Animal assisted therapy (AAT) is an add-on service used alongside psychotherapy or supportive counseling. The therapy utilizes calm, obedient animals trained to provide a therapeutic presence for patients with medical and mental health conditions. AAT animals and their owners go through thorough training before they can start visiting patients. Here are some of the frequently asked questions about AAT:
What Is Animal Assisted Training?
Animal assisted therapy involves including trained animals in therapeutic work with humans. Healthcare professionals can include animals in various therapeutic works, including counseling, teaching, rehabilitation, occupational therapy, and physiotherapy. AAT is also implemented in disaster relief, comfort, humorous relief, and in learning social skills, life skills, and behavioral skills. Counselors can also use animal petting to draw out issues of attachment and anger.
Which Animals Train For AAT?
Dogs are the most preferred animals for AAT due to their ability to bond with humans. Horses, guinea pigs, llamas, rabbits, and cats can also play a role in AAT. Healthcare professionals can use different dog breeds. Dogs also offer more size options, so therapists can work with large, medium, and smaller pets. A small animal may be a more practical choice than a horse when visiting clients in their homes.
What Training Do AAT Animals Get?
AAT dogs and their owners must complete training and certification before they begin visiting clients. The training involves making the dog comfortable around unfamiliar people and unusual sights. Experienced instructors handle the training to make the dogs friendly and comfortable around other animals. The dog is also trained to enjoy the interactions. Some dogs greet clients, while others provide petting and cuddling opportunities. Handlers are also trained in the best practices in dog handling, instruction, and management under various situations.
What Are the Benefits of AAT?
Positive interaction with a trained, friendly dog can have mental health, cognitive, emotional, and social benefits. Studies show that AAT has positive impacts on self-independence, depression, and anger management. Healthcare practitioners can use AAT to reduce stress and anxiety, improve mood, increase social interactions, and reduce aggression in clients. Other AAT benefits include diverting attention from pain and discomfort, decreasing the stress of visiting friends and family, and enhancing self-esteem.
What Does AAT Entail?
A typical AAT session involves visiting clients to provide them the opportunity to pet and cuddle with an animal. Clients can interact with the animals during the visits to benefit from the therapeutic effects of such interactions. Animal assisted therapy can include scheduled visits to hospitalized clients, psychiatric facilities, and homes. AAT dogs and other animals obey instructions, making them a positive outlet for energy.
What Is the Best AAT Organization?
Leading therapy animal organizations offer robust handler training featuring overt and covert animal stress signs, risk management, and confidentiality. The handler training covers how to handle the animals around different populations. AAT organizations also meet veterinarian and grooming requirements to keep their therapy animals healthy and clean. Animal therapy organizations are licensed and feature certified training programs for animals and handlers.
How Is AAT Different From AAA?
AAT is different from AAA, which stands for animal assisted activities. AAA often involves entertaining, educational, and motivational activities. You can find AAA animals in entertainment shows, school settings, and room-to-room social visits in healthcare settings. Animal assisted therapy dogs train for counseling environments. They can live with the counselor to strengthen their work bond and improve communication during counseling sessions. AAT and AAA both fall under the umbrella of animal assisted interactions.
What Other Distinctions Exist?
Animals, particularly dogs, are trained in various roles, including crisis response, providing emotional support, and assisting people with disabilities. Service animals are trained for specific tasks like helping people with disabilities to press the elevator button. Such animals work in businesses and facilities serving the public. Emotional support animals can help people with disabilities or with stress or depression but don’t necessarily work in counseling settings. AAT animals are equal partners explicitly trained in counseling.
Book Your Animal Assisted Therapy Session Today
Animal therapy can have positive benefits for those struggling with anxiety, depression, self-esteem, and other mental health issues. AAT sessions may help boost the release of “feel good” hormones that support mental and cardiovascular health. Book your animal assisted therapy session today to start enjoying the benefits.