Pets in the Counseling Office - Using Man's Best Friend For Therapy

Pets in the Counseling Office - Using Man's Best Friend For Therapy

It is doubtful that cats or dogs will ever be recognized as preferred providers by insurance companies. But more and more hospitals, rest homes, and therapists are employing the use of animals as co-therapists in some fashion. This may be relatively new in the United States, but not so elsewhere. The belief that animals are good companions for those who are sick has a long history. A Long

History of Companionship
Britain has been more progressive in the therapeutic use of pets than has the United States. In the 1790s, a Quaker retreat center encouraged its patients to spend time touching and interacting with the roaming farm animals at the facility. The staff believed this would improve the mental state of the people more than the archaic treatments used for the mentally ill at that time. Animal-assisted therapy actually had its beginnings with therapeutic horseback riding programs in Germany during the 1960s. It was not until the 1980s that the use of animals in therapeutic settings became more common in the United States. Animals used in the various visitations and therapy settings can vary dogs, cats, horses, Capuchin monkeys, and some varieties of birds are used. Social workers and physical therapists have led the way more often than not in employing animals to assist in helping patients.2

Personal Discovery: In the late 1960s, I stumbled on the therapeutic use of dogs in my own counseling practice. At that time, I had an office in my home. When counselees came to the door, my two gregarious shelties were there first. It became a ritual for everyone to meet them. I soon discovered how influential pets were in the lives of these people. Some refused to leave until they said good-bye to my dogs. Others seemed more relaxed when one of the dogs sat next to them during the session. At times, I observed a quiet, reserved man become more outgoing and expressive when greeting a dog. I noticed his wife's reaction to this response, especially when they had rarely experienced such an expressive occasion in their own interaction. Of course, this became a helpful topic of discussion during the session. When I opened a counseling center, the process continued. Tropical fish in the waiting room entertained and relaxed children as well as adults. As I made the transition from raising shelties to golden retrievers, new opportunities arose to use a dog as an assistant. With Sheffield, my retriever, we had a natural greeter at the counseling center. He was kept in the front office, visible to all who entered. I discovered those who needed his services and those who were not as responsive to dogs.

In many sessions, Sheffield's presence in the counseling office was a source of comfort. I also used some of his qualities to illustrate ways of responding to others. When someone is struggling through the grieving process, the use of an animal has proven beneficial. The touching of the dog as well as his sensitive concern to the persons crying has been useful in eliciting responses from the counselee in the ensuing discussion.

Benefits to Consider: Why would anyone want to use animals in his or her counseling practice? What are the benefits? Consider the following findings. Therapists have discovered that having an animal in the office, whether it be a cat, a dog, or fish in a tank, is relaxing. Animals help soothe agitated feelings. They can be used as a way to make contact with a reserved client or a hesitant child. An animal may serve as a bridge to person-to-person interaction. If a person is paranoid, he or she may have difficulty connecting with you, whereas the animal acts as a go-between.3 A study of a twice-weekly animal visitation program in rest homes using experimental and control groups showed a significant change in residents functioning. Those who received visits experienced statistically significant decreases in depression, anxiety, and confusion.4 A year long study of nearly 1,000 elderly members of a Los Angeles health maintenance organization discovered that those who owned dogs sought medical care 20% less often than those without pets .

Studies also indicated that visitors to nursing homes who were accompanied by an animal drew more positive interactive responses from the residents than those who came without them. The residents who were exposed to pets smiled more, were more alert, and were physically less aggressive. Patients were noticeably more tolerant of others standing near them when an animal was present.5 Often animals are used with Alzheimer patients. Many had a dog or cat when they were children. The renewed contact with an animal helps them to recall those memories. We have friends in Colorado who raise horses. Each Wednesday a group from the Alzheimer facility is brought to their ranch for a weekly ride. These patients have difficulty remembering their daily routines. Yet each Wednesday morning, they can be found in the lobby wearing their special riding hats, waiting for the days events to begin. No one has to remind them of the weekly ride. Adolescents from a residential care home are also brought in to help with the horses and the riders. Contact with the animals has had a positive effect on the teen's outlook as well. Dogs have been used for years with the sight impaired. Now, with the hearing impaired, dogs are used to alert their owners to sounds such as a babys cry, phone, doorbell, alarm clock, or smoke detector.6 Some dogs have rare abilities to help their owners. For instance, Walton, a Labrador-mix service dog, is a seizure-alert dog, able to warn his owner of impending epileptic attacks before they strike. Once his owner, Emily, has had a seizure, the dog is very protective and will not allow her to exert herself the next day.7 Dogs, as well as Capuchin monkeys, are used with the multiple handicapped. Canine companion dogs are trained to do 89 different tasks for their owners, thus enabling owners greater opportunities for being independent.

Animals give unconditional acceptance, especially dogs. They do not care if youre on drugs, inebriated, or HIV positive. When that animal walks up to you, you discover that someone wants to connect with you regardless of your circumstances. Dr. Ashok Bedi, a psychiatrist in private practice at Milwaukee sychiatric Hospital in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, has suggested that animals can fulfill the needs people have to feel valuable and lovable and to sense that they belong and are competent. Animals do not talk back, criticize, or give orders. Disturbed children of all ages who have regular visits by animals act up less often. The animals seem to add a sense of predictability to their lives and thus increase their self-control. There are also significant physiological effects as well. A persons heart rate is lower when he or she sits quietly or reads aloud in the presence of a friendly animal than when doing so alone. The survival rate for heart surgery patients is higher for those who have pets in their homes than for those who do not. Those who own pets tolerate stress better and have lower cholesterol and blood pressure levels. A study by Karen Allen, Ph.D., and James J. Blascoush, Ph.D., showed that dogs were actually a better source of social support than spouses. Two-hundred forty people participated in this stress study, which showed that participants stress response was highest when spouses were present and lower only when their pets were there. The conclusion was drawn that its probably because dogs are non-judgmental or perceived that way. A therapist the find to get solutions to your problems.

Is Pet Therapy for You?
What can you do with the use of pets in your practice? Be sure you enjoy Animals and can bond with them. You can not force this. You need an animal that is people-oriented and responsive. Not all cats and dogs are. Certain breeds of dogs work better than others. For example, knowing the different personality types of dogs is Important. (I do not mean using the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator even though I have typed both of my retrievers!) Researchers have found that matching the personalities of people and dogs is an Important step. If you are interested, the following old_resources would be essential reading.