A Psychologist Who Practices Pet Therapy
How Dogs Reduce Depression and Improve Counseling Sessions
Oct 22, 2008
Some psychologists and therapists bring their dogs to work, and encourage their clients to benefit from pet therapy. These "animal counselors" (the dogs) can improve the results of counseling for both therapists and clients.
Brenda Reed, Psy.D. is certified in Behavioral Sleep Medicine and works at the outpatient clinic at Aurora Healthcare in Waukesha, Wisconsin. Here, she explains how she integrates pet therapy into her counseling practice with her therapy partner, Niko.
Dogs in Counseling Sessions
“I’ve been providing pet therapy with my black lab mix, Niko, since May 2008,” says Reed. “Pet therapy is integrated into the services that I provide as a psychologist. Niko comes to my outpatient clinic with Aurora Healthcare in Waukesha, Wisconsin one to two days a week. I also bring him to the hospital (Aurora St. Luke’s Medical Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin) when I see patients there.”
Question & Answer with Psychologist Brenda Reed
Laurie Pawlik-Kienlen: What does your dog offer clients in therapy?
Reed: Bringing Niko to my office offers a warmer, more homelike environment to my patients. Niko also gives them something more comfortable to talk about, and gives them something in common with me (ie, the love of animals/dogs/pets).
Niko can also provide a momentary distraction when emotions get too intense for people. This dog provides that unconditional love and attention that humans simply cannot; he also offers acceptance and nurturing in a way that I, as a psychologist, am unable to do. Both in my clinic and in the hospital, patients can experience touch with Niko. This isn’t something I can provide them.
How does pet therapy help people in general?
When Niko and I are in the hospital, I see staff smile more easily and become more socially engaged. I have staff, patients, and visitors walk up to me and ask to pet him.
Pet therapy is known to help heart and lung functioning by lowering pressures. This creates a decrease in harmful hormones and lowers anxiety among heart failure patients who are hospitalized. Blood pressure in both healthy and hypertensive patients is reduced.
Reed explains that "animal counselors" (dogs) can reduce depression by providing people a way of feeling needed. It can give people a greater sense of purpose in life, as they can feel useful. The effects of petting an animal include turning on the relaxation response. Pets can also be a good social lubricant, which gets people talking to one another. And, having a dog can decrease feelings of loneliness and isolation.
Why Dogs Reduce Depression and Improve Therapy Sessions
“Dogs are one of the few types of animals/pets that people tend to feel an emotional connection with,” says Reed. “Dogs provide empathy in a way that most other animals typically don’t. The ability to touch and pet a dog is unlike that of many other animals – look at how many people have their dogs sleep in bed with them and treat them like a member of their family, sometimes even going on vacations with them!”
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