Animal Assisted Therapy

The relationship between therapy animals and the therapist can also be a model for a healthy relationship. For example, Chandler says that clients gain information about how to form and maintain relationships and trust by watching how a therapist responds to the animal and the animal responds to the therapist. “The therapist and the therapy animal, their interactions, their relationships serves as a good model for client that helps the client feel safer in a session.”

But though the research may be sparse, Chandler says the research is out there and has been increasing since 2002. She cites one study, for example, that showed a significant drop in stress hormones such as cortisol, adrenaline and aldosterone and an increase in “health inducing and social inducing” hormones such as oxytocin, dopamine and endorphins after 20 minutes with a therapy dog. Working with a therapy animal has also resulted in behavioral improvement in children and a reduction in depression for elderly with dementia. To her, the research speaks for itself. “There is actually a psycho-physiological, emotional and physical (component) to interacting with a therapy animal.” And the key that links all of these positive benefits comes down to oxytocin. In addition to lowering blood pressure and heart rate, it is a powerful healing mechanism. “Oxytocin is one of the best, most powerful, wonderful, healthy social hormones we have and it’s the one that’s the most grossly affected in a positive way through human-animal interaction.” She says animal-assisted therapy is here to stay simply because the oxytocin effect is undeniable.