Introduction to Animal-Assisted Psychotherapy

 
 

I grew up in the Philippines and would describe my childhood as a humble, simple and happy. I was eleven years old when my mother passed which cast a dim cloud over my colorful future. After that, my father had to work far away from our home and would send my siblings and I money. Since then, I learned to become independent and to decide for my own, no guidance from a caregiver or guardian. When I turned seventeen I decided to move to a different location to find a job, and by God’s grace, hard work and perseverance, I was able to support myself and help my family. Soon I was able to take care of myself, but this was not the life I dreamed about. I was lonely and just working on a daily basis to survive.

I took advantage of pandemic to help my siblings and decided to bring my family especially my nieces & nephews under my wing. I know I was happy but kept asking myself if I made the right decision of transitioning from a single transwoman life to motherhood. I secretly struggled a lot mentally and physically for a very long time. I had an occasional headaches, unfocused-mind and disturbed sleep.

I was battling in a “separation anxiety disorder” a mental health problem. A therapist helped and advised me to take good care of my pets; Chin (Husky), Gucci (Black Cat), and Akira (Leopard Cat). I had to wake up to feed, bath and play with them everyday. Unconsciously, they provided me a sense of responsibility and gave me reasons to enjoy life again.

  • Would animal-assisted therapy be helpful as a part of anxiety and depression management in my case?

  • Would such treatment be a helpful approach?

Pet therapy is a broad term that includes animal-assisted therapy and other animal-assisted activities. Animal-assisted therapy is a growing field that uses dogs or other animals to help people recover from or better cope with health problems, such as heart disease, cancer and mental health disorders. The purpose of pet therapy is to help someone recover from or cope with a health problem or mental disorder. Dogs and cats are most commonly used in pet therapy. However, fish, guinea pigs, horses, and other animals that meet screening criteria can also be used.

Studies around pets and mental health show that petting and playing with animals reduces stress-related hormones. And these benefits can occur after just five minutes of interacting with a pet. Therefore, pets are very helpful for anxiety sufferers. Playing with a dog or cat raises our levels of serotonin and dopamine.

The animal's handler has to go through a training course, plus the animal itself must pass a health screening among other criteria. - must be reliably house-trained.

In general, the interaction with a pet decreases distress and improves mood. The effects of the pet therapy are measurable, as seen by an increase in the release of endorphins in the person interacting with the animal. Endorphins are brain chemicals that are released and make you feel good.

Animal-Assisted Therapy can help those experiencing:

  • Anxiety & Depression

  • Asperger's Syndrome.

  • Autism Spectrum Disorder.

  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

  • Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Benefits:

  • Increased trust.

  • Reduced anxiety.

  • Less feeling of depression and isolation.

  • Increased self-esteem, self-acceptance, and social skills.

  • Better impulse control.

  • Increased problem-solving skills.

  • Improved communication skills, including non-verbal.

These programs have been implemented worldwide. A therapist can work with you to get the most out of your work with a pet and can assist you in using techniques that will help you.

— By Jade Asuncion

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