Pet Therapy for People

Improving health with Pet Therapy | Lifeologie Counseling
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Pet therapy is a guided interaction between a person and a trained animal. The purpose of pet therapy is to help someone recover from or cope with a health problem or mental disorder. Pet therapy is also beneficial in managing stress and controlling anxiety.

Dogs and cats are most commonly used in pet therapy. However, fish, guinea pigs, horses, and other animals that meet screening criteria can also be used. The type of animal chosen depends on the therapeutic goals of a person’s treatment plan. At Lifeologie, 

Pet therapy may also be referred to as animal-assisted therapy (AAT). AAT is sometimes confused with animal-assisted activities (AAA). AAT is a formal, structured set of sessions that helps people reach specific goals in their treatment. AAA involves more casual meetings in which an animal and its handler interact with one or more people for comfort or recreation.

Benefits Of Pet Therapy

Pet therapy builds on the pre-existing human-animal bond. Interacting with a friendly pet can help many physical and mental issues. It can help reduce blood pressure and improve overall cardiovascular health. It can also release endorphins that produce a calming effect. This can help alleviate pain, reduce stress, and improve your overall psychological state.

Pet therapy can be used in many different ways. Defined objectives are an important part of therapy, and your progress will be recorded and tracked at structured sessions. Pet therapy isn't designed to replace traditional psychotherapy, but is can be an excellent complement to a therapeutic approach. 

Other benefits of pet therapy may include:

  • making you happier, lessening depression, and improving your outlook on life
  • decreasing loneliness and isolation by giving you a companion
  • reducing boredom
  • reducing anxiety because of its calming effects
  • helping children learn empathic and nurturing skills
  • improving the relationship between you and your healthcare provider

Goals of Pet Therapy

  • improving motor skills and joint movement
  • improving assisted or independent movement
  • increasing self-esteem
  • increasing verbal communication
  • developing social skills
  • increasing willingness to join in activities
  • improving interactions with others
  • motivating willingness to exercise

Meet Lifeologie Counseling Raleigh therapy dog, Honey Bunches of Love, and Lifeologie Counseling Dallas therapy dog Goliath (also our greeter!) and his companion Chewie! Chewie is not a registered service animal, but if you seen him in his thundershirt on a stormy day, you can see how appreciative he is of our creative, collaborative therapy space! Reach out to find out if a Lifeologie Counseling location near you offers pet therapy as one of our many approaches. 

 

About Lifeologie

Lifeologie Counseling was founded in 2000 with one goal in mind — to bring a fresh, innovative approach to the everyday problems of life. Creative solutions to stuck problems®. With our unique multi-specialty, collaborative approach, Lifeologie Counseling helps individuals and families heal their wounds and break out of old, unhealthy patterns.