In fact, oxytocin (the “love hormone”) plays a large part in our connection to animals. Therapists should keep progress notes and periodically evaluate the treatment plan. Defined objectives are an important part of therapy, and your progress will be recorded and tracked at structured sessions. Your therapist should be qualified, experienced and a member of a professional body, such as BACP, which demonstrates they’re committed to working to high professional and ethical standards.
3. Elderly patients
Underneath this parent category, we find animal-assisted activities, animal-assisted education, and animal-assisted therapy. Looking into the future, our shared vision must promote the professionalization of the field of AAI in becoming a more recognized form of complementary medicine in order to gain the stature of being a valued treatment modality. The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), one of 27 institutes of the NIH in the United States, defines complementary medicine as “using a non-mainstream approach together with conventional medicine” [169]. AAI fits well within this definition, as it is typically incorporated with traditional forms of therapy, such as psychotherapy and occupational and physical therapy. Data analysis also has developed beyond basic statistical analysis of small samples to larger multisite studies, along with systematic review and meta-analysis of existing studies [44,47,62,63,64,65,66,67,68,69].
- Finally, Hastings et al. investigated the use of a bi-weekly dog-visitation in a Burn Intensive Care Unit and a Burn Acute Care Unit [36].
- These hormones generate a relaxation and stress-reducing response, according to UCLA Health.
- There is an ever-growing reliance on methods perceived to be more valid and objective to assess the changes caused by animal interactions.
- To date, nine articles have been published that specifically collected data focused on AAIs directly from military family members (Table 1).
- In this article, the authors will focus on the challenges that continue to plague the field, as well as provide some insights for solutions and directions for the future.
- Also considering the interventions’ characteristics, the results appeared variegated.
Types of Animal-Assisted Psychotherapy
IFS therapy recognizes different facets of your personality and how they interact as a family system. Hypnotherapy is an alternative form of therapy in which clients are guided into a state of calm awareness that makes them more open to suggestion. Exposure therapy helps people overcome their fears by gradually and repeatedly facing https://sober-home.org/ them in a controlled way. Cognitive processing therapy (CPT) helps people with PTSD identify and resolve the unhelpful trauma-driven beliefs that shape how they see the world. Learn more about ACT, a mindfulness-based behavioral therapy that helps you accept what can’t be changed and commit to action where change is possible.
Public Policy: Changing One Mind at a Time
The main limitations were linked to the heterogeneity of the retrieved studies considering both the outcomes and the quality, making the comparison quite difficult. Indeed, in accordance with previous reviews [4], [15], the previous cited findings are limited by the overall low quality of the retrieved studies. Moreover, most of the included papers presented limited samples that could affect the overall results. Therefore, more studies are required to completely describe the potential effects of AAI. In fact, some studies lacked of a control group [7], [14], [20], [33], while others were pilot studies considering limited samples [10], [11], [21].
Four studies evaluated the satisfaction after the intervention and the effects on psychosocial behaviors [8], [22], [24], [25], instead four considered also physiological phenomena [23], [26], [27], [28]. Two studies were conducted through a survey among parents and caregivers [22], [24], while in two these data were integrated with children self-reports [8], [25]. Many different physiological parameters like pain [23], [26] or cardiovascular response [27], [28] were evaluated. Furthermore, the risks of implementing animal therapeutic interventions especially in hospitals are not negligible, and these hazards must be considered [16], [17].
Equine-related therapy
Furthermore, not all the studies exactly described the specific train and formation of the couple animal-therapist or handler. About this, some studies declared to adhere and follow the “Pet Partners Guidelines” [8], [19]. The AAT interventions resulted, in accordance to their definition, more structured, organized in limited groups and conducted by certified therapists. On the contrary, the described AAA ranged from simple pet-visitation to spontaneous activities. In this case, the specific formation of the couple dog-handler is less described, and in one case, the dogs are accompanied only by the investigators, and not by the handler [10].
Two reviews [37], [39] considered the potential risks of animal use in healthcare settings, considering infections, allergies and bites. Precisely, Khan et al. considered the AAA or AAT implementation in healthcare settings, especially in hospitals [37]. The second review focused specifically on the healthcare environment of Europe and North America [39]. The zoonosis can be a risk especially for very young, old or immunosuppressed patients [37], [39]. However, the application of hygiene protocols consented an effective risk minimization [39]. Moreover, the repeated health screenings for the animals and the careful selection of patients, using special precautions in case of open wounds and immunosuppression can help to control the risks [37].
Eleven articles focused explicitly on the risks of animal use in hospitals (see Table 5) [16], [17], [37], [38], [39], [40], [41], [42], [43], [44], [45]. These papers ranged from 2000 [37] to 2013 [38], and included guidelines, https://sober-home.org/quitting-drinking-cold-turkey-7-myths-to-know/ recommendations, clinical trials, cross-sectional surveys and reviews. Two studies investigated the prevalence of infective agents in pet-visitation animals in hospitals or in long-term care facilities [17], [44].
The Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) is a health intervention, meant to improve physical, social, emotional or cognitive functioning, with animals as integral part of the treatment [1]. The therapeutic use of animals was argued for decades and many associations employ this intervention in order to improve care. The human relationship with animals can be useful and relatively safe for inpatients with various problems. Moreover, the implementation of security precautions and the careful selection of patients should minimize the risks, particularly those infection-related. A wide variety of animals can assist individuals in psychotherapy, and some may need to exercise caution around some animals.
Furthermore, the ability to replicate research methods is necessary for growth in the field, and most AAI manuscripts lack details to successfully reproduce a protocol. Minimum details that should be included in every AAI study are age, sex, species/breed, veterinary health status, training/certification, frequency, duration of intervention, and length of study. The incidence of adverse events, including infectious disease or injuries, should always be reported. Rigorous review and descriptions of animals in this type of research contributes to the quality and growth of the field of AAI. Some residential treatment centers are organized around long-term AAT, offering a camp-like environment, programs for nature immersion, animal training sessions, and other opportunities.
With evidence-based psychotherapeutic approaches, the book also brings forth the many challenges that clinicians face with AAT. The book is a good resource for interested readers and new and established clinicians looking to improve and better understand the human–animal bond. This book is a must for anyone who wants to know more about the process behind AAT and the human–animal bond. The tactile stimulation involved in petting an animal reflects a child’s need for a transitional object, such as a baby blanket, that provides a tactile sense of security (Winnicott, 1953). AAT may also help teach social skills to those diagnosed with a neurodiverse condition, such as autism spectrum disorder (VanFleet, 2020).
Interpersonal psychotherapy works to treat mood disorders by improving interpersonal relationships. The editorial team at therapist.com works with the world’s leading clinical experts to bring you accessible, insightful information about mental health topics and trends. Dr. Elizabeth Ruegg is a licensed clinical social worker and a certified animal-assisted psychotherapist in Port Richey, Florida. She is also a full-time faculty member in the MSW department at Saint Leo University. In therapy, he practiced social skills with Lucy, working cooperatively to teach her new tricks and skills. He proudly led her on walks in the neighborhood around the office, saying to passersby, « This is Lucy, and see how well she listens to me? » She did, too.
We most often see AAA in hospitals, when an animal comes for a friendly visit with patients. Therapy animals can allow clients to feel emotionally and physically safe, depending on the type of therapy animal. Clients may feel more inclined to open up to therapists and discuss difficult subjects (Chandler, 2017). Although an animal may not demonstrate signs of aggression during a human-animal interaction, it does not necessarily mean the animal enjoys or is unstressed by the work. An obedient and trained animal may tolerate the interaction and behave accordingly but be internally distressed.
Required ongoing education to the animal and owner and liability insurance covering the animal and owner during volunteer activities. Get the help you need from a therapist near you–a FREE service from Psychology Today.
How clients interact with the animals gives therapists a sense of how they form relationships and attachments. Much of the work is with metaphors – discussing how clients are responding to the animals in terms of something else in their lives. No matter where you are in your quest for better health, therapist.com will meet you there. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) therapy is an effective, relatively safe treatment for depression and other mental health issues. Somatic therapy takes a holistic approach to treating trauma, anxiety, and other concerns by exploring how our physical health and mental health interact.
Second, service dogs may promote a sense of communal orientation—a sense of “we-ness”—within the couple, by facilitating both positive and negative interactions (41). Additionally, service dogs may have overarching positive benefits for mental well-being and quality of life to both the veteran and the spouse (38). Aside from benefits of service dogs to military families, the quantitative data suggests a few challenges that do not appear to be captured by qualitative findings to date (38). One article found that spouses of veterans with service dogs may experience increased caregiver burden and decreased caregiver satisfaction in comparison to spouses without service dogs in their homes (42). In addition to the benefits and challenges mentioned above, it is important to note that many findings across articles were not statistically significant, but in some cases had meaningful effect sizes (38).
They believe that one of the strongest benefits is derived from the interaction between the dog and the child. Furthermore, in their review of the literature, the authors also suggested that the relationship between the dog and the child appears to have an impact on the child’s arousal level while reading. In essence, children that are comfortable with the dogs and have positive interactions, appear to have a decrease in their anxiety in reading to another. Quantitatively, the presence of a service dog may increase the number of activities spouses are involved in and promote a higher amount of positive emotions (42, 43). Qualitatively, service dogs may promote resilience in military families (39, 41). This “bridge” helps to promote resilience in navigating challenges both as individuals and couples (39).
