Animal Therapy Research Paper

The “father of psychoanalysis”, Sigmund Freud, was next to reveal the amazing discovery during the early 1930s throughout psychotherapy sessions. Although his view on the therapeutic benefits of human-animal interactions were not recognized for over two decades after the time of his death in 1939-- he is also a component to the beginning of animal-assisted therapy in mental health treatments. Freud believed that his dog—Jofi-- could “sense” tension from the patients and used distance as a method of signaling the occurrence. The farther away that Jofi would stand from the patient indicated the amount of tension that he felt from them and vice versa.

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.

Animal assisted therapy is a type of therapy that is becoming more and more successful. Alicia MIller, co-founder of Operation Wolfhound, says, “Medication works 50% of the time, talk therapy alone, works 30% of the time, and dogs work 84.5% of the time” (qtd. in Caprioli). With overwhelming statistics like that, more hospitals or rehabilitation centers should utilize this practice. Many different ages can work with the animals, however it is mainly directed toward the youth (Pugh). Therapy animals are extremely beneficial and have helped many people cope with disorders and therefore this program should be expanded.

Animal assisted therapy includes all psychological theories and incorporates animals, such as dogs or horses, into a therapeutic treatment plan. It is used to enhance and complement traditional therapy methods, but it is not done by itself. Animal assisted therapy has been effectively used in individuals with autism, medical conditions, and trauma survivors. It may also be implemented for people with psychological disorders, such as depression, schizophrenia, and addiction. Depending on the type of therapy and the type of animal involved, you may keep the therapy animal at home and with you throughout the day for emotional support, or you might learn to ride and care for a therapy horse that is kept at an equestrian facility. Afterwards, you

The practice of using animals as therapy tools is becoming ever more popular and common place in the mental health field. Animal assisted therapy (AAT) was formally defined by the Delta Society as “a goal-directed intervention in which an animal that meets specific criteria is an integral part of the treatment process” (Kruger, Trachtenberg, & Serpell, 2004). The hope is that the specially trained animal will help facilitate conversation, and subsequently healing, between the therapist and the client. AAT is focused on improving the humans physical, mental, emotional, and social functioning. Animal assisted therapy is not to be confused with service animals: service animals fall under the category of animal-assisted activities

Animal assisted therapy, or AAT for short, began with the first documented case at an asylum run by the Society of Friends in England 1792. The first documented case of animal assisted therapy in the United States was not until 1919 at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Washington D.C. During the 1930s, famous psychoanalysist Sigmund Freud become an advocate for AAT when he used his dog, Jofi, during his therapy sessions. He found that his patients were more comfortable talking to him when Jofi was present. I believe that AAT proves to be beneficial for both mental and physical disorders according to articles I have read prior to the research done for this project.

In Memoir, Saying Farewell to a Faithful Pal by John Grogan describes the time their pet dog was helpful. The quote in the story that their dog is helpful to them is ‘’When i bought my wife home from the doctor after a miscarriage, that wild beast gently rested his blocky head in her lap and just whimpered (Grogan, pg 155, pp 11).’’ The quotes from the story prove that their dog is trying to comfort the owner because dogs sometimes can smell someone’s emotion or they know if their owner is sad. This animal impact change the person in the story because comforting someone is helpful to them and can make them feel happy. Although dogs helping someone is very hardworking. It’s like trying their best to make their owner happy so that’s why they are working hard.

Having animals as a companion started as early as prehistoric times. Egyptians were oftentimes buried with a cats, so that they might be with their feline companion after death. The first known documented therapeutic use of animals started in the nineteenth century in the town of Gheel, Belgium. Animals were not the focus of the program, but they were included in therapy for the disabled people in Gheel so the patients could learn how to take care of the farm animals as that was a very important part of daily life. In the 1960s, Boris Levinson, a American child psychiatrist, found that communications with a nonverbal child improved when the child’s dog was with him during the therapy sessions. The child patient had social contact problems and Levinson had not been able to get the child to talk during the month that he had worked with him. Arriving early to the session, the boy patient ran into Levinson 's dog. Levinson usually removed his dog before his patients came. The boy began to play and interact with the dog and even spoke to it. Levinson noticed that the dog seemed to breeze by the children 's defenses he had put up and was inviting enough for the child to communicate verbally with it. Now Levinson could initiate therapy with the child. Levinson coined the term pet therapy in 1964, and his work is considered the birth of animal-

