It is doubtful that cats or dogs will ever be recognized as preferred providers by guarnatee 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 stepping back town encouraged its patients to spend time touching and interacting with the roaming farm animals at the facility. The staff believed this would enhance the mental state of the population more than the archaic treatments used for the mentally ill at that time. Animal-assisted therapy for real had its beginnings with therapeutic horseback riding programs in Germany during the 1960s. It wasn't until the 1980s that the use of animals in therapeutic settings became more coarse in the United States. Animals used in the discrete visitations and therapy settings can vary dogs, cats, horses, Capuchin monkeys, and some varieties of birds are used. Collective workers and physical therapists have led the way more often than not in employing animals to sustain in helping patients.2
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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 every person 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 come to be 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 chance in their own interaction. Of course, this became a helpful topic of consulation 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, descriptive 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 proximity in the counseling office was a source of comfort. I also used some of his qualities to explicate 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 beneficial 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 someone is paranoid, he or she may have mystery 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 operate groups showed a considerable convert in residents functioning. Those who received visits experienced statistically considerable decreases in depression, anxiety, and confusion.4 A year long study of nearly 1,000 elderly members of a Los Angeles condition maintenance society 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 distinct 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 mystery remembering their daily routines. Yet each Wednesday morning, they can be found in the lobby wearing their extra 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 distinct result 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 assistance 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 won't allow her to exert herself the next day.7 Dogs, as well as Capuchin monkeys, are used with the complicated handicapped. Canine companion dogs are trained to do 89 separate 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 study that someone wants to associate with you regardless of your circumstances. Dr. Ashok Bedi, a psychiatrist in inexpressive practice at Milwaukee sychiatric Hospital in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, has recommend that animals can fulfill the needs population have to feel considerable 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 quarterly visits by animals act up less often. The animals seem to add a sense of predictability to their lives and thus growth their self-control. There are also considerable physiological effects as well. A persons heart rate is lower when he or she sits quietly or reads aloud in the proximity of a cordial 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 good 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 for real a good source of Collective preserve than spouses. Two-hundred forty population participated in this stress study, which showed that participants stress response was top when spouses were gift and lower only when their pets were there. The windup was drawn that its probably because dogs are non-judgmental or perceived that way. Find a therapist 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't force this. You need an animal that is people-oriented and responsive. Not all cats and dogs are. distinct breeds of dogs work good than others. For example, knowing the separate 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 population and dogs is an prominent step. If you are interested, the following old_resources would be considerable reading.
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