Animal-Assisted Therapy: How it Helps

Animal therapy has many favorable outcomes, including relaxation, talk therapy breakthroughs, relief of symptoms, and overall improved well-being. It can be used to help people with a wide range of challenges, from helping to build communication skills in autistic children to managing grief, loss, and stress in older adults. Animal therapy can be used alone or with other treatment options including medications and talk therapies.

• The quiet and affectionate nature of cats makes them highly effective in settings like hospice care or even within individual therapy sessions.
• These positive experiences may make clients more at ease and receptive to therapy.
• You may be able to get a lower rate if you’re willing to work with a clinical intern rather than a licensed therapist.
• They are trained to manage the animal, ensure its well-being, and facilitate interactions between the therapy animal and the people.

Animal Therapy Benefits for Mental and Emotional Well-being

Incorporating trained animals into treatment plans, professionals are finding new ways to reduce stress, relieve emotional discomfort and improve quality of life for people of all ages. Animal therapy, also called pet therapy or animal assisted therapy, refers to various services using animals to help people with specific physical or mental health conditions. In conclusion, the reviewed studies provide preliminary evidence of the potential benefits of AAT in certain conditions. However, it is important to note that some of the outcome measures analyzed did not show significant effects, and further research is needed to better understand the specific contexts and conditions. To foster the growth of such therapy, we need education campaigns, research programs, professional support, and media awareness to increase the effectiveness of AAT across different countries.

Depending on the setting and therapeutic goals, animal-assisted therapy can take numerous forms. Common types include working with dogs, horses, small pets and farm animals to support people of all ages. To those suffering from anxiety, depression, PTSD, or other mental health disorders, a therapy animal can be very comforting. Studies show that exposure to animals can cause oxytocin to be the “love hormone,” which fosters feelings of attachment and affection.

The comprehensive range of benefits of animal-assisted therapy makes it a strong and holistic tool for healing. Understanding how animal-assisted therapy works showcases its potential to transform lives by addressing emotional, physical, and social challenges. Each animal is selected based on the therapeutic needs of either an individual or a group, thus creating a more tailor-made approach to treatment. Because there aren’t specific tasks they need to learn, more types of animals can participate in animal-assisted therapy. In family and group counseling, AAT can help foster trust, improve communication and reduce tension. Therapy animals create a calm space that encourages open, collaborative engagement and promotes emotional connection among participants.

Animal-Assisted Therapy for All Ages

All 6 trials that focused on psychiatric disorders were categorized as AAT and involved interventions with dog therapy. Among these studies, 5 were conducted using a randomized controlled design, while 1 study used a time series design with randomized daily announcements within a pre-post experimental framework. One study specifically examined patients in child and adolescent psychiatry 33, while the remaining 5 studies focused on adult psychiatry patients 5,20,21,23,27. The duration of the AAT programs varied, with some studies consisting of 12-week programs in different settings, while 2 studies provided weekly therapy sessions without specifying the intervention period 5,27. In short, therapy animals are facilitating assistants on the journey to mental health and wellness.

Once a team of an animal and a handler is approved, animals are assigned for therapy based on a specific person’s needs. The animal’s type, breed, size, age, and natural behavior will determine where it will be most helpful. While pets can be soothing, not all pets are appropriate to bring into a therapy session.

Many groups and organizations train and connect volunteer owners and pets with healthcare providers. It can also release endorphins which produce a calming effect, help alleviate pain, reduce stress, and improve your overall psychological state. A dog can be that connection or bridge to make socialization not so daunting to them. Some people may be allergic to the animals that commonly play a role in therapy.

• These programs are particularly beneficial for individuals who have experienced trauma, including those diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), schizophrenia, Alzheimer disease, autism, etc 4,5.
• Individuals often feel more comfortable engaging with others when animals are present — which can improve communication and reduce feelings of isolation.
• They may also support people with physical health conditions in coping with those conditions’ emotional and mental components, or helping to reduce the amount of medication they take.
• These dogs offer comfort, reduce anxiety and promote social interaction in hospitals, schools and rehab centers, helping patients engage more fully in therapy.

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Emotional recovery and positive psychological transformation often occurs when the relationship between an individual and the therapy animal grows. Several organizations in different countries are actively working to promote AAT. However, despite these guidelines, there is no legal requirement for health care facilities to adopt these measures.

Table 1. Summary of outcomes from studies included.

For these individuals, animal therapy with a dog could cause far more harm than good. Another benefit of animal-assisted therapy is that the client regulates emotional processes. The presence of an animal soothes anxiety, releases stressors, and gives less loneliness. Overall, when considering the results of all these studies, it becomes evident that each one exhibited at least one statistically significant positive effect. People with compromised immune function should check with their healthcare team prior to trying animal therapy because animals may carry diseases without their handlers being aware of them.

Where was animal-assisted therapy first used with individuals with mental illness?

Those with allergies or open wounds that could be infected also should be cautious. This article will explain types of animal therapy, the conditions in which animal therapy may offer benefits, who facilitates and provides animal therapy, and more. A therapy animal provides a safe topic of conversation to kick start the connection between therapist and client. In addition to being a source of comfort and pleasant distraction, the animal creates a talking point to spark engagement. Animal-assisted therapy is an evidence-based practice drawn from psychophysiological and psychosocial healthcare and human service disciplines.

Animal-assisted therapy has been proven to be beneficial not only for the human individuals involved, but also the animals. Each being experiences positive results from the attention received from the other, according to studies between horses and humans and between humans and dogs. The approaches of the animals are what bring AAT into being—a special quality that creates a nonjudgmental, supportive, and calm atmosphere for the client. It all begins here with a great insight into AAT—the effectiveness of animal-assisted therapy.

Professionals administering or overseeing AAT might work with any type of animal, depending on the preferences and personal needs of a person in therapy. To provide a concise summary of the selected studies, we have compiled an overview in Table 2. It presents key information from each study, allowing for a quick and comprehensive understanding of the research landscape. A total of 16 papers published between 2015 and 2023 were selected for analysis. These papers were chosen based on their relevance to the research topic of animal-assisted therapy and their availability in scholarly databases.

Thematic Animal Therapy Benefits synthesis and meta-analysis were used to synthesize the qualitative and quantitative data extracted from the selected papers. Studies suggest that people who pet animals experience the release of serotonin, prolactin and oxytocin hormones that can play a part in elevating moods. Your insurance may not cover animal-assisted therapy, but it’s worth looking into.

They can connect to people so profoundly that they can facilitate healing and emotional balance; they foster effective interaction. As we learn more about these potential benefits, we will see a lot more therapy animals in mental health treatment, and hopefully, brighter futures. The inclusion of animals in psychological treatment is not a recent or uncommon practice. Throughout history, there has been an understanding of the positive impact animals can have on human well-being 1. This connection between humans and animals is deeply ingrained in our collective subconscious, influencing our emotional experiences 2.