What is Animal Assisted Therapy?

Animal-assisted therapy is a scientifically proven method for optimizing therapy benefits as well as providing stand alone mental and physical health benefits. Animal-assisted therapy builds on the human-animal bond.  According to UCLA Health, “for most people, the presence of an animal prompts the body to release serotonin, prolactin and oxytocin. These hormones generate a relaxation and stress-reducing response.” This hormone release can lower the symptoms of depression, help to lower anxiety, improve the health of the immune system and increase the pain threshold. 

Utilizing the human-animal bond with animal-assisted therapy can complement many types of therapies - including tutoring. A client may spend time with an animal either before the therapy session, after the therapy session or when appropriate during the session. It can “break the ice” between a therapist and patient, causing less resistance to therapy and therefore more effectiveness. Because the client has increased “happy hormones” flowing through their body, the client will be more relaxed and experience a higher threshold for pain/discomfort during their treatment or therapy - encouraging them to push harder during their therapy program. Animal-assisted therapy has also proven to increase benefits to therapies with children with neurological differences, such as autism. According to UCLA health, Children with autism engaged in significantly greater use of language as well as social interaction when their therapy sessions incorporated animals compared to standard therapy sessions without them.