I’ve been involved in pet therapy in the past, when I volunteered and fostered dogs for a non-profit animal shelter. It was very interesting to read some of the science that goes along with animal therapy, specially the release of brain chemicals. Looking back on my experiences in hospitals and nursing homes I now understand that oxytocin was the reason pet therapy seemed to help calm and soothe the people we visited. The article states that animal therapy promotes faster healing with less scar tissue and pain medication, which makes me wonder why it isn’t utilized more often. Additionally, the skin to skin contact from petting an animal helps to lower stress and anxiety as well as blood pressure and heart rate. I believe that this modality should be included in more hospitals and nursing homes.
I have always been interested in involving animal therapy in my future psychology or social work career, and I had thought that children would benefit greatly. To be honest, the article made me tear up when I read the stories involving children because it seemed to be what I had hoped to do years ago. I had theorized that animal therapy could help teach children empathy, patience, responsibility, impulse control, confidence, and trust before I had read the article. However, I learned that when a child bonds with an animal they also connect with the counselor who is present during the process, which builds a relationship between child and counselor. Another important process that can happen is projection, to be used with children who have been abused or neglected. Pet therapy with autistic children can also be very beneficial, when the animal is used as a safe way to get feedback while learning social skills, such as looking someone straight in the eye. Overall, including animals in therapy situations can make children feel like they are in a safer space, may help them to open up, and helps to normalize the experience of counseling.
The article states that setting goals...