Animal Assisted Therapy: Paving the Way for Healing
Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) is a therapeutic intervention that involves animals as tools for healing. It has been around for centuries and enjoyed a resurgence of interest in recent years. The benefits of AAT are many, and its versatility means it can help people of all ages and many different conditions. In this article, we will take a closer look at what AAT entails, its benefits, the animals involved, and the different types of therapy that it offers.
What is Animal Assisted Therapy?
AAT is a goal-directed intervention where an animal works with a trained professional to aid in the therapeutic process. It is a guided interaction that occurs in a structured environment, aimed at promoting physical, emotional, cognitive, and social improvements.
The goal of AAT is to help individuals overcome difficulties and improve their quality of life by providing a range of benefits, including relaxation, emotional support, socialization, cognitive stimulation, and physical rehabilitation.
Benefits of Animal Assisted Therapy
The benefits of AAT are numerous. Let’s have a closer look at them:
Relaxation and Stress Relief
AAT provides a calm and peaceful environment that can help individuals relax, reduce stress and anxiety levels. It can also help reduce blood pressure and other physiological markers of stress. Animals have a way of calming and relaxing the human spirit, which can make them perfect tools for therapy.
Emotional Support
Animals offer non-judgmental support that can help individuals feel more comfortable and secure. They can also act as a source of comfort that can help individuals feel less anxious, sad, or depressed. Animals have a way of making people feel good about themselves, and their unconditional love and support can provide an emotional boost to individuals who may be struggling.
Socialization
AAT is an excellent way of bringing individuals together for a shared experience. It can provide individuals with the opportunity to meet new people, share experiences, and socialize in a safe and supportive environment. AAT can also help individuals learn social skills, which they can apply in everyday life.
Cognitive Stimulation
AAT can help improve cognitive functions such as memory, attention, and problem-solving skills. Animals can provide mental stimulation that can help individuals with various cognitive difficulties. For instance, they can help stimulate individuals with Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, or other cognitive disorders.
Physical Rehabilitation
AAT can help individuals with physical limitations by providing physical therapy and rehabilitation exercises. Animals can encourage individuals to move around, which can help build physical strength, coordination, and motor skills.
Animals Involved in Animal Assisted Therapy
Animals used in AAT can include dogs, cats, horses, birds, rabbits, guinea pigs, and even llamas. However, dogs are the most commonly used animals in AAT, and for good reasons.
Dogs
Dogs are popular in AAT because they are friendly, obedient, and easy to train. They are often used in hospitals, nursing homes, and schools because of their ability to create positive interactions with individuals. Dogs can be trained to provide companionship, assist in physical exercises, and even alert to medical emergencies.
Cats
Cats are also used in AAT, although not as often as dogs. They offer a calming presence and can be a great source of comfort to individuals who may be struggling with anxiety or depression. They can also help stimulate fine motor skills through petting, brushing, and playing.
Horses
Horses have been used in AAT as a form of equine therapy. This therapy has been particularly helpful for individuals with mobility issues, autism, or emotional disorders. Horses provide a range of benefits, including emotional support, physical therapy, socialization, and cognitive stimulation.
Birds
Birds such as parrots can also be used in AAT. Parrots can provide emotional support, cognitive stimulation, and communication skills to individuals. They can also help individuals with anxiety or depression difficulties.
Types of Animal Assisted Therapy
There are different types of AAT programs, and each program is tailored to meet the needs of the individual or group. The five main types of AAT are:
Physical Therapy
The goal of physical therapy is to improve physical functions such as strength, coordination, balance, and motor skills through activities involving animals. The animals used in physical therapy include dogs, horses, and dolphins.
Occupational Therapy
Occupational therapy focuses on improving daily living activities for individuals with physical, cognitive, or emotional conditions. The animals used in occupational therapy include dogs, cats, and horses.
Sensory Integration Therapy
Sensory integration therapy aims to improve sensory processing and integration by using various sensory activities that involve animals. Sensory activities include petting, brushing, or grooming animals. The animals used in sensory integration therapy include dogs, cats, and rabbits.
Mental Health Therapy
Mental health therapy is aimed at improving mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, and mood disorders. The animals used in mental health therapy include dogs, cats, and horses.
Educational and Recreational Therapy
Educational and recreational therapy involves activities with animals that aim to improve cognitive, social, or emotional skills. The activities can include reading to dogs, playing games with cats, and horseback riding. The animals used in educational and recreational therapy include dogs, cats, and horses.
Conclusion
In conclusion, animal-assisted therapy has many benefits and is a great way to improve the quality of life for individuals with various conditions. It provides a range of benefits such as relaxation, emotional support, socialization, cognitive stimulation, and physical rehabilitation. AAT can involve different animals, but dogs are the most widely used animals in AAT. There are different types of AAT programs, and each program is tailored to meet the needs of the individual or group.
Animal-Assisted Therapy holds great promise in the field of therapy and we hope that it continues to gain popularity and acceptance around the world. It has already transformed the lives of many individuals and has improved their quality of life immeasurably. With this kind of therapy, animals have become not just companions in everyday life but invaluable partners in promoting the return to a much happier, healthier life.
FAQs
What is Animal Assisted Therapy?
Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) is a type of therapy that involves animals as a part of the treatment process. The animals are utilized to help individuals with mental or physical health conditions. This type of therapy can be used in hospitals, rehabilitation centres and nursing homes.
What are the benefits of Animal Assisted Therapy?
Animal Assisted Therapy has numerous benefits for individuals suffering from mental or physical health conditions. AAT has been known to improve the individual’s mood, reduce stress and anxiety, lower blood pressure, and help with depression among many others. It also helps individuals to increase socialization, communication, and interpersonal skills.
What animals are used in Animal Assisted Therapy?
There are various types of animals that can be used in Animal Assisted Therapy such as dogs, cats, horses, birds, rabbits, and fish among others. However, the most commonly used animals are dogs. These animals are trained to provide companionship and affection to people and have been found to be very effective in improving one’s quality of life.
References
1. Fine, A. H. (2015). Handbook on animal-assisted therapy: Theoretical foundations and guidelines for practice (3rd ed.). Academic Press. (Fine, 2015)
2. Souter, M. A., & Miller, M. D. (2007). Do animal-assisted activities effectively treat depression?: A meta-analysis. Anthrozoös, 20(2), 167-180. (Souter & Miller, 2007)
3. Barker, S. B., Knisely, J. S., McCain, N. L., Best, A. M., & William, K. (2005). Measuring stress and immune response in healthcare professionals following interaction with a therapy dog: A pilot study. Psychiatric Quarterly, 76(4), 361-372. (Barker et al., 2005)