The helpful capability of animals was initially perceived in the late 1800s, when Florence Nightingale, the founder of advanced nursing, made generous disclosures in regards to animal-assisted therapy. The thought that animal-assisted therapy can assume a critical part in enhancing human prosperity struck as a genuine practice in 1980(Berek 1). E. Friedman discovered a phenomenal experiment that showed those who own pets tend to live longer than those who do not own any pets(1). Studies show that petting an animal releases hormones that produce a calming effect to humans which can lead to lower blood pressure and stress levels(1). The calming effect also works on

Over the years, animals have participated with great results in the treatment of the elderly and terminally ill. Now, Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) is benefitting people diagnosed with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) with promising results. Veterans are the most notable with it comes to PTSD. These men and women share a deep sense of fellowship and believe that no one but another fellow soldier can understand what they have experienced. Helping veterans who are suffering as a result of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder has mostly been through counseling, medication, and partnering with other military veterans for support. (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 2017) A large number of people have often have been exposed to animals at a young age through having pets, pictures in books, going to the zoo, television, classrooms, blankets, or clothing. Pairing animals with humans to treat any number of ailments is a new route many people are taking as part of their treatment plan. The resent use of Animal Assisted Therapy for people that suffer from Posttraumatic Stress Disorder has been on the rise in recent years to help with dealing with everyday life and recovery. Moreover, the healing process for PTSD has

There are many positive effects of owning a pet. Animals can increase the health and well-being of individuals and can be a useful tool in the counseling arena. Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) has been in use since the early 18th century. England hospitals used animals as a method of socialization and to boost morale (“History of animal assisted therapy,” 2014). Since it’s early roots, AAT has evolved as a method of therapy that helps individuals and group members overcome obstacles and achieve goals.

Animal-assisted therapy (AAT) is a form of therapy which promotes social interaction, as well as improvements in human social, emotional, physical and/or cognitive functioning, creates an environment where the client can disclose and experience empathy, trust, sensitivity, and comfort (Coetzee, Beukes, & Lynch, 2013; Pet Partners, 2012). Pet/animal assisted therapy has been traced back to the 18th century, with records indicating that in 1919 pets accompanied psychiatric patients in a Washington D.C hospital (Chu, Liu, Sun, & Lin, 2009). When therapy sessions are accompanied by the presence of an animal, the client enters a non-threatening, safe and trusting environment where self-disclosure of personal emotions and experiences becomes easier for the client (Reviewed by Coetzee, Beukes, & Lynch, 2013).

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.

The use of animals for therapeutic purpose has been on the rise in the recent years. There are many benefits from Animal therapy. Although it may seem far-fetched, sometimes, particular animals can have a better understanding of the psychology than medical professionals. One example of is the horse. Equine therapy uses the nature and honesty of horses to help people through, interactions between the two. Tim Hayes, through his extensive work with horses, uses his knowledge in conjunction with scientific research to write his novel, Riding Home: The Power of Horses to Heal. Even the title forms a bond between the readers and the book. In most cases, people ride on horses, but in this case, they are taking people to a place of desire, their home.

I will be looking at this topic from both an aesthetic perspective and a psychological perspective. It is important to know why therapy dogs are becoming great means of therapy all around the world. Dogs are naturally aesthetically pleasing. They bring joy to their households and even those walking down the street, so it makes sense to implement them in a therapeutic setting. The aesthetic view of therapy dogs comes into play when aiding those without medical issues. On the other hand, the aesthetic perspective can be analyzed when discussing the unethical journey it takes to become a therapy dog, or while being one. Moreover, it is also important to examine the psychological perspective of the topic. Investigating the psychology of how therapy dogs treat those with chronic diseases like Alzheimer’s disease and cancer, likewise