and other corporate organizations.
2. Corporate Organizations: Animal-Assisted Therapy is used by occupational and organizational psychologists for creating a stress-free atmosphere for employees in a company. Therapy animals provide social support and help in developing mechanisms to deal with workplace interactions. For example, Manav Foundation based in Mumbai works on improving communication and interaction in interpersonal relationships of the clients both in individual and group settings.
3. Old Age homes: Studies show that just fifteen-minute bonding sessions with an animal can promote hormonal changes in the brain. It helps in producing the feel-good hormone serotonin, prolactin and oxytocin. This is why therapy animals are a great fit for old age homes and senior centres. They also help by providing social support and decrease feelings of loneliness.
4. De-addiction and Rehabilitation Centres: Animal-Assisted Therapy is also used to help therapists in treating substance abuse disorders. Interacting with animals reduces feelings of aggression, depression and anxiety. Many addiction rehabilitation centres offer patients animal-assisted therapy using a broad spectrum of animals like cats, birds, rabbits and horses. For example, Red Oak Recovery, a men’s addiction treatment centre in NC, USA offers animal-assisted therapy to aid in recovery.

Why do we need to talk about animal-assisted therapy?

As human beings are evolving it is important to find new and adaptive solutions to existing problems. The field of animal-assisted therapy gives enhanced assistance to existing mental health practices. It is also important to spread awareness about this field since it utilizes the relationship we already have with animals and it gives it a new meaning and purpose. The more this field is recognized, the more people will be able to benefit from it. “As I have always been interested in looking at alternate fields in psychology itself and understanding dogs and the impact they can make on our lives, I decided to get certified in animal-assisted therapy,” Poorvaja Kumar said. “I feel that this is the perfect time to tap into this field since humans already have a beautiful relationship with dogs.”

After all isn’t there something simply beautiful about smiling and feeling warm after having interacted with an animal?

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Citations

“Animal-Assisted Therapy | Psychology Today”. Psychology Today, 2020, https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/therapy-types/animal-assisted-therapy.

Foreman, Anne M et al. “Dogs in the Workplace: A Review of the Benefits and Potential Challenges.” International journal of environmental research and public health vol. 14,5 498. 8 May. 2017, DOI:10.3390/ijerph14050498

“Animal-Assisted Therapy – Addiction Center”. Addiction Center, 2020, https://www.addictioncenter.com/treatment/animal-assisted-therapy/.

“The Benefits Of Therapy Animals For Seniors | ASC Blog”. Senior Living Communities & Nursing Homes In Indiana | ASC, 2020, https://www.asccare.com/benefits-therapy-animals-seniors/.

Counseling.Org, 2020, https://www.counseling.org/Resources/Library/ERIC%20Digests/2001-05.pdf.