Canine Assisted Therapy Rising in Popularity
In therapy offices across the country, there are four-legged, furry counselors tapping through the hallways. Canine assisted therapy is becoming more popular, and the dogs are bringing compassion and delight into sessions with clients both young and old. According to Equine Therapy, dogs have a way of reducing depression and anxiety. For very young children or those on the autism spectrum, therapy dogs are especially effective because the patient can interact without having to speak. For those recovering from behavioral and emotional problems, dogs can teach how to care for others and for oneself.
Invaluable Assistance for ED Patients
For eating disorder clients, animal assisted therapy can be invaluable. These illnesses are isolating and those who suffer tend to withdraw in order to hold onto their secret. Patients in this state may arrive at therapy unable or unwilling to verbalize their feelings. Working through emotions, the very thing an eating disorder works to numb, can be unbearable. In these cases, therapy dogs can soften the patient’s walls and create space for dialogue. At Children’s National eating disorder clinic in Washington DC, psychologists use therapy dogs for just this reason. An article in Washingtonian magazine (www.washingtonian.com) highlights Murphy, a resident therapy dog who has helped many eating disorder clients find their voices. In the article, one patient discusses how difficult therapy is…as hard as the physical aspects of the eating disorder are, emotions are much worse.
Murphy the therapy dog gave this patient comfort and connection that eventually translated into comfort and connection with the therapist. Passing through the hallway of a treatment program recently, I encountered an eating disorder patient who looked very sad and quite lost. As she stood there, someone walked past with a little dog. The sight of the dog softened the patient’s face and her entire body relaxed. She smiled from ear to ear as she reached out both arms to hold the little dog. That single, simple interaction had more of a calming effect on her than the treatment she had been receiving thus far.
Additional Sources on Canine Assisted Therapy
For more information about canine assisted therapy, visit the websites of the Animal Health Foundation, American Kennel Club and Love on a Leash.