A Research On Animal Assisted Therapy

Winston Churchill once said, “There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man.” Some might say Churchill was ahead of his time, with the way horse assisted therapy has just recently begun growing in popularity. All over the world therapists and psychologists have been exploring the effect horses have on troubled humans. In their explorations, perhaps with Churchill’s words in mind, they are attempting to find out just how useful an equine aid is in therapeutic treatment of physical and psychological impairments. There are passionate opinions from varying viewpoints, but they all come down to whether or not horse assisted therapy is effective and should be considered a regular practice. The answer to this

Equine Assisted Therapy (EAT), specifically, Equine Assisted Psychotherapy/Learning is a type of therapy that is primarily solution-focused and client-centered. The heart of Equine Assisted Psychotherapy/Learning is captured within the EGALA system (Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association). According to Hayley Sumner who is published in the US Newswire, “EGALA has set the standard for horse-related therapy including both equine

In the field of therapy, there are numerous of therapy available out there for different type of individuals and situations as well. There is one type of therapy that usually contains people and animal, it is animal-assisted therapy is a therapeutic approach that brings animals and individuals with physical and/or emotional needs together to perform the therapy. Animal-assisted therapy tend to be focused on individuals either children or elderly for them to be able to connect with the animal thus feeling comfortable talking with the therapist. Pet therapy works for all ages, whether sick or not (Lanchnit, 2011). Although, this paper, most of the focus is on animal-assisted therapy towards children using dogs.

If you are in the US, you may have heard of emotional support animal or ESA. An emotional support animal works like a companion animal for people and patients, with the intention of offering therapeutic benefits. Although not always compulsory, such animals are either dogs or cats, working with people, providing relief and support for psychological symptoms or emotional stress. Check some of the basic facts you need to know before getting ESA certificate.

Equine Therapy does have its downfalls, some patients walk away and never come back, but when the patient comes back and heals, that is when therapists know that they are doing some good in this crazy world. Thousands of lives have been changed by these magnificent creatures. Parents can now give their children the “medication” that they need. With the help of horses, therapists are able to give the veterans their lives back by making the veteran as comfortable as possible with the civilian

A woman with posttraumatic stress disorder said, “It was such a breakthrough. I think I’m a very different person having had these experiences” (Meinersmann et al., 2008, p. 39), while discussing her therapy program. However, no traditional therapy program brought this response; instead, it was equine-assisted psychotherapy (EAP). Equine assisted psychotherapy is a form of treatment, which uses horses as facilitators to improve mental health. Though some people dismiss EAP as a developing approach, horses may offer opportunities to heal that human therapists cannot. First, the horses encourage engagement in therapy sessions through the opportunities they offer and the equine environment (Bachi et al., 2012; Masini, 2010). Second, horses may

Animals are a great and brilliant asset to psychological and physical therapies. Animal assisted therapy facilitates various health conditions such as epilepsy, autism, Parkinson’s disease, those who are visually impaired, those who are deaf, those who suffer from depression, those with mental illnesses and disabilities and people with physical disabilities and Animal Interaction and Assistance in Psychological and Physical Therapy injuries, and many other psychological and physical conditions. Animal assisted therapy progresses the states of patients’ mental, physical, social and emotional capabilities and functions with the interactions of animals with people. The kind of animal used for this form of treatment is dependent on the needs of

Thier equine therapy is effective because horses, unlike people, respond genuinely to a person's actions or feelings. They are relational animals that mirror what the body language of the patient is

An emotional support animal (ESA) is a person's dog that has been prescribed by someone's certified therapist, psychologist, or psychiatrist (any certified intellectual health professional). The animal is part of the treatment software for this man or woman and is designed to convey comfort and limit the negative signs and symptoms of the man or woman's emotional/mental incapacity. All domesticated animals may additionally qualify as an ESA and that they can be any age. These animals do not need any unique challenge-training because their very presence mitigates the signs related to a person's emotional support animal letter, unlike a running provider canine. The handiest requirement is

crucially, there’s no judgement with a horse.” Equine therapy involves a range of different activities. These activities include trotting, stretching exercises while they are on the horse, a ring tree which is used for balancing and stretching, and more. Therefore, Equine therapy can help children develop cognitively, emotionally, and physically.

Animal assisted therapy is rapidly becoming a new means for therapeutic medicine. Therapy dogs are being implemented to help aid those with diseases, disorders, or those suffering from stress and anxiety; however, many are questioning if this therapy method is a proper program in terms of both effectiveness and ethics. The main scope of this research paper is limited to sources collected within the past ten years. Although my paper is not necessarily scientifically based it is important to use resources that are somewhat recent in order to heighten their credibility on the topic. In addition, the sources I use pertain to therapy dogs helping those facing mental illness, chronic disease, and high stress situations. These categories are taken into consideration because the roles of therapy dogs are commonly used in those areas. Furthermore, my sources are not limited in location. Therapy dogs are being put into practice globally as another tactic for therapeutic sessions.

(Introduction) What makes dogs such good companions and comforters? Is it their unconditional love? Their non-judgmental attitude? Their amazing loyalty? Or could it be a mix of all of these? Dogs have been used for therapists for a very long time. As one reporter states, “The use of pets in medical settings actually dates back more than 150 years” (Reporter, 2012). So why are dogs good for therapy? And what benefits do they bring? And what do they actually do? One reporter who works for a therapy dog agency seems to sum it all up: “Science is finally confirming what people have known intuitively for years: therapy dogs help people physically, emotionally, and socially” (Becker, 2016). The real question is: Can therapy dogs actually bring benefits and improvements into peoples’ lives that would not otherwise have been there? The answer: yes. Why? Therapy dogs change and improve peoples’ lives because they offer support to struggling patients, they do not judge people who are feeling low about themselves, they help people see the joy in life, they release hormones that improve our bodies. In other words, “It’s something us dog people have always known: dogs improve our lives, and sometimes even save them” (Geir, 2015).

The group was run by two Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association (EAGALA) trained facilitators. Claire Cornwell, a mental health professional (occupational therapist) and Emma Baker, the equine specialist.

Animal therapy is an ingenuitive way for animal owners to share the joy of pets with residents of facilities that don’t allow pets . I got to experience how animals have the ability to communicate with people despite any disabilities like dementia or auditory impairments (See Appendix G). With animals, unlike humans, there are no barriers to an interaction. Animals have an extraordinary power to bring laughter into a room or simply to know when to just sit there beside a person and be petted (See Appendix B).

Animals are known to be a man 's best friend. Studies have even shown that owning animals have been proven to have many health benefits that include but are not limited to, lowering cholesterol, lowering blood pressure, lowering triglycerides, reduce stress levels, and provide the owner with better mental health. C.W. Von Bergen says “For centuries people have noted the animals can have a positive influence on human functioning, and conventional wisdom has long supported the use of animals in promoting human wellbeing.” (18). Research shows that 6.15 million Americans over the age of 15 struggle with mental illness. Nearly 13.6 million people live with severe mental illness; this includes schizophrenia, major depression, anxiety, or bipolar disease (“Emotional Support Animals, Service Animal, and Pets on campus.” 16). Studies have found that while many benefits of animals companionship apply to groups across the board, unique benefits were observed for individuals with mental or psychiatric disorders. This research started the idea of ESA being a more common thing. People with disabilities may use service dogs and emotional support animals for a variety of reasons. I found it is for this reason that all individuals must remember that it is not necessary that all disabilities be an obvious one